Chace Crawford quits 'Footloose' remake?

Paramount's remake of Footloose has been thrown into doubt after lead actor Chace Crawford reportedly quit the project.

The Gossip Girl star agreed to appear in the role first made famous by Kevin Bacon in the 1984 original after Zac Efron pulled out last year.

The 24-year-old is said to have undergone months of rigourous dance rehearsals to get to grips with the complicated routines, previously saying: "I'm going to need the whole nine months to really get to where I need to be. I have some movement and I'm really happy to learn a lot of new stuff."

However, a spokesperson for Crawford has now told Entertainment Weekly that he has walked away from the movie just weeks before shooting was due to commence.

No reason was given for the decision, but sources added that the actor's filming schedule for Gossip Girl had clashed with the picture's projected shoot.

The film also lost its original director last year when Kenny Ortega departed the production.