Julia Roberts is picking herself up off the floor after a major box office and critical disaster with After The Hunt – and a source tells the National Enquirer that she’s turned to old powerhouse pals George Clooney and Brad Pitt to revive her career, who have already cast her in their long-awaited next Ocean’s sequel.
“Julia stands by her work in After the Hunt, but the response to the movie has been underwhelming across the board,” the source explains. “Julia and her team are reeling from the negative reactions they’ve gotten for the film, which was specifically built for Julia to get back in the Oscar race in a big way.”
Because the movie wasn’t as successful as initially planned — After the Hunt earned just $7.1 million worldwide on a $70 million to $80 million production budget, per Deadline — Roberts, 58, “is intent on sticking with what works, and for her, that’s her decades-long collaborations with Brad and George.”
“If their generation has a ‘holy trinity,’ it’s Brad, George and Julia, and she’s already pledged to join them again in the next Ocean’s movie they’re putting together,” the source continues. “Of course, Julia’s last serious hit was the rom-com Ticket To Paradise, which did way better at the box office than both she and George ever predicted.”
The source describes the next Oceans film as “cinematic comfort food,” and says that the objective is “to make a global hit.” However, that’s not the only reason the Pretty Woman star has reached out to Clooney, 64, and Pitt, 61.
“The other dynamic going on here is strictly personal,” the source adds. “Julia doesn’t trust a lot of people, but she does trust George and Brad, and they don’t hold back when it comes to praising her, deferring to her, and treating her like true Hollywood royalty.”
The source concludes, “When your ego gets bruised the way it did for Julia with After the Hunt, you have to look for those people who can straighten out your self esteem. When Julia needs an ego boost, she gravitates to these two men she has known for decades, and they do not disappoint in that department. She loves having an excuse to be around them, on or off a movie set.”