There are a few images that instantly evoke sci-fi in the 1950s. Moments from The Blob, Forbidden Planet, and even Plan 9 From Outer Space inspired filmmakers for decades to come, but perhaps no image captured the imagination of audiences like that of Nancy Archer, the wealthy woman who finds herself an unwitting accomplice of an alien invasion in the 1958 cult classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
Unfortunately, the indie movie doesn’t quite hold up. The special effects are charming but obvious, and the 66-minute runtime was considered short even then. Thankfully, the film is getting (another) remake from an iconic director, and a major star familiar with playing a titanic woman is being eyed to star.
In February 2024, Deadline reported that Tim Burton would direct a remake of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman for Warner Bros., based on a script by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. The choice made sense, as Burton has always had a soft spot for the pulpy B-movie; he directed Ed Wood, a biopic of history’s most notorious B-movie directors, and Mars Attacks!, a loving riff on the genre.
Back in November, however, Burton downplayed his involvement, casting doubt that the project would happen at all. “One thing I learned very early on is that until I’m on the set doing something, I don’t know if I’m doing it,” he said during a conversation at the Marrakech Film Festival. “I’ve had projects, I was doing a Superman once, I did another project that I worked for a year upon, and it didn’t happen. When those things happen, it’s quite traumatic, it’s quite emotional. So, I’m very protective of myself.”
But it seems like things are finally moving forward, with Variety reporting that Barbie star Margot Robbie is in early talks to play the lead role. The final film won’t look entirely like the one first described, as Gillian Flynn has left the project after writing the first draft. But Robbie is as suited to this project as Burton, as her resume is packed with period pieces. Even Barbie began with Robbie standing larger-than-life, in a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey. If she stars in 50 Foot Woman, she’ll stand even taller.
It’s still early days, as Burton warns, but it’s hard not to get excited at the thought of Margot Robbie as a giant socialite getting her revenge on a cheating husband by clawing her way through neighborhoods. One can only imagine how well the new poster would sell, too.
