Nicole Kidman in talks to replace Vergara in film

Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "The Paperboy" is running into some delivery issues.

The drama, being directed by Lee Daniels ("Precious"), was to have starred Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Tobey Maguire and Sofia Vergara, with production scheduled to begin later this summer.

But Maguire dropped out of the project last week, forcing the shoot to be pushed back. The delay then intruded on Vergara's "Modern Family" shooting schedule, prompting her to drop out of "Paperboy" on Friday.

But the producers are now in talks with Nicole Kidman to step into Vergara's shoes. McConaughey and Efron are still in at this point.

"The Paperboy" centers on a reporter and his brother who investigate the events surrounding a murder in order to exonerate a man on death row. Kidman, if her deal can be made, will play a woman with a dark side who writes letters to men on death row. She brings the case to the attention of the reporter, developing a relationship with him.

Kidman recently wrapped production on "Hemingway and Gellhorn," HBO Films' romancer in which she plays war correspondent Martha Gellhorn to Clive Owen's Ernest Hemingway.