Alec Baldwin drops out of Rock of Ages musical

The Hollywood adaptation of ROCK OF AGES has an impressive A-list cast including Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman and Bryan Cranston but it’s losing one Oscar-nominated actor. Alec Baldwin, who had been signed on to star as Dennis Dupree, the owner of the club where most of the action takes place, has dropped out of the film according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Why exactly Baldwin has parted ways with ROCK OF AGES remains to be seen but at this point they’re sticking with “medical issues” (though Baldwin isn’t pulling out of Woody Allen’s upcoming film, which he’ll still be filming this summer). Deadline added to the report saying that New Line hasn’t yet granted Baldwin’s request to be released from his contract. Why? Looks like they had a hard time casting the role to begin with and are worried about finding an actor to replace Baldwin before the table read next week.

Both Will Ferrell and Steve Carell were offered the role of Dupree, who sings a duet of REO Speedwagon with Russell Brand’s character, and both turned the role down. Could it be that Baldwin wound up having some of the same issues with the movie that Ferrell and Carell ultimately had? Are his “medical issues” that he’s sick…of doing this movie?