CLOONEY DROPS OUT OF CARNAHAN'S 'WHITE JAZZ' (EW, SJC)

By Nancy Vialatte

In a further case of the revolving door, George Clooney has dropped out of the starring role in Joe Carnahan's crime drama, White Jazz. The project, based on the James Ellroy novel, was set to begin filming in early 2008. But according to reports, Clooney is now too busy to take on the role. "It just simply came down to scheduling," said Clooney's producing partner Grant Heslov according to Entertainment Weekly.

Clooney is currently promoting �Michael Clayton,� shooting the Coen Bros.' �Burn After Reading� and trying to finish his football movie, �Leatherheads� whose release has been pushed back to April.

"George continues to believe in the project and in Joe," said Heslov. It's not clear if Clooney, who was also set up as a producer on �Jazz,� will remain involved.

The film, meanwhile, was set up at Warner Independent, but according to a spokesperson there, EW says the film has dropped off its slate.

Carnahan himself weighed in on his blog yesterday afternoon with the following:

Rough weekend. I had a bad feeling after they pushed 'Leatherheads' to April because of the extensive post on that film that something was going to have to give. Also, George is neck deep in the Coen bros. film at the moment and trying to do 'Michael Clayton' press which will likely carry over into Awards season...SO...they wanted to see about pushing White Jazz back, which I really don't want to do. I've been waiting awhile to make this one and I wasn't content to sit on my hands.

Right now, (actually it began on friday) we're in the process of trying to plug a guy into this movie that, if it works, would be pretty f*cking amazing. No, INCREDIBLY f*cking amazing, so we'll see what happens.

No tears kids. This is the business. It happens all the time and you've got to have the balls and the ability to push past in spite of these setbacks.