HOLLYWOOD'S NEED TO SHOCK AND AWE EVER MORE DIFFICULT

R.I.P. Romantic Comedies: Why Harry Wouldn't Meet Sally in 2013

 

One producer tells THR "the meet-cute is dead" as films with overseas and sequel potential take priority and the traditional format tanks.

To understand the state of the Hollywood romantic comedy, consider director Nancy Meyers. Despite her stellar credentials in the genre (What Women Want, Something's Gotta Give and It's Complicated), THR.com reported Sept. 20 that her attempt to make a royal wedding rom-com at Sony had ended. Even with a script by red-hot (500) Days of Summer writers Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter, Meyers couldn't settle on the right cast. And sources say Sony, like many studios, was having doubts about laying a big bet in the budget range to which Meyers is accustomed.
"I don't see any appetite for rom-coms from the studios," says producer Lynda Obst, who built her career with such hits as Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle and the Kate Hudson-Matthew McConaughey pairing How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. "The meet-cute is dead," agrees Seeking a Friend for the End of the World producer and manager Joy Gorman. "The only ones that have a chance are ones with a very fresh take."    ORIGINAL STORY