Lynne Ramsay fails to turn up for new film

Director Lynne Ramsay left Jude Law and Natalie Portman twiddling their thumbs after she failed to turn up for her first day of work on her new film.

The Scottish director of films like 'Ratcatcher', 'Morvern Callar' and the award-winning 2011 adaptation of 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' was due to start filming indie western 'Jane Got A Gun' on Monday in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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But she did not show, and has now dropped out of the film.

'The Lincoln Lawyer' producer Scott Steindorff, who was producing the film along with Portman said: “I have millions of dollars invested, we’re ready to shoot, we have a great script, crew and cast.

“I’m shocked and so disappointed someone would do this to 150 crew members who devoted so much time, energy, commitment and loyalty to a project, and then have the director not show up.

“It is insane somebody would do this to other people. I feel more for the crew and their families, but we are keeping the show going on, directors are flying in, and a replacement is imminent.”

Ramsay herself has not yet commented on the situation, but has been involved in the development of the project for some time.

Initially, Michael Fassbender was set to star, but left the production earlier this month due to scheduling delays on 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'.

Joel Edgerton took Fassbender's role, and Jude Law then took Edgerton's role of the film's villain instead.

The plot was set to follow Portman's character Jane, who has to defend her family against her husband's outlaw gang after he comes home riddled with bullets.