Steve Carell Replacing Bruce Willis In Woody Allen Movie

EXCLUSIVE: Four days after Deadline scooped that Bruce Willis exited the ensemble cast of Woody Allen’s new film, Steve Carell has been tapped to take over the role. He now joins a cast that includes Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeannie Berlin, Corey Stoll, Ken Stott, Anna Camp, Stephen Kunken, Sari Lennick and Paul Schneider. The swap-out keeps the production on schedule for the pic, which as usual is being kept under wraps. It shoots this month in New York and Los Angeles.

Carell was part of the ensemble cast of Allen’s 2004 film Melinda And Melinda, so the pair are on familiar ground.

On Monday, Allen’s camp confirmed Willis’ departure after he was one of the first actors to sign on. He also has plans to star in the adaptation of the Stephen King bestseller Misery on Broadway, and the schedules didn’t mesh.

The film is being produced by Letty Aronson and Steve Tenenbaum, and Edward Walson. Executive producers are Ronald L. Chez, Adam B. Stern, and Allan Teh.