Yahoo Finance Nick Jonas exits lead role in new action movie The Blacksmith
Nick Jonas has dropped out of upcoming action-thriller The Blacksmith due to scheduling issues caused by the pandemic.
Jonas was set to star as the lead in Taken director Pierre Morel's film, which would have also seen him star alongside The Matrix legend Laurence Fishburne in the John Wick-style project.
Unfortunately, The Hollywood Reporter has now confirmed that Jonas has exited the project after scheduling problems delayed the film's production.
Related: Nick Jonas shares sweet throwback to celebrate anniversary with Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Jonas was due to star as the titular 'Blacksmith' aka Wes Loomis, a go-to weapons expert for the intelligence community. After his clandestine lab is destroyed and his colleagues are killed, Loomis ends up on the run and only has his wits and his unique technical skills to help him survive.
"Nick, as you can imagine, has a lot of other commitments, with his acting and his music," explained AGC Studios' CEO Stuart Ford.
"Under normal circumstances, he could fly in and out, go to do things over the weekend and come back to set Monday. But in a COVID environment, that doesn't work. He'd have to stay in the same place for three months.
"With a star like Nick Jonas, it became borderline impossible to make the schedule work."
Related: Nick Jonas really didn't play it cool when he first met Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke
Ford also told the publication that AGC and Jonas "amicably" parted ways, and that the company is now looking to recast the lead role.
The Blacksmith began life as a graphic novel published by Kickstart Comics, and it has now been adapted for the big screen by Source Code scribe Ben Ripley.
Fishburne is still expected to star as Mather, described as a retired blacksmith and Loomis' mentor, who he seeks out for help on his mission to find out who betrayed him.
Jonas has previously starred in 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jingle and is next set to appear in this year's Chaos Walking, starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland.
Chaos Walking is due for release on March 5, 2021.
Digital Spy's digital magazine is back! Check out issue 6 – including an exclusive chat with Ant & Dec – plus all past issues with a 1-month free trial, only on Apple News+.
Interested in Digital Spy's weekly newsletter? Sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox – and don't forget to join our Watch This Facebook Group for daily TV recommendations and discussions with other readers.
You Might Also Like
