Paramount’s attempt to remake ‘80s music drama Footloose has run into yet another casting/schedule snag: Chace Crawford has ditched the lead role, because the studio’s planned summer shooting schedule would clash with his work on sudsy TV drama Gossip Girl. But to balance that, it's had some good news - Hustle & Flow writer/director Craig Brewer has agreed to direct it.
**Footloose **could use a break, as it's had some rotten luck in its development to date. It was all going so well before – Zac Efron was in the lead, with High School Musical’s Kenny Ortega directing. Then Efron left the film, followed by Ortega, who claimed he was exhausted after making This Is It.
Brewer's re-write of the script, which apparently drags the plot back more towards the original movie got things moving again, though Brewer and Paramount sill need to find a star
So what might they be planning? Why, a search for an unknown, of course! Always a good way to drum up some cheap publicity and find an even cheaper new star who doesn’t have pesky issues like other jobs.