As long as there’s a film industry, they’ll be body-swap movies, and that tried and tested formula could break Margot Robbie’s recent spell of bad luck at the box office.
Hot off the press over at Deadline is news that the soon-to-be Barbie star will produce a new comedy that will unite Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston, before, we’re taking a wild guess, swapping them.
The latest chance for an A-list out-of-body experience out of time comes courtesy of LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company run by Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara, with Roberts’ Red Om Films banner and Aniston’s Echo Films set to co-produce.
All eyes are on Robbie, whose recent movies The Suicide Squad, Babylon, and Amsterdam have caused some box office concern. Along with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which she stars in and produces, and a behind-the-scenes reunion with Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell to produce Saltburn, it looks like she’s righting the ship with this Hollywood staple. The concept and talent seem to have inspired the studios, too — Deadline reports Amazon beat off four very keen competitors to secure the rights.
The excitement’s understandable, given Robbie’s joining forces with two undisputed romcom queens to bring us a new spin on this familiar concept. An excellent sign is that the currently untitled movie’s been devised by Max Barbakow, who’s also set to direct. The clamor for his latest pitch shouldn’t be a surprise given his previous success at movie auctions — 2020’s Palm Springs sold for a record sum at Sundance.
Barbakow’s next movie is expected to be Legendary Entertainment’s Brothers, a Twins-sounding feature starring Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage in the leading roles. After the irreverent sci-fi comedy of Palm Springs won plaudits for its leads Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, signs are good that this two-hander can make up for Roberts and Aniston’s last shared credit.
Yes, this won’t be the first time the pair have worked together, although it may be a push to say they were on set together too much. In the spate of ensemble romantic comedies, the 2016 dramedy Mother’s Day featured both actors and gave them starring positions on the poster alongside Kate Hudson and Jason Sudeikis. Everyone will be hoping their new comedy endeavor wins a little more than an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.