Why Reese Bailed on "Bunny" Film

Reese WitherspoonReese Witherspoon has backed out of a big movie in which she was slated to star and produce. Now TMZ knows why Reese bailed.

The movie, "Bunny Lake Is Missing," was to be a remake of Otto Preminger's 1965 film about a woman whose daughter disappears from a nursery school. Cops then try to convince the woman that her daughter was a figment of her imagination.

Reports are circulating that Witherspoon did not feel emotionally invested in the film, and that her psyche was fragile in the wake of her divorce from Ryan Phillippe.

But a well-placed, high-powered Hollywood source tells TMZ the problem had nothing to do with emotions. We're told Reese signed onto the project after being presented with the idea and a draft script. Last week, Reese was presented with what she thought would be a completed script, but turned out to be 80 pages that had major sections of the movie outlined but not written.

As the deadline approached for a summer shooting, Witherspoon exercised her option not to approve the incomplete script and withdrew as the star of the project. Reese worried about people who wouldn't have a job shooting this summer. "She's just as disappointed as anybody," the source says. "She's not working too."

Filed under: Movies


Reader Comments

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1. The original 1965 film with Carol Lynley wasn't that good anyway.

Posted at 7:37PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Starla

2. I like Reese and feel sorry for her but the show must go on, and for what she gets paid she should suck it up and get to work.

http://www.SheisNotGoodInBed.com

Posted at 7:44PM on Mar 8th 2007 by jim

3. That plot -- again?????!! That movie has been done at least twice recently, once with Julianne Moore losing her kid and another time with Jodie Foster losing her kid on an airliner. In both flicks it was unclear whether the mom was imagining that she had a kid.

Jeez -- can't you movie people come up with something at least remotely original???

Posted at 7:48PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Polaris

4. ummm...FLIGHT PLAN (with Jodie Foster) anyone???

Posted at 7:50PM on Mar 8th 2007 by ysugarcoat?

5. Slow news day evidently. Who cares? It's not that I don't like Reese- she's terrif. But why be up in her business like that for such a niggly little item?

Posted at 8:01PM on Mar 8th 2007 by blueballerina

6. Will Tara take over the lead? Will Stedman be supportive?

Posted at 8:29PM on Mar 8th 2007 by brian

7. That's really bad news. The original starring Laurence Olivier, Kier Dullea, Noel Coward (!) and Carol Lynley (at the zenith of her beauty!) is a fantastic thriller and brilliantly directed in swingin' 60s London by Otto Preminger. I know that Ms. Lynley and the new director (from Smokin' Aces...Joe Carnahan) were both really excited about the project. I hope it will still happen with someone A-list like Reese. Carnahan even told me how much he thought Reese looked like young Carol.

And yes, #3...the Jodie Foster movie was a poor rip off. Do yourself a favor and watch the original. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Posted at 8:48PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Nelson Aspen

8. An actress of Reese's stature shouldn't make a film without a script in place. She's not some beginner who needs to make anything thrown at her.

I think she did the right thing, withdrawing. And gosh.. why on earth should she just "suck it up" when her career and reputation is on the line? The film was on her shoulders!

Posted at 9:01PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Mimi

9. Kudos Reese ... If theres not enough of a script then you did the right thing hon...

Posted at 9:17PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Michelle Minister

10. Way to go Reese u rock

Posted at 9:21PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Preachers Wife

11. More like she dumped the project when she switched agencies. Blame it on the reps.

Posted at 9:38PM on Mar 8th 2007 by hollywood kid

12. Reese,
Put your family back together for the sake of the kids. They need both you and Ryan....

Posted at 10:38PM on Mar 8th 2007 by your kids

13. Who cares?

Posted at 10:41PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Baboo

14. Look... I really like Reese Witherspoon but as I understand she had a pay or play deal and so writing something like "shes not working too" is really misleading. She was paid - but didn't have to play.

Posted at 10:57PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Annette Basileo

15. Must be a slow gossip day for TMZ if they had to report this. And just think of all the shit they have on Paris but won't dish out because they can only report the positive spin on her or risk their exclusive deal with her.

Posted at 11:32PM on Mar 8th 2007 by Billy Ray Bobby Joe

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