Well, my original excitement over a Fight Club reunion with Edward Norton and Brad Pitt starring in State of Play has been dashed. First Pitt dropped out of the project and was replaced by Russell Crowe. Now Norton has decided to leave as well, with Ben Affleck in negotiations to replace him.
Though while Pitt's departure had to do with issues he had with the script, Norton's problems had to do with a conflicting schedule, as Norton committed to starring in the indie comedy Leaves of Grass. Variety continues:
Now it will be Affleck who plays a fast-rising politician who is caught up in a murder conspiracy. Crowe will play a journalist who leads a newspaper’s investigation into the killing. He’s conflicted in that he once ran the pol’s campaigns, and he is now romancing his estranged wife. Still in the cast are Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman.
All this shifting around does not inspire a lot of confidence in this project. Then again, maybe Crowe and Affleck will be a fantastic duo in this situation. I just hope this cast stays put!
Le sigh.