The troubled indie western Jane Got a Gun has received yet another setback after actor Bradley Cooper announced on Wednesday he had left the project.

Cooper is the latest in a string of high-profile names to quit the film, produced by and starring Natalie Portman, who plays a woman defending her home against her outlaw husband with the help of an ex-lover. Michael Fassbender was cast originally as the ex-lover but left before production began, and Joel Edgerton, initally cast as the villainous husband, was shifted to replace him. Jude Law was then taken on in the villain role, but left the shoot in the wake of director Lynne Ramsay's abrupt departure following a stand-off with producer Scott Steindorff. Cooper had been subsequently drafted in to take Law's place, along with new director Gavin O'Connor.

Cooper cited scheduling issues with the David O Russell film American Hustle as the main reason for his withdrawal, telling the Hollywood Reporter: "Regretfully, due to date conflicts between the film I am currently shooting for David O Russell and Jane Got a Gun, I am unable to join Natalie, Joel, Noah and Gavin on this truly exciting project."

According to the Reporter, Cooper's absence won't affect the shooting schedule as the production is currently shut down to enable O'Connor to make proper preparations. No confirmation has yet been made as to Cooper's replacement.