Robert Downey Jr. loses Gravity but finds Girls

You’d think after the acclaim that filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron received for CHILDREN OF MEN (not to mention what some say is the best HARRY POTTER so far), he wouldn’t have such a hard time with his sci-fi thriller GRAVITY.

But the project went through nearly every female biped on the continent searching for an appropriate actress, and has now lost its male lead.

Robert Downey Jr. has reportedly drifted away from the space-based survival drama, but has been pulled in by Fox’s HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS.

While that might sound like a belated sequel to his 1987 romcom THE PICK-UP ARTIST, it’s actually an adaptation of youngster Alec Greven’s book about dealing with the opposite sex.

The project is being “reconceived and developed as a Downey vehicle,” which makes sense as Greven was nine years old when he wrote it. Downey will also produce along with wife Susan.

Meanwhile, GRAVITY is still after Sandra Bullock to play a woman trying to get back to Earth after an orbital disaster, and will now also seek a replacement for Downey.