EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that Warner Bros was hoping to start production on Clint Eastwood’s musical remake of A Star Is Born as early as February 2012.

But now insiders tell me it “could push” because Beyoncé announced her pregnancy tonight at MTV’s VMAs. That will give the studio more time to settle on a male co-star for the singer/actress since Eastwood’s first choice, Leonardo DiCaprio, isn’t doing the pic. (Clint used his time with Leo on the studio’s J Edgar Hoover biopic to discuss A Star Is Born.)

The project, which has been at WB for several years, has generated talk of pairing Beyoncé with Will Smith and with Christian Bale and with lots of other leading men. Beyoncé and Jay-Z wed in April 2008: he’s a good actor so I say give him the role. Clint is producing through Malpaso as well as helming the script by Will Fetters. Producers are Billy Gerber and Basil Iwanyk and Jon Peters (who made the infamous 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson).

There have been a trio of A Star Is Born versions made since the 1930s. Or even quartet if you consider What Price Hollywood (1932) made by George Cukor, which is often forgotten.