Lily Collins (The Blind Side, Priest, Mirror Mirror) has just dropped out of playing the lead role of “Mia” in Ghost House/Mandate Pictures remake of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead.

Jeff Sneider of Variety attributes it to “scheduling issues“. While it’s nice to have our scoop confirmed that she was indeed hired for the role – her departure now leads a big void. After all, she’s playing the hero – the remake’s equivalent of “Ash”.

In this version, the story centers on five friends (David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia) holed up at a remote cabin where they discover a Book of the Dead with a demonic force unleashed possessing each until only one is left to fight for survival. As we also exclusively reported, there is a drug subplot.

I’ve read the script, and “Mia” is a good, meaty, role for a young actress. It’s not as one-note and comic as the character of “Ash”, but it’s got lots of cool layers and should be very physically demanding.

With that in mind, who do you think should replace her?

Fede Alvarez directs the redo of Sam Raimi’s cult classic 1981 The Evil Dead from his own screenplay co-written with Rodo Sayagues. Revisions were done by Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody. It’s scheduled for release on April 12th, 2013.