Is Gravity doomed to fail? Robert Downey Jr. drops out

As much as I desperately want to see Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi flick, Gravity, I think it's time Warner Brothers just pulls the plug. The last bit of info we had on this, right around the time that Sandra Bullock was settled on(more like "settled for") to star in the ambitious project, Robert Downey Jr. was in serious jeopardy of leaving the film due to scheduling conflicts. Months were spent trying to secure a lead actress, and Downey is sortof in demand right now. Just a little. Now it's official, as Downey has left to pursue other projects. So where does this leave Gravity?

I think it leaves it with absolutely nowhere to go. Downey is a tough actor to replace, but it can be done. Finding someone else to fill the role wouldn't be the issue. The issue is that Cuaron's vision(at least as reported by those who've read the script) is a massive one. Gravity isn't exactly an all out action barn burner. It's meant to be more exploratory and introspective, with the female character on screen all by herself for vast portions of the film. So you can imagine that marketing would be a real bitch, which is why the studio pushed so hard for a recognizable face like Bullock's. Even though she's still riding high after last year's The Blind Side, high minded sci-fi flicks are a tough sell nowadays. Without Downey it's hard to justify the reported $80M price tag the project would demand.