Universal’s upcoming
State of Play, due to start production this month, has been hit by the sudden withdrawal of star Brad Pitt. The film is an adaptation of the BBC series from 2003, which featured
Life on Mars stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Pitt’s departure is so late in the day it could lead to scheduling problems with the remaining cast which include Dame Helen Mirren and Damn Edward Norton.
It is likely that the studio will look to take legal action against Pitt if they fail to recast the lead before November 29 - a very short period of time to secure a star. Pitt had been attached to the project for 16 months before pulling out over issues with the script. Pitt’s people deny that he has violated his contract or approved the final script.
State Of Play is Kevin Macdonald's follow up to
The Last King Of Scotland and has been adapted for the big screen by Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote
Lions for Lambs.
It'll be interesting to see how messy the repercussions of this get. Just a few years ago Universal sued Austin Powers star Mike Myers when he withdrew from
Dieter. Could Pitt end up starring in a real life court room drama? Or is he a big enough name to apparently muck about a multi-million dollar movie, and get away with it?
August 18, 2008, 04:42:52 PM
