David O. Russell, Vince Vaughn Drop Out of Universal's '2 Guns' As Mark Wahlberg Joins

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Director David O. Russell and actor Vince Vaughn have dropped out of 2 Guns as Mark Wahlberg enters final negotiations to star in Universal’s adaptation of a Boom! Studios comic book.

The studio picked up the project in August 2008 as a vehicle for Vaughn, who was attached to star in the story of a DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who are unwittingly investigating each other and who steal mob money for the good guys. The duo realizes later that the mob actually got them to steal $50 million from the CIA.

Earlier this year, Russell (The Fighter) came on board to rewrite and direct the film, but sources say the Oscar-nominated director fell off the project due to was scheduling differences. Universal is eying a winter start for 2 Guns, and Russell would be still be working on The Silver Linings Playbook, his drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Now neither Russell, nor Vaughn, the star of the recent Universal flop The Dilemma, are involved in the film. The studio is focusing on a previous draft of the script, written by Blake Masters.

Marc Platt is producing with Boom! co-founders Andrew Cosby and Ross Richie.

The comic was written by Steven Grant with art by Mat Santolouco.

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