Cooper’s departure from the action Western comes after a supposed scheduling conflict with the now filming American Hustle – director David O’Russell’s follow-up to the Cooper-starring and award-winning Silver Linings Playbook.
The Hangover star released a statement, saying “regretfully, due to date conflicts between the film I am currently shooting for David O Russell and Jane Got a Gun, I am unable to join Natalie, Joel, Noah [Emmerich] and Gavin on this truly exciting project."
However, this is only the latest setback to befall the film, which is due to star Natalie Portman in the title role. The film was initially intended as the next film from We Need to Talk About Kevin director Lynne Ramsay. Michael Fassbender was originally due to appear as the male lead, but he dropped out in March this year. Fassbender’s departure was followed by Joel Edgerton apparently switching roles from the villain to the male lead, with Jude Law stepping in to take Edgerton’s previous role.
New director
Trouble really began when Ramsay herself failed to show up on the first day of shooting. It was soon revealed that she had left the project entirely. It has been reported this was down to a lengthy dispute with the film’s producer.
Although a replacement director was quickly found in the form of Gavin O’Connor (whose last film was Warrior), Jude Law also left as he had agreed to participate due to Ramsay’s involvement. Cooper joined the cast to replace Law.
The film’s production, meanwhile, was stalled while O’Connor was brought up to speed and the schedule readjusted. However, with Cooper’s departure the film is likely to suffer further delays before shooting starts as the producers and director attempt to find yet another replacement.
Development hell
Jane Got a Gun is not the first film to become stuck in so-called ‘development hell’. Terry Gilliam’s disastrous attempts at filming The Man Who Killed Don Quixote with Johnny Depp were memorably captured in the documentary Lost in La Mancha.
As Cooper focuses his attention on American Hustle, that film’s director David O. Russell also has a nearly-completed film called Nailed in seemingly indefinite limbo, with financing reportedly falling through a mere day before filming finished.
With a proposed release date of 2014, it will be a challenge to get Jane Got a Gun back into production quickly. However, even if the film has suffered its last major setback, it’s going to be a very different film to the one originally envisioned.
