It seems that with the release of Fantastic Four Miles Teller is the "it" guy right now - at least until the weekend is over. Well, even when you’re riding high, following up a role in an Academy Award winning film with a Marvel/Fox superhero flick, not everything comes up a win. Take for example the fact that Teller got uncerimoniously dropped Damien Chazelle’s La La Land because he was no longer "creatively right" for the role.
In an interview with Esquire Magazine Teller spoke about being offered a role in the second feature film from the director of Whiplash, only to abruptly lose it after a call was made to the actor’s agent. In the article, Teller explains that he almost had to drop Todd Phillips’ Arms and the Dudes to be a part of the musical, but then found out through a third party that he no longer had the gig. Said the Fantastic Four star,
I got a call from my agent, saying, 'Hey, I just got a call from Lionsgate. Damien told them that he no longer thinks you're creatively right for the project. He's moving on without you.' " So he sent him a text: What the fuck, bro?
It’s strongly implied in the interview that the reason Miles Teller was no longer "creatively right" was that Whiplash became an Oscar winning film, thus making Chazelle and his films much hotter properties in Hollywood. The male lead in La La Land (which is the role we assume is being discussed) is now being played by Ryan Gosling, so that shows you a little how that went.. Teller’s Whiplash co-star J.K. Simmons is also in it. Of course, it’s also possible that filming summer superhero movies and other more mainstream fare like the Divergent series also soured the director on him creatively.
Unfortunately, the interview doesn’t follow up and answer the most important question: did Damien Chazelle respond to the "what the fuck, bro?" text? Enquiring minds want to know. Was there an angry, drunken text exchange? Or did the director just ignore it? Is this going to be awkward the next time they see each other?
Rather than being a part of La La Land, Miles Teller will soon be seen co-staring with Jonah Hill in Arms and the Dudes, a comedy/drama about two young men who find themselves in way over their head when contracted by the US to sell arms to allies in Afghanistan. Teller has plenty of other work to keep him busy too, though. The Divergent series is still ongoing, although the plan for a Fantastic Four sequel may not be written in stone based on early reviews.
