John Curran to direct Knightley in 'Damned'

John Curran is set to replace Nick Cassavetes as director for Film Department's upcoming period drama "The Beautiful and the Damned."

The film is set during the Roaring '20s and centers on the extravagant lifestyle and turbulent marriage of alcoholic writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda Sayre, a schizophrenic.

Hanna Weg wrote the script for the film, and Keira Knightley is on board to star.

Curran's credits include the decent "The Painted Veil" and "We Don't Live Here Anymore."

As for Fitzgerald, one of his short stories recenely inspired David Fincher's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Another one of his creations, "The Great Gatsby," will be directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Variety says Cassavetes recently dropped the project but doesn't state the reason.

Keira Knightley is ‘The Beautiful and the Damned’

Nick Cassavetes is set to direct Keira Knightley in “The Beautiful and the Damned” for Film Department, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The film centers on Zelda Sayre and F. Scott Fitzgerald, two Jazz Age icons known for their extravagant lifestyle and turbulent marriage.

Says the trade, “Fitzgerald used their relationship as material for his novels, and Sayre -- who tried hard to find an artistic identity of her own and ended up being admitted to a sanitarium -- did the same.”

Cassavetes, whose credits include “The Notebook” and “Alpha Dog,” is directing a script by Hanna Weg.

Knightley can currently be seen in Saul Dibb’s period drama “The Duchess.” Future projects of hers include “King Lear” and “Last Night.”