EW’s Hollywood Insider has revealed that up-and-coming comely actress Amanda Seyfried has been forced to withdraw from Zack Snyder’s “Sucker Punch” due to scheduling conflicts. Seyfried is a regular cast member of HBO’s “Big Love” and, as a result, will be unable to play the lead role of ‘Baby Doll’ in Snyder’s next project.
Described as “Alice in Wonderland with machine guns”, “Sucker Punch” is a 1950’s period film set in an all-girls’ mental institution and follows the story of a young girl, Baby Doll, and the imaginary world she escapes to. Also starring in the film will be Evan Rachel Wood, Vanessa Hudgens, Emma Stone and Abbie Cornish who will play fellow inmates.
The loss in Seyfried is unfortunate as she seemed to be solid casting. After bursting on the scene in 2004 with “Mean Girls” and “Veronica Mars” (where her haunting portrayal of Lily Kane was quite memorable), Seyfried has really made her mark with only notable roles in “Mamma Mia” and “Big Love.” It was hoped that this project would be able to catapult her into stardom. She will, however, be in the upcoming Diablo Cody-scribed “Jennifer’s Body” where she will be playing best friend of Megan Fox’s title character.
If Snyder is to continue the thematic casting, names which have been thrown around online as possible replacements include Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Death Proof”, “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”), Emma Watson (The ‘Harry Potter’ series), Kat Dennings (“Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”) and Olivia Thirlby (“The Wackness”, “Juno”). Though could it be that one of the four current cast members step up into the lead role?
“Sucker Punch” is set to beginning filming in the fall of 2009 and has a tentative release date of October 8, 2010. Seyfried’s “Jennifer’s Body” meanwhile is due out September 18, 2009 and is on The Playlist’s 60 Most Anticipated Films Of 2009.