The drama continues as Bradley Cooper exits 'Jane Got a Gun'

And the troubles continue for the production of western Jane Got a Gun, which just can't seem to catch a break no matter who the director is. It began with Michael Fassbender suddenly breaking away, quickly followed up by director Lynne Ramsay's departure just before filming was to begin. Gavin O'Connor took her place, with Jude Law joining the cast and Joel Edgerton shifting over to the gunslinger role vacated by Fassbender. Bradley Cooper would come aboard soon after Law made for the exits, and for awhile it looked like things had settled down long enough for star Natalie Portman to get acquainted with her co-stars. Turns out it was only a brief respite, as Cooper has now decided to leave.

Officially, it's Cooper's schedule filming David O. Russell's American Hustle, along with press commitments on The Hangover Part III, that are the cause for the move. Turnaround of this level is extremely rare, though, and clearly there's something really rotten going on that nobody is talking about. Cooper would have played John Bishop, the leader of a gang known as the Bishop Boys. Noah Emmerich plays Bill Hammond, who turns against the gang and comes home with a back full of bullets. When the Bishop Boys come looking to finish the job, Bill's wife (Portman) turns to an old lover (Edgerton) to help defend her home.

Producers are looking at Tom Hiddleston, Tobey Maguire, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as potential replacements, but this film now has such a stigma attached to it they may find it difficult to attract a big name. [Deadline]