Zac Efron has pulled out of the remake of the 1984 film Footloose, sources say. According to a senior member of the production team, Efron left by using the recent rewriting of the screenplay as a loophole to get out of his contract; other sources have said the actor was advised to hold off roles in other musical films until he has established his versatility in other genres.

The production staff was “shocked” with Efron’s sudden departure. Nonetheless, the vow to push on. “While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise,” a statement from Paramount Pictures said. “Their fresh take on the film will undoubtedly be filled with the same kind of breakout performances that we’ve come to expect from them.”

The fear, however, is that the project might be put on hold until the filmmakers find a replacement for Efron. The film is currently being fast tracked, with shooting set to begin any time this spring. Click here for more on this story.

-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TheWrap, Entertainment Weekly
(Image courtesy of WENN)