Robert Pattinson Exits Saddam Hussein Thriller ‘Mission: Blacklist’ (Exclusive)

Code Entertainment is financing the film, which will recast the lead role of military interrogator Eric Maddox

Screen Shot 2014-04-28 at 3.01.30 PMRobert Pattinson has exited “Mission: Blacklist,” an indie thriller about the hunt for Saddam Hussein, due to scheduling issues, TheWrap has learned.

First announced in May 2012, Pattinson was attached to play military interrogator Eric Maddox, who spearheaded Hussein’s capture.

With two films premiering at Cannes, Pattinson is coming off a very active period. He just wrapped Anton Corbijn’s “Life” with Dane DeHaan and did not have sufficient time to prepare for his demanding role in “Mission: Blacklist,” an individual familiar with the situation told TheWrap.

The role of Maddox will now be recast, and the filmmakers hope to start production this fall.

Also read: Robert Pattinson, Julianne Moore Have Limo Sex in ‘Maps to the Stars’ Trailer (Video)

Swedish filmmaker Jesper Ganslandt remains attached to direct from a script by “Band of Brothers” scribe Erik Jendresen, Dylan Kussman and Trace Sheehan, who adapted  Harper Collins’ 2008 book “Mission: Black List #1,” written by Maddox and Davin Seay.

Preferred Content’s Ross Dinerstein is producing with Jendresen and Kevin Waller, as well as Bart Rosenblatt of Code Entertainment, which is also financing the film.

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Pattinson has a busy spring with two films heading to Cannes — David Cronenberg‘s “Maps to the Stars” and David Michod’s “The Rover,” which also stars Guy Pearce.

Looking ahead, Pattinson is attached to star alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in James Gray‘s “The Lost City of Z” and the James Marsh thriller “Hold On to Me” with Carey Mulligan. He’s repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment, Curtis Brown Group and attorney Robert Offer.

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