Adam Sztykiel is known for features like 'Black Adam' and 'Rampage' and TV shows such as 'Bad Monkey.' When it came to direct his first movie, 'Let's Have Kids,' he went for something where the stakes weren't world ending, but instead were purely personal.

Netflix wanted a blunt communicator who could rightsize budgets. Until it didn't.

In an exclusive excerpt from Blake J. Harris' biography 'Emperor of Nothing, the 'Curb' creator and his former manager, Marilyn Black, explain how a pre-'Seinfeld' David managed to earn top dollar for the script and attract potential directors Rob Reiner and Richard Dreyfuss — before it all fell apart.

Reeves stepped away to deal with a family situation, and will not be on set as production resumes.

The exec has been with the streamer since 2016, with her exit coming as the company sheds 1,000 employees.