An upcoming film starring Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie has been dropped by its studio just two weeks before filming was slated to begin, sparking speculation over the fate of the big-budget project.
The Hollywood Reporter states that the Australian guns, along with an all-star cast including Charlize Theron, Kate McKinnon, and John Lithgow, were to star in the Annapurna Pictures drama retelling the downfall of real-world Fox News chief Roger Ailes after an avalanche of sexual assault allegations.
Kidman was set to play Gretchen Carlson, who filed a lawsuit against Ailes in 2016 accusing him of sexual harassment. Robbie’s role was described as that of a fictional news producer.
Sources told the outlet that budget concerns played a major role in Annapurna’s decision to shelve the project. Another said management issues may have also played a factor; Chelsea Barnard, Annapurna’s president of film, today revealed she has resigned from the company.
It is currently unclear what will become of the project, but there have been some rumblings that Focus Features or Amblin could take it on.
The feature, which had been helmed by director Jay Roach, was set to recount one of the most high profile incidences a media luminary being held to account after facing numerous accusations.
Before his death in 2017, Ailes had faced an avalanche of sexual harassment allegations, claims of unwanted advances, and many women under the Fox News umbrella stated they faced retaliation after raising their concerns within the company.
The bravery of those women, many of whom continue to face scrutiny, played a key role in progressing the ongoing #MeToo movement.
We’ll keep you posted if the film finds a new home.
