Defying Gravity

Robert Downey Jr is circling the lead role in Alfonso Cuarón's sci-fi thriller Gravity. according to Deadline New York.

Set on a remote space station, the story follows a male (Downey Jr.) and female astronaut who are outside when debris from an exploded satellite apparently kills the rest of the crew.

Originally developed at Universal Pictures, Angelina Jolie was recently attached to star as the female lead but left around the same time Universal passed on the project.Warner Bros.then scooped up the pic.

Cuaron (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) will direct from a script he co-wrote with his son Jonás Cuarón.

Filming kicks off this Summer in London meaning Downey could then segue from this right into the Sherlock Holmes Sequel which shoots this Fall in London.