Well, I had heard that Jackson and Townsend had "creative differences" over how to interpret the character, but I can't remember where I read that. It is something when an actor is changed once filming has already begun. It means money in terms of reshooting scenes and refitting costumes.
Such is the way with movie gossip. For my part, I wish they had cast someone who was less a matinee idol type and more a character actor. Scruffy types like Strider are common these days, but a heroic "once and future king", there's a harder character to depict.
