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According to MTV’s Movie Blog, Tom Hanks won’t be playing Guy Montag for Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 after all. For a film that has been floating the rocky studio seas since 1994, this is another incredible set back.

Certainly Hanks had the star power to draw major funding and a green-light to the project. Darabont has had a completed script since 2004, but set out to work on The Mist first. Now without a leading man, he may have to wait even longer to make his vision come to life.

It also opens the doors for speculation on who could fill Montag’s shoes.

Despite fans clamoring for more Depp and Pitt, I’d rather see someone like Tim Robbins in the role. The problem is that he doesn’t have the heavy pull needed on the marketing side, but I think Darabont could get another incredible performance out of him.

There is no word yet on whether Darabont will sic the Mechanical Hound on Hanks to get him back, so for the time being, we’ll only have Francois Truffaut’s genius 1966 version to keep us company.