Bradley Cooper has scrapped plans to romance Reese Witherspoon on the big screen - he's dropped out of spy comedy This Means War to focus on The Hangover sequel.

The actor was due to team up with Witherspoon for the new movie, which sees two undercover agents fall in love with the same woman.

Terminator Salvation director McG is reportedly in negotiations to take charge of the picture, while production is slated to begin in July.

But Witherspoon will now be looking for a new leading man after Cooper pulled out of the project citing scheduling conflicts, according to EW.com.

Bosses at the website report Cooper will instead spend his time working on a follow-up to his successful Las Vegas comedy The Hangover, which is slated to begin filming later this year (10). (LR/EW/ZN)