Is Headshot Losing One of its Leads to Studio Meddling?

AICN is reporting that the Walter Hill-directed Stallone actioner, Headshot, is running into a casting conflict. The film’s co-star Thomas Jane (The Mist, The Punisher) is the favored choice for both director Hill and star Sylvester Stallone. However, Warner Brother’s Dark Castle is flexing its muscle and insisting on casting someone more “ethnic” in the role as it fits within the studio’s tried-and-true formula for a successful buddy picture.
While it’s great to see Hill (48 Hrs, The Warriors) back in the saddle again, news of studio meddling is cause for concern. Sounds like the movie execs are trying to fit art into a repeatable equation, a strategy that rarely works well. And with a maverick and individual director at the helm, is a clashing of wills close behind?
In Headshot, Stallone plays a New Orleans hitman who reluctantly teams up with an NYPD cop (Jane) to solve the murders of their old partners and take down all who stand in their way.