Just days after Bruce Willis exited Woody Allen’s new movie comes news that the role has already been recast. Deadline is reporting that Steve Carell will serve as Willis’ replacement, and that the swap will keep the film—which is already in production—on schedule for its inevitable Out Of Competition premiere at next year’s Cannes Film Festival. Carell previously worked with Allen on 2005’s Melinda And Melinda.
The as-yet-untitled film stars Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg—in their third onscreen pairing following Adventureland and the recent American Ultra—along with Corey Stoll, Parker Posey, and Blake Lively. As with all of Allen’s films, plot details are being kept secret until the premiere, though it appears to be a period piece set some time around 1935. (A marquee advertising the Barbara Stanwyck vehicle The Woman In Red, released that year, has been spotted on set along with plenty of vintage fashions and period cars.)
Willis’ rehearsal schedule for a Broadway production based on Stephen King’s bestseller Misery has been officially cited as the reason for his departure. However, Willis was spotted filming scenes for the movie just days ago, and there are rumors he was let go by Allen due to creative differences. The filmmaker has developed a reputation for giving his casts plenty of leeway and little in the way of direction, but has re-cast roles when he felt that the actor’s sensibilities didn’t mesh with his own—most notably on The Purple Rose Of Cairo, which began production with Michael Keaton in the role eventually played by Jeff Daniels.
The film is currently shooting in Los Angeles, with production later moving to New York, and marks Allen’s first time working with legendary Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, best known for his work with Bernardo Bertolucci.