The second key piece of Tim Burton’s remake of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman may be in place with Margot Robbie in talks to star, but there is still one key element to the movie’s success that is missing. Burton intends to reinvent the 1958 cult classic starring Allison Hayes, which is one of the most-parodied iconic science fiction B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s.
In a recent major update, Academy Award nominee Margot Robbie is in talks to join the remake in the title role. Since her starring role in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 juggernaut Barbie, Robbie has focused on producing TV and films via LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company founded by her and her husband.
She will star in 2025’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey and 2026’s remake of Wuthering Heights before she tackles Burton’s sci-fi remake, assuming she formally signs on. However, before she goes all-in on Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, there is one more key component to make such an ambitious remake work.
While Robbie is in talks to star, it’s worth noting that Variety stated that Robbie’s involvement as the lead in the movie is dependent on the final script. As one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Robbie understandably wants to be sure that what she’s signing on for is of excellent quality, which is why finding a writer with a rock-solid vision is of the utmost importance.
Gillian Flynn, famous for writing both the original novel and the screenplay for Gone Girl (David Fincher’s 2014 Academy Award-nominated psychological thriller), has actually already produced a first draft of a screenplay for Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
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Attack of the 50 Foot Woman – Key Details |
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Release Date |
Director |
Budget |
Box Office Gross |
RT Tomatometer Score |
RT Popcornmeter Score |
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1958 |
Nathan Hertz |
$89,000 |
$480,000 |
71% |
21% |
Flynn had been collaborating with Burton on the film, but recently exited the project given her commitment to other projects, including a limited series for HBO based on her novel Dark Places.
It remains to be seen what portion (if any) of Flynn’s original screenplay winds up utilized for the final script. It’s entirely possible that a new lead writer would want to start from scratch, although the fact that Flynn was working with Burton, who is still attached to the movie, likely means parts of it that were consistent with Burton’s vision will be carried over.
It’s essential that Warner Bros. finds the right writer for Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and not just because Robbie’s involvement depends on it. The oft-parodied classic is ripe for an update with the modern socio-political landscape in mind, and could operate as a piece of terrific satire with the right voice supporting Robbie and Burton.
Source: Variety
