Chace Crawford has cut loose from Paramount’s Footloose reboot. Now who will don the tight jeans!
According to Entertainment Weekly, the Gossip Girl hunk has pulled out of plans to play Ren McCormick — a big city teen who moves to a small town where dancing has been outlawed — in a remake of Kevin Bacon’s 1984 breakout hit.
Prior to casting Crawford, Zac Efron was set to play smooth movin’ McCormack. After garnering fame in High School Musical and Hairspray, he decided he simply wanted to step out of the realm of musicals to avoid the dread Hollywood typecast. Producers have not yet decided whether they’ll approach Efron again, begin casting another actor, or scrap plans for the remake.
There is one bit of good news: After numerous castings, the film has finally landed director.
Black Snake Moan’s Craig Brewer has been announced as the man for the job, Variety has learned. Brewer will adapt the rewritten script after impressing studio executives with his Oscar-winning musical drama, 2005’s Hustle And Flow.
Production is not yet underway on the new Footloose, which is set to open in theaters in June 2011. Former Dancing with the Stars champ is still on course to portray Ren’s love interest, Ariel.