Oscar winner Susan Sarandon may be looking to become a cattle baroness, according to THR.com. The former Not Mrs. Robbins is in talks to join the remake of 1960s Western sudser, The Big Valley, which was announced as a planned remake last year. Sarandon would take the role of Victoria Barkley, matriarch of a clan of upstanding Stockton, CA cattle folk. Hollywood icon Barbara Stanwyck originated the role. The Barkley family also included lawyer and eldest son, Jarrod (Richard Long in the original), hot -headed Nick (Peter Breck), brother from another mother, Heath (Lee Majors) and a fresh-faced Linda Evans as daughter, Audra. The original show ran from 1965 to 1969 and launched the careers of both Majors and Evans into bionicness and catfights with Joan Collins respectively.
The daughter of Big Valley creator, producer Louis F. Edelman, Kate Edelman Johnson, is producing with partner Daniel Adams, who wrote and will also direct. No other casting info as of yet. It’s hard to say what tone Adams will be taking with this remake, but it’s a cinch that it’s going to be a lot harder than the wholesome original, unless they’re shooting for the Nickelodeon crowd. Sarandon will next be seen in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.