Deadlinehas announced that a European Film Market title has landed its first two stars. According to the report,Keke PalmerandSacha Baron Cohenwill lead the upcoming featureSuper Toys. Set in the ’70s, the duo will play a married couple who are toy sales reps on “a life-and-death mission to save themselves, their marriage and their live-wire 12-year-old daughter while on the road in Middle America.”
David O. Russellwill direct from his own screenplay. The announcement follows his most recent endeavorAmsterdam, which was released at the tail end of last year.Charles Rovenof Atlas Entertainment andMatthew Budmanof Dreamcrew Entertainment are producingSuper Toys. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales, with CAA heading up U.S. distribution.
Palmer and Cohen have both had a big past few years within their careers. Recently, Palmer dominated the spotlight after starring inJordan Peele’s 2022 filmNope. In it, she played Emerald Haywood, who, along with her brother OJ (Daniel Kaluuya), set out to capture video footage of a mysterious alien terrorizing their small town. She lent her voice to animated projects including Pixar’sLightyearand the Netflix seriesHuman Resources, which will return forSeason 2. She also made herSaturday Night Livehosting debut in December 2022. Currently, she is developing a series titledUnfriendly Black Hottiesfor HBO Max.
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Cohen’s most recently released project was in 2021 with Pixar’sLuca, in which he voiced Uncle Ugo. However, one of his most recognizable roles is Borat, and he returned to the character in 2020 withBorat Subsequent Moviefilm. The film was nominated for two Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Maria Bakalova). He’s currentlyrumoredto appear in Marvel and Disney+‘sIronheart, and is in talks to join Apple TV+‘sDisclaimer.
Russell’sAmsterdamWas a Box Office Miss
Despite the star power already behindSuper Toys, Russell has been in rocky territory considering the poor receptionAmsterdamreceived — a movie that also had significant casting with stars likeChristian Bale,Margot Robbie,John David Washington, and several others. The movie itself received mixed reviews that tended to skew negative, and during its run in theaters, it failed to reach its projected gross, with the projectlosing moneyrather than at least breaking even. Moreover, Russell’s track record doesn’t help matters. The filmmaker has a history of on-set abuse, with actors includingAmy AdamsandLily Tomlinrecalling his behavior, and his nieceNicole Peloquinalleging that Russell sexually assaulted her.
