'Gravity' Almost Starred Angelina Jolie And Robert Downey Jr.

Sandra Bullock And George Clooney Weren't The First Choices for 'Gravity'
This film image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from "Gravity." With the tightest three-way Oscar race in years, the 66th Directors Guild of America Awards could give ?Gravity,? ?American Hustle? or ?12 Years a Slave? the edge in the home stretch to the Oscars. The DGA hands out awards for best director in TV and movie categories in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 in what customarily is a final calling for the film that wins the picture and director Oscars. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, File)
This film image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from "Gravity." With the tightest three-way Oscar race in years, the 66th Directors Guild of America Awards could give ?Gravity,? ?American Hustle? or ?12 Years a Slave? the edge in the home stretch to the Oscars. The DGA hands out awards for best director in TV and movie categories in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 in what customarily is a final calling for the film that wins the picture and director Oscars. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, File)

Instead of George Clooney floating away in space and leaving Sandra Bullock to fend for herself, imagine it's Robert Downey Jr. who abandons Angelina Jolie.

That's what "Gravity" would have looked like had director Alfonso Cuaron's original casting choices stuck. Cuaron reminded us of this fact during the new interview series "The Hollywood Masters," moderated by Hollywood Reporter features editor Stephen Galloway. Jolie dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts with her directorial debut, "In The Land of Blood and Honey," while Downey Jr. exited because the film's technology didn't leave him room to improvise.

Production on "Gravity" hadn't started by the time Jolie and Downey Jr. changed their minds, leaving time to send offers to Bullock and Clooney.

"It became very clear that, as we started to nail the technology, or narrow the technology, that was going to be a big obstacle for [Downey Jr.'s] performance," Cuaron said. "I think Robert is fantastic if you give him the freedom to completely breathe and improvise and change stuff. [But] we tried one of these technologies and it was not compatible. And, after that, we [had a] week that we pretended as if nothing was happening and then we talked and said, 'This is not going to work. This is tough.'"

What do you think "Gravity" would have looked like with Jolie and Downey Jr. instead? Tell us in the comments, then head to THR to watch Cuaron discuss "Gravity" casting as well as his thoughts on J.K. Rowling's recent revelation that it was a mistake to have Hermione marry Ron.

Before You Go

23 Major Roles That Almost Went To Other Actors

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot