Lawrence Reunites With Stupnitsky for Apple Rom-Com — SkimNews
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- Gene Stupnitsky is in final negotiations to direct the Apple Original Films rom-com One Month Mark, starring and producing Jennifer Lawrence, who pushed to reunite with him after their No Hard Feelings shoot.
- The contemporary rom-com, scripted by Sophie Fleur de Bruijn, is built around a hook of opposites: she has never made it past a month in a relationship; he has never gone longer than a month without one.
- Chernin Entertainment's David Ready and Peter Chernin will produce alongside Lawrence and Justine Ciarrocchi through Excellent Cadaver, with de Bruijn and Brady Fujikawa executive producing.
- The spec script triggered an unusual summer auction, drawing interest from more than 40 producers, unsolicited offers from studios and streamers, and high-profile actors and directors chasing meetings — with Apple closing the package once Lawrence was on board.
- Stupnitsky's rising profile includes directing Universal's Good Boys (2019), co-creating the Emmy-nominated Jury Duty, and co-writing Bad Teacher; he's currently producing Sony's Narcs and is repped by WME.
- With Stupnitsky locked, the studio's next target is Lawrence's male co-star, a part insiders expect to draw heavy attention from actors around town.
Why it matters: The 40-producer feeding frenzy for a rom-com spec — with Apple moving in only after Lawrence attached — shows that star-driven comedy packages are commanding auction-level heat again, and Lawrence's direct push to rehire Stupnitsky signals she is using her leverage to shape projects, not just headline them. The high-profile co-star search now becomes the next commercial and PR lever for the film.
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