The stories coming out of the set of Nancy Meyers’ first film in eleven years, “Paris Paramount,” are quite worrisome. The film actually just wrapped its four month production in Los Angeles.
For those catching up, “Paris Paramount” is Meyers' new romantic comedy starring Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, Owen Wilson, Erin Doherty, Tony Hale, and Beverly D'Angelo, about a filmmaker and a producer who were once romantic and creative partners and must reunite years after their breakup for a new movie. It's her first film since Warner Bros.' “The Intern” in 2015, and it's slated for release on December 25, 2027.
Now Jeff Sneider is reporting that the shoot has been a “nightmare,” and that the budget is "WAY higher than anyone wants to admit. A real money pit, I hear."
That shouldn't shock anyone who followed this project's history. Netflix shut it down in 2023 after Meyers reportedly asked for a budget of at least $150M while the streamer wouldn't go above $130M. Of that range, $80M was reportedly earmarked for casting. Meyers also insisted on shooting only in Los Angeles, which was one reason for the big cost. Remember, “The Intern” was made for a net production budget of $35M.
It gets worse. Puck is reporting that Meyers has berated her staff enough to have racked up a number of complaints. A Warner Bros. rep did not comment.
I checked in with a crew member who told me it has been the most intense production they've been a part of, going over budget and over schedule, while Meyers tried to look like she's got it all under control.
Meyers has always been known as a perfectionist, but perfectionism and a toxic set are two different things, and Warner Bros. is now paying for a rom-com that may end up as the most expensive in history. For the studio's sake, this better deliver at the box office.
Meyers was one of the most in-demand filmmakers of the early 2000s, perfecting a crowd-pleasing formula that delivered hits like “What Women Want,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “The Holiday,” and “It’s Complicated.”
