Robert Pattinson Rejected for Jeff Buckley Role

Back in January of this year, we reported that "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" star Robert Pattinson was pushing hard for a role as Jeff Buckley in an upcoming biopic.

At the time, the British pub Express said “he has already told his business team this is his passion and they agree it could be the film that makes him a legitimate Oscar contender. Rob is obsessed with this project and is doing everything he can to land the part.”

The film's producer Michelle Sy confirmed that she had met with Pattinson, saying that “I’ve met actors who are keen on the part and Robert was one.” Other actors considered for the role included James Franco and Johnny Depp, reportedly.

Then came news that another competing Jeff Buckley biopic was in the works with a completely different production team and script. Oh, and yet another Australian biopic.

So with three competing films out there, Robert Pattinson's clearly going to be able to play the angel-voiced rock star who died too young, right? Not so much.

According to recent reports, the role of Jeff Buckley in the film Pattinson was under consideration for has been filled - by the 28 year-old star of the Broadway musical "Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark," Reeve Carney.

"We are excited to have found in Reeve the perfect combination of musical prodigy, impish charm, innate intelligence and sensitivity to play Jeff," said the film's director Jake Scott in a release.

Buckley's mother also backed the decision, saying "We are over the moon that Reeve has agreed to take on this challenging role. He’s been getting ready for this all his life. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he looks so much like Jeff.”

The other Jeff Buckley film, "Greetings From Tim Buckley" stars "Gossip Girl" star Penn Badgley as what Deadline Hollywood calls a "pre-fame Jeff Buckley who reconnects with his estranged father Tim by singing at a tribute concert for his folk-singer dad."

And the third film, "A Pure Drop," is an Australian production based on the biography "A Pure Drop: The Life of Jeff Buckley."

In case you don't know about Jeff Buckley (or why three different films would be made about him), he was a young, stunningly attractive singer-songwriter with a glorious voice and a rabid following, who died from drowning while swimming in the Mississippi at the age of 31.

Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" has been used in countless movies and TV shows, and his "I Know It's Over" was used in a recent episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" (below).

So with three competing films and none of them casting Pattinson, it's safe to say that he won't be playing the star any time soon, though the fact that he was considered is a testament to the actor's surprisingly solid vocal talents.

Watch a live acoustic performance by Jeff Buckley of "So Real" from 1994 on the legendary Chicago rock show "JBTV":

Watch a dance number from SYTYCD using Jeff Buckley's "I Know It's Over":