‘Hustlers’ Filmmaker Lorene Scafaria to Direct Bee Gees Film for Paramount, Replacing John Carney

Kenneth Branagh was originally slated to direct the biopic

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“Hustlers” director Lorene Scafaria has been tapped to direct Paramount’s “Bee Gees” film, TheWrap has confirmed. She replaces John Carney, who exited the project due to a scheduling conflict.

In March of this year, “Sing Street” filmmaker Carney stepped in for Kenneth Branagh, who was originally attached when the project was announced in March 2021.

Oscar-nominee John Logan (“Gladiator,” “The Aviator,” “Skyfall”) wrote the latest draft of the script. He also signed on to the project in 2021, taking over from screenwriter Ben Elton.

The Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb will executive produce the still-untitled film about his band with late brothers Maurice and Robin. One of the most commercially successful music groups of all time, they rose to fame in the late ’60s and exploded with “Stayin’ Alive” in the ’70s.

The trio was the subject of the 2020 HBO documentary “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” in which Gibb made an appearance.

Graham King will produce the Bee Gees movie via GK Films alongside Paramount, Amblin and SISTER. Paramount will distribute the film worldwide.

Scafaria previously wrote and directed feature films “Seeking a Friend For the End of the World” (2012) and “The Meddler” (2015) before 2019’s “Hustlers.” Starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, the film was nominated for multiple honors at the Gotham and Independent Spirit Awards. Scafaria received Emmy and DGA nominations for directing an episode of HBO’s “Succession” last year. Next up, she’s set to co-write and executive produce animated film “Under The Boardwalk” for director David Soren.

She is repped by UTA, Sloane Offer Weber and Dern, and Narrative.

Above The Line first reported the news.

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