Robert Pattinson has pulled out of a forthcoming drama about Saddam Hussein titled Mission: Blacklist.

The former Twilight hunk was set to star as a military interrogator in the movie, which will tell the story of the hunt for the Iraqi dictator.

The Wrap reports that the 27-year-old has been busy filming Anton Corbijn's biopic of movie legend James Dean - titled Life - with Dane DeHaan playing Dean - and apparently felt he didn't have enough time to prep for the role.

Principal photography is set to begin in the early autumn and his role will be re-cast before then.

R-Pattz will also be seen in The Rover and Maps To The Stars in the coming months.