 The film was originally slated to star Kate Hudson (I) (qv) and  Ralph Fiennes (qv) and be directed by Mike Newell (qv). Hudson  pulled out during preproduction, which resulted in funding being  pulled, and by the time new funding was secured, Newell had to move  on to another project. After a director search, Peter Webber (qv)  was tapped for the job and held auditions for a new female lead. He  settled on Kirsten Dunst (qv), who then dropped the project in  wake of _Spider