Hex and the city?

By Steven Zeitchik

The path to the development graveyard is littered with television stars who dreamt too big. Sure, George Clooney and Johnny Depp made the trip from primetime to opening weekend. But don't try too hard to find many other "Facts of Life," "ER" or "21 Jump Street" stars who managed same.

So is Sarah Jessica Parker another Johnny Depp or another Peter Deluise?

There's of course no way to know yet whether SJP can make it on the bigscreen without her ensemble, her Michael Patrick King writing, her gratuitous shoe references. Parker's hits, after all, can be attributed to to other reasons (McConaughey in "Failure to Launch") and her misses (the undermarketed "Smart People") just as easily explained away.

But there's little doubt about how Warners thinks. The studio is hign on SJP, betting that "Sex" is, well, merely foreplay. Execs brought a number of projects to Parker after "SATC" went from urbane HBO brand to megamillions machine.  Parker dutifully took a look, but one in particular, a project called "The Ivy Chronicles," set her heart aflutter more than a pair of Manolos turns Carrie girlish.  (Jeez, it's contagious.)

And this project that tempts so many headline writers to 'ivy growing' puns? It's a story about a mother, jolted by a divorce and a career crisis, who starts over again using her ingenuity and persistence. The territory lies somewhere between "The Starter Wife" and "The Nanny Diaries," only here the mother is the protagonist.

The real question of course is not whether the story is any good -- have you seen "Failure to Launch"? --  but how much of a card-carrying star Parker, post-"Sex," is in her own right.

The star game is a tricky one. Some franchises need stars and some stars need franchises. "Pirates" without Johnny Depp is just a bad "Hook" remake. Tobey Maguire without "Spider Man," on the other hand, is a guy badly in need of a superhero vehicle. Whether Parker without her girls is one-fourth the star or, in fact, the one who was carrying "Sex" all along, will be for Warners to learn -- and for the public to address, one pair of Jimmy Choos at a time.

Comments

[Kim]

Sarah Jessica Parker must be nominated for her powerful performance in Sex and the City. Not only did the movie have a great script, it had an oscar worthy performance in Sarah Jessica Parker.

[Fiona]

Please......satc is a 90's rehashed remake and so yesterday! Obviously, still a "chick flick" but certainly not worthy of the hype and big screen. Sarah Jessica Parker is probably a nice lady, but talented...no; pretty? No. Great Actress, No. The problem with Hollywood is bad scripts, even worse actors and no real stars! I watched some entetainment show on tv the other night and did not know one individual claiming the "fame" for the evening!!!! And, I am not that old! I enjoyed the regular SATCs in its day. But find it dumb and sophomoric these days. Sorry....

[Joy]

I can understand saying SJP is not pretty, but she is an amazing actress. Her emotion and delivery is so moving and real. She's believable. Watching her commit to a character is so inspiring.