Brad Pitt was listed as one of the cast of the movie 'State of Play' ... he was set to play the character of Cal McCaffrey, alongside huge names like Robin Wright Penn, Edward Norton, Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman. (actually, i found that he's still listed in IMDb as the main character this morning)
Pitt decided to drop out of the project ... because of script concerns.
Things should have been resolved with the director of the movie, but because of the strike of the Hollywood screenwriters, the script could not be worked on.
Now, Pitt's replacements include Johnny Depp and Russel Crowe. Good choices!
But, it seems there's a catch ... the studio 'Universal' is checking its legal options and might sue Pitt! Oops!

Universal confirmed Pitt's departure in a statement: "Brad Pitt has left the Universal Pictures production of 'State of Play.' We remain committed to this project and to the filmmakers, cast members, crew and others who are also involved in making the movie. We reserve all rights in this matter."

Related Article:
- Pitt & Norton in State of Play