Hollywood Ink: Robert Downey Jr. Not Likely to Defy Gravity

· Robert Downey Jr. is the latest star said to be interested in director Alfonso Cuarón's 3D sci-fi spectacle Gravity. He would play an astronaut spacewalking with a female crewmate when the rest of their peers are wiped out in a tragic asteroid-vs.-space station mishap. Downey would shoot this summer before heading back to Sherlock Holmes; Angelina Jolie was supposed to be the front-runner for the female lead, but now it's reported she's fallen off the project. Come on, Alfonso -- just give it to Gabourey Sidibe. You know you want to. [Deadline]

David Fincher hedges his bets, Alexander Payne bulks up in Hawaii and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.

· The David Fincher rumors are getting out of control: First there was the Heavy Metal remake he was supposed to co-direct with James Cameron and Zack Snyder. Then there was the American remake of the Swedish suspense hit The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And now he's linked to Pawn Sacrifice, a biopic about U.S. chess wunderkind Bobby Fischer's build-up to his legendary 1972 match against Boris Spassky. Because clearly, what those other two films lack is the riveting, spectacular action of championship chess. [Variety]

· Alexander Payne's George Clooney comedy The Descendants rolls film today in Hawaii, which I guess makes it a good thing that he rounded out the cast in recent days with Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard and Robert Forster. [THR]

· Forest Whitaker is going to China for Little Treasure, starring as one-half of an American couple who returns to his wife's homeland. [Variety]

· SAG and AFTRA are together again! Until the next round of contract negotiations, anyway. Congratulations, you two! [Deadline]