As Scott Z. Burns‘ (The Informant!) virus thriller screenplay Contagion continues to be shopped around the studios, it’s apparently gotten another star member attached: Gwyneth Paltrow. But is it enough of a reason for these treading companies to finally bite? The cast is already pretty auspicious.
The veteran actress joins Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard and Jude Law in this film about attempts made to contain a deadly virus. The attached budget for the project is $60 million, with Participant Media prepared to co-finance.
And though that number is pretty slim all things considered (in classic Soderbergh style), one can understand the hesitance. Outbreak films, temporarily popular in the mid-90s, never seem to find a lasting audience – unless, of course, there are zombies involved. If you don’t believe me, look at the numbers on Outbreak and Congo. Both did just fine – not too great, not too bad.
In the 2000s, it got worse. A lot worse. Case in point, Dreamcatcher (which, in fairness, is one of the worst films ever made) and Blindness (one of the most underrated films in recent years) were both met with yawns.
Can Soderbergh pitch his way into these studios’ hearts. Maybe if Paltrow dresses like Pepper Potts in the film and in the middle of stopping the virus the ensemble cast bands together and robs a bank.
Are you interested in Contagion? Are you surprised Soderbergh is taking on material like this?