James McAvoy drops out of untitled cancer comedy

James has dropped out of the formerly titled I'm With Cancer after shooting started last month in Vancouver. Summit Entertainment has confirmed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will step into the role. Shooting has been halted temporarily and will start up again in the week of March 8. Co-star Seth Rogen gave a statement to MTV:

Rogen said, "It’s incredibly unfortunate that circumstances outside of everyone’s control have taken James away from the project, but, with James’s blessing, we were able to have Joseph step in to take on the [lead] role of Adam. We all look forward to working with James in the future."

...For what it's worth, we've been hearing rumors from readers about a death in McAvoy's family, which would be a more than reasonable explanation for his departure. Since we're not in the business of gossip I'm not planning to investigate further, but I wish McAvoy all the best in whatever took him away from I'm With Cancer, and anxiously await what Gordon-Levitt will have to offer in the role. [Cinema Blend]

There is also a little Wanted 2 news today. Last week Angelina Jolie reportedly dropped out of Wanted 2 and Universal quickly scrapped the project. Apparently those reports hadn't been confirmed by anyone at Universal. Now comes word that Wanted co-creator Mark Millar says the film could still get made because Universal may not have come to a final decision.

You can also watch an exclusive interview (via JMMB) with James and Best Actress nominee Helen Mirren discussing The Last Station over at Making Of. I would embed it, but the video comes with autoplay.

James McAvoy in Vancouver

James arrived at the airport in Vancouver, Canada yesterday. He's in Vancouver to shoot his new film formerly titled I’m With Cancer. Shooting should probably start sometime around February 20. You can head on over to Just Jared for more photos of his arrival.

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Summit picks up James McAvoy cancer project

Summit Entertainment has picked up the North American rights to Mandate Pictures' untitled James McAvoy project.

The film was formerly called I'm With Cancer, and also stars Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, and Bryce Dallas Howard, who has just been cast.

Shooting is expected to take place in Vancouver sometime in February.

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Updates on 'I'm With Cancer' with James McAvoy

Anna Kendrick (Twilight, Up in the Air) has joined James McAvoy and Seth Rogen in Mandate Pictures' new untitled cancer dramedy. It was originally called I'm With Cancer, but the film will be retitled. Jonathan Levine (The Wackness) has also signed on to replace director Nicole Holofcener who stepped down because of location differences in November.

Mandate International will be handling international sales at the European Film Market in Berlin next month.

Shooting starts in February in Vancouver - Seth Rogen's hometown.

The new movie finds McAvoy as 25-year-old who is shocked to discover he has cancer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script is based on the real life experiences of Will Reiser, a screenwriter diagnosed around the same age who battled the disease for several years. Kendrick will play a young psychologist assigned to McAvoy's character despite her lack of real life experience.

Seth Rogen also has a role in the film and will produce alongside writing partner Evan Goldberg and Ben Karlin. Reiser, who survived the disease, is executive producing. [HitFix]

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'The Last Station' to screen in Denver + details on 'I'm With Cancer'

The Starz Denver Film Festival unveiled its 2009 schedule and includes The Last Station in its 200 film lineup. The Last Station will screen on November 14. The festival runs from November 12 to November 22.

Screenings will be held at the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli on the Aurarua Campus, with special screenings at the King Academic and Performing Arts Center, on the Auraria Campus. Red carpet events will take place at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

Go here for details on how to get tickets.

Seth Rogen also gives a little information about James McAvoy's upcoming movie, I'm With Cancer:

Seth Rogen: Yes. We've been calling it 'I'm with Cancer'; that's what it is in my head. It's a friend of ours, Will Riser, who we met while working on the LEG show who's my age. He got cancer and beat it luckily and wrote a movie pretty much chronicling his experience. And James McAvoy will be playing him in the movie. And I'll pretty much be playing me, who was his useless friend throughout the process. And we start filming next year. [MovieWeb]

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James McAvoy cast in I'm With Cancer

This is kind of exciting. Variety broke the news a little while ago. James McAvoy has been cast in the film adaptation of Will Reiser's novel I'm With Cancer. Seth Rogen will co-star in the comedy and Nicole Holofcener is set to direct . The novel is based on Reiser's real-life experiences with cancer.

This is the first big film James has signed on for since the Wanted franchise and he'll play a 25 year old who successfully battles cancer over many years.

The film has no title yet, but it is set to begin shooting in January of 2010.

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