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UPDATE: Insiders say that Warner Bros is making a full court press for Sandra Bullock to play the role of a space station team member who tries to find her way back to earth and her daughter after the space station she is working on is destroyed by a debris field from an exploded asteroid. Bullock, coming off the Oscar win for The Blind Side, certainly has the drawing power and the chops to hold the screen. Numerous actresses have wanted to make the film because it is ambitious and original, and also because for the opportunity to work with director Alfonso Cuaron, which is a major reason Robert Downey Jr. agreed to co-star. Portman’s reps confirmed that she won’t star in Gravity, citing scheduling conflicts.
EARLIER: Tough break for Warner Bros and director Alfonso Cuaron. I’m hearing that Natalie Portman won’t do
the studio’s ambitious $80 million 3D film Gravity.The Black Swan star had been offered the role, mulled it before saying no. I don’t think she’s doing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, either. Recently, I mentioned that the studio was considering Portman and Sandra Bullock as the prime candidates after Angelina Jolie passed on the role for a second time. Let’s see if the studio tries Bullock, or the group of actresses I’d heard they were considering, including Naomi Watts, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Abbie Cornish, Rebecca Hall, Olivia Wilde and Blake Lively. It’s a tricky role to cast. The film is a big investment by the studio and though Robert Downey Jr has committed, he’s in it for a limited time and the picture’s focus is squarely on the actress, much the way Tom Hanks held the screen all by himself for much of Cast Away.
Angelina Jolie Pass Puts ‘Gravity’ In Shaky Orbit At Warner Bros
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Is Portman considered a draw now then, after receiving some good notices for Black Swan, a film that will make south of $20m?
I think it’s naive to believe that just because Black Swan is an original property make with a low budget, it will make <$20M. I think it'll do quite well for itself – Natalie Portman is a household name, and Mila Kunis is getting there. Plus, once word leaks that they have a sex scene, every male in the country will want to go see it.
What about someone a bit different, like a Michelle Rodriguez type? She dominated the screen in Girlfight…hasn’t been given a leading gig since but has certainly earned it what with her roles in big flicks like Fast and Furious, Avatar, Machete, etc.
But if it MUST be someone from THAT list, then I seriously only think that Marion Cotillard can pull it off AND pull in the crowd. Thanks to her roles in Inception, Public Enemies, etc she’s an easily recognizable face. She’s also gorgeous, and tremendously talented and therefore able to pull something like this off. I say give her her first leading gig! Or hell,
Rebecca Hall! That is all.
Would love to see Marion Cotillard do this. It’s a longshot, but IMHO Marion has the acting chops to to pull it off perfectly.
Sandra Bullock would be good in this. Portman lacks the screen gravitas to pull an audience in. Just watching her in a longish scene makes me sleepy. But why hasn’t Hillary Swank been mentioned? She couldn’t be more perfect for this role.
because they actually want people to go see it. something hillary swank doesn’t ever make happen.
Why not consideration Charlize Theron? She would be a strong female lead in this film.
Seems like a Jodie Foster role to me. She’s a name and certainly can hold her own by herself for long periods of time a la Tom Hanks as well.
Cotillard’s a good idea. So is Noomi Rapace.
How about someone’s who’s not white.
Nobody’s gonna pay $10 to see a sistagirl in space. Hell you can barely get folks to pay $10 to see a sistagirl on Earth. Shut up.
That’s because they rarely cast a “sistagirl” in anything meaningful or anything anyone wants to see. It’s not her fault! With the exception of Cate Blanchett, Angela Bassett would outperform all of the actresses mentioned in these comments.
Thanks “SorryHugh” for reminding me of the prejudice in Hollywood. And by the way, who says “sistagirl” – you’re a fucking retard, but thanks for the laugh. I’m glad you found an outlet here, but I guaran-damn-tee you that you wouldn’t say this to any black woman’s face, so no matter how much vitriol you display in this limited forum, i take pleasure in your true cowardice. There are plenty of talented, gorgeous fierce non-white (black, asian, latino, native american, middle eastern, etc) actresses in Hollywood and the fact is simply that you and most short, small-minded (and small elsewhere), over-compensating, cynical, wannabe artist, hollywood executives who can’t see it are just plain stupid. Like it or not, people of all colors have a place in Hollywood, despite the fact that we’re often under-depicted in shows and films. Keep ignoring us if you’d like, but we’re not going anywhere. Like him or not, Robert Rodriquez is a force with which to be reckoned. Tyler Perry found a niche in serving an underserved audience and is damn near half a bilion dollars. How much is your bitchass worth?
Ok, I´m going with the crazy option and probably the least popular as I´m going with the most inexplicably hated and totally underrated actress of her generation.
Kirsten Dunst.
You can love or hate Marie Antoniette but is the best example that she can carry a movie by herself. She has an incredible expresive face and just has worked with Carlos Cuaron in a short film produced by Alfonso. Here you have the link…
And of course there is no way this happens as she is not considered bankable anymore… Sad.
Sorry for my English btw, I´m from Spain.
That’s a big NO to Dunst. This isn’t Thundercats.
Warner should bring back Angelina, this project was meant for her since the beggining and she’s the best choice of all!
I don’t think this movie can afford her salary. Unless she really believed in the title for reasons other than movie making, she won’t cut her salary request.
Rebecca Hall had strong screen presence in the Town. I think if Bullock passes the studio should downgrade the cost of the movie and cast her in it.
How about taking a leap and get Sigourney Weaver back into space? Just kidding, I like Rebeca Hall also.
Wow, if one of the latter actresses on this list gets caste (blake lively, olivia wilde, sienna miller), i can’t see Warner Bros. committing 80+mil for the project. Every ounce of credibility goes out the window if they pick one of those choices. It’s sad to see Natalie Portman pass, but at he same time I don’t know if she was right for it. Not sure if I would see Gravity staring Sandra Bullock, but it would be interesting. If I were to pick from that list, I’d probably go with Marion Cotillard.
Bullock seems like a no-brainer for this movie. I’m kind of shocked they went to Portman before her. At this point, I think she’s got more of a universal appeal for a role like this than even Jolie.
Bullock is only big in America not worldwide. Really the best one who can pull it off is Angelina Jolie, she is big star worldwide.
WOW…you were joking, right ? “Bullock is only big in America not worldwide.” That’s just simply not true. She had huge international hits in the last decade (The Proposal, Two weeks notice, Miss Congeniality) AND several films pulling in respectable numbers overseas (The Lake House, Premonition, Miss Congeniality II) and the best part that all these films were relatively low-budgeted and still reached the 100M WW with the exception of ‘Premonition’ (that one made 90M and cost 20M…do the Math). And don’t even get me started on ‘The Blind Side’ which is probably the biggest Box Office-suprise of the last decade and despite the VERY American theme , still made 53M on the international circuit (and 300M worldwide…low-budgeted sports drama…no star director, no big budget, no visual effects, no built-in audience of a bestseller or a sequel, no movie star-co-star……and 300M ww). Plus she has a best picture winner under her belt, as well.
Bottom line : Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock. They are the biggest female BO-stars at the moment. Julia Roberts is coming out of retirement, so with the right management and material she could return to this elite club soon (Eat Pray Love was a decent first step, it will probably make 200M ww, excellent for the genre and the 60M budget). Katherine Heigl, Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway have BO-potential, but they are not there yet. Heigl isn’t having a good year (although it could change this weekend and even Killers made close to 100M ww), Witherspoon’s films are considerably stronger in the US (70% US, 30% OS; in Bullock’s case the average is almost 50-50), and Hathaway has yet to carry a film all by herself, although she positions herself extremely well, but she has always help when it comes to making a film a BO-hit (she was supporting in hits like Alice, Valentine, Brokeback; she had Meryl, the great in Prada and the source material’s built-in-audience in the ‘Princess’-movies.
I have to agree that Blind Side was not an international hit. To only bring in $53 million from international revenues is not good. Maybe because it was an “American football” movie and did not appeal. However, Salt has brought in almost $200 million internationally and more than $100 domestically. Streep also did well internationall with Mama Mia. Natalie Portman has not had a big hit in either place for awhile and neither has Theron. Cotialard (sp) might be interesting though has she has appeal in both arenas.
Salt is an entirely different genre of movie than Blind Side, and appeals to a different audience. On average, big budget actioners will always make more than chick flix/dramas/feel goods, because on the whole, everyone goes to movies to be entertained, while a subsection of those go to movies for the storytelling/dram/provocativeness.
I couldn’t agree more with all of the pro-Bullock and anti-Portman comments. If Sandra is in this, I will see it. If it had been Portman, I could just save $12 and take a nap at home.
I’m 100% Pro Portman and Bullock I love them both:). I am ecstatic they have both been asked and I hope Sandra follows Natalie’s lead and passes on this one…I think it’s a bad idea and will bomb.
Sandra is America’s favorite. She can certainly do a “cast Away type role. Sounds intriguing. Jodi Foster could as well, she hasn’t had a bad movie since she was six. but Sandra may have the edge presently.
Portman not old enough to be a mom. Unrealistic. She is just not that good any way. Delightful girl. But I think casting her would have been a jeopardizing move.
I’m glad Natalie passed, this is going to be a bad movie.
Vera Farmiga! She’s phenomenal!
not really. she is ultra mannered. i’d rather cate blanchett
jodie foster, jennifer carpenter
Rachel Weisz, Jodie Foster, or Hilary Swank
Ew. Just ew.
How about this – don’t make it! People are passing left and right. Perhaps it is flawed and shouldn’t be made. Maybe nobody cares about the space station and this woman’s kid she wants to get back to.
Mo’Nique!
Sandra is perfect. Take her. I didn’t like Portman. Because let’s face it – Natalie is one of those actors who can only play one type of role. She will play it good. But still her characters looks the same. And as people already mentioned – she is boring to death.
Why they are not calling Kate Winslet?
Tilda Swinton
Of all the names mentioned, she’s the only one that seems believable as an astronaut IMO. I know she’s not a draw, and it would never happen but she could certainly carry a film like that on her own.