**Update: **Looks like Shankman and New Line either sent a care package or a goon squad round to Baldwin's place, because he's now agreed to return to the role, or at least attend the read-through of the script. Stay tuned to see whether there's an update to the update...
Whoops… Adam Shankman is down one actor. Following on a flurry of casting announcements over the past few weeks and months about musical adaptation Rock of Ages, the director will now have to find someone to replace Alec Baldwin, who has asked to drop out of making the movie.
Shankman tweeted back in March that he’d snagged the once and future Jack Donaghy to play Dennis Dupree, the owner of Ages' central setting, rock club The Bourbon Room. But now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Baldwin is exiting stage left before shooting has even commenced.
The rest of the cast, which includes Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Mary J Blige, Malin Akerman and Russell Brand, are all due in Miami on the 23rd for a table read before production kicks off.
Before Baldwin agreed, both Will Ferrell and Steve Carell passed on the role, which carries a singing element (well, it is a musical) and features a decent chunk of screen time. Isn’t there some ancient hierarchical system that says Shankman is now required by law to call up Daniel Baldwin (the next oldest in the family) and offer him the part?