Looks like Chace Crawford won’t be filling Kevin Bacon’s shoes after all in the remake of the iconic 1984 movie Footloose. Crawford’s rep has confirmed that the Gossip Girl hottie has backed out of the dance-loving lead in the remake. Sources tell EW.com that the studio is now likely to cast an unknown, possibly launching a nationwide search for the role. (Previously, Zac Efron was attached to the role but dropped out to avoid being typecast as the musicals guy.)
Paramount declined to comment but one source tells EW.com that the culprit this time is Gossip Girl‘s shooting schedule. The frothy CW show is scheduled to resume production in July, but Paramount is hoping to get Footloose into production sometime this summer, and Crawford can’t do both at once.
Although Crawford signed on to the film about a year ago, almost everything else about the project has changed since then. About five months after Crawford joined the cast, director Kenny Ortega dropped off the film, saying he was “exhausted” from his frenetic work on the Michael Jackson concert film This is It. Once that happened, the studio abandoned its most recent rewrite from Erin Brockovich screenwriter Susannah Grant. Writer/director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) penned a rewrite. Brewer’s redo, which some say is closer to the original film — about a town that’s outlawed dance and music — has been fully embraced by Paramount chief Adam Goodman. Sources say Goodman and Co. would like Brewer to direct the film, but Brewer is already committed to helm Mother Trucker for New Regency. Meanwhile, Dancing With the Stars alum Julianne Hough is still lined up to portray the lead character’s love interest, portrayed in the original by Lori Singer.
I thought this movie had filmed already, but I guess not. Why not just scrap the thing?
It was suppose to start last month since Chance would be on hiatus from GG. The director dropping out pushed that back.
Why he had to pull out of FOOTLOOSE!!!
I’m with you.
I agree. Footloose is fine as it is. Plus, there’s not way to improve upon the original song, and to try would be verging on movie blasphemy.
Well, they’re not really re-making the Kevin Bacon movie. They’re making a movie version of the Broadway musical, like when they did the new Hairspray (the original John Waters movie was not a musical, though it did obviously involve dancing). So it’s already its own thing and shouldn’t be compared directly with the 80s version.
I agree. Take this as a sign. You shouldn’t go messing with a good thing.
Sounds like a mess to me.
LEAVE FOOTLOOSE ALONE!!!!!!!
Seriously. Why do they feel the need to copy greatness?
God, FOOTLOOSE was anything but great. People who say that just remember it fondly as being part of their childhood/teen years, but as a piece of filmmaking it is mediocre fluff.
I have no illusions, personally. Footloose was no cinematic masterpiece, but I enjoyed its campy 80s-ness. I’m a kid of the 90s, so there was no emotional connection, but I still thought it was good fun if only fluffy fun.
I love the original at the time, but boy, it hasn’t aged well. I think this is one of the few 80′s properties that would be worth re-imagining (’cause they really couldn’t make it worse).
I was wondering if they were giving up on doing this remake. What a shame they aren’t.
Iconic? let us not get carry away ok.. also, does anyone cares for a remake? just let it slide
They should cast one of the kids from So You Think You Can Dance. Maybe Benji? or is he too old for the role?
I was thinking the same thing…he can’t be older than Kevin Bacon was when they filmed the original.
nahh Benji’s the same age as Chace
Honestly, this doesn’t need to be remade and all the delays and rotating in and out of talent and crew should have been a sign to Paramount to leave well enough alone.
This makes me happy.
Footloose DOES NOT need to be remade. The one with Kevin Bacon is classic and timeless.
Justin Bieber
Bieber and Hough… did you think that through?
Why bother remaking it at all? The original was good and remakes don’t seem to do as well.
This movie is doomed to not be filmed since everyone but Julianne has dropped or repalced.
It would be interesting to see a remake but since Zac Efron and Kenny Ortega dropped out and now Chace Crawford, why keep going? But, hey, maybe the unknown will end up being amazing. Just wait and see, I guess. I can wait…
This is karma’s way of telling them drop the whole idea.
How about Mark Salling???
Mark Salling would be pretty awesome. Even though this remake is totttallly unnecessary.
Remaking this movie is just a huge mistake. There’s no way it’ll be as incredible as the original. It’s such a classic. Leave it alone. Don’t do it!