19 minutes ago BY TMZ STAFF
EXCLUSIVE
Doris Roberts‘ death is causing turmoil for a movie she was set to headline … because she’s the third big name attached to the flick who has died.
One of the last movie roles Doris signed on for was the female lead in “Old Soldiers” … which is still securing its last bit of financing before it starts production.
Problem is … 2 of the other major roles belonged to Mickey Rooney and James Best … who died in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Producer Dave Rotan — who is adamant on using actual WWII-era celebs for the road trip comedy — tells us he’s still optimistic about the film, but admits his “window of opportunity is quickly closing” on filling out a cast of elderly legends.
Rotan tells us he’s not going to recast Doris’ role yet — for fear of jinxing anyone else — and is still banking on Clifton James (94), Hugh O’Brian (91), and Rance Howard (87) to make it through filming.
Godspeed.
