Inferno director Matthew Wilder has told RadarOnline.com: "We would never have got our movie made if Lindsay Lohan was still attached to it."

Wilder went through a rollercoaster of emotions when the troubled actress was supposed to be playing tragic porn star Linda Lovelace as her never ending legal woes constantly threatened to torpedo the project.

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And now that she is facing the possibility of up to three years in state jail if she is charged with felony grand theft plus six months for breaking her current probation, Wilder has been left scratching his head.

"To tell you the truth I have a total sense of relief because the reality is we would never have got our movie made if Lindsay Lohan was still attached to it." He told RadarOnline.com.

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"We are now due to start filming in New Orleans in April with Malin Akerman instead of Lindsay Lohan and everybody cannot wait.

"Despite everything that happened with Lindsay I would be horrified if she went to jail and to tell you the truth I just feel sorry for her because sadly she has some real issues to deal with.

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"It was funny because the paparazzi followed Malin recently but it was a completely different vibe to Lindsay because she is such a different person.

"I can now just look forward to making our movie without any distractions and that just couldn't happen when we were involved with Lindsay Lohan.

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"I'm not sure if I was surprised or not that she got into trouble again I just wish she could get her life together at some point despite everything she put me through."

RadarOnline.com revealed that Lohan will not be charged today with felony grand theft in connection with the $2500 necklace she allegedly stole from a boutique in Venice.

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The former Mean Girls star is facing a legal nightmare as there is CCTV footage of her wearing it out of the store.

In addition she could still be charged in Riverside in connection with her alleged assault of Betty Ford care worker Dawn Holland last year although RadarOnline.com understands that this would only be a misdemeanor and that Beverly Hills Judge Elden Fox is not likely to take action against her over this particular incident.

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The Doomsday scenario for the actress is she's facing felony grand theft charges, which could lead to her probation from her prior DUI case being automatically revoked by Judge Fox resulting in serious jail time.

The theft charges are expected to be filed this week - more disturbing for her friends and family, as RadarOnline.com exclusively reported Lohan lied about ever being inside Kamofie & Company in Venice and she now  could be about to pay the ultimate price for her deception.

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Though he continues to root for Lindsay Lohan’s recovery and success, Inferno director Matthew Wilder admits that his decision to recast her starring role has given him some peace of mind. In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Wilder discusses his choice and his new leading lady.

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Wilder recently brought in actress Malin Akerman to replace Lohan in the movie based on the tragic porn star Linda Lovelace. “I love working with her, she is sensitive and hard-working and I think it’s a great decision for our project,” he said about Akerman.

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With Lohan, the production had to endure many costly delays due to the actress’ ongoing personal and legal struggles, including her ongoing rehabilitation treatment at The Betty Ford Center.

Director Matthew Wilder has wasted no time in replacing Lindsay Lohan as the star of his upcoming Inferno, RadarOnline.com has learned.

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He's brought in superhot Malin Akerman to star in the Linda Lovelace biopic, Deadline Hollywood is reporting.

Malin, who shot to fame in the Vince Vaughn comedy Couples Retreat, is now costarring with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd in Wanderlust, shooting in New York.

RadarOnline.com was the first to reveal that Wilder was backing away from his long support of the troubled Lohan to star in his movie. On Wednesday he told us he had a "Plan B" in place.  And yesterday, Wilder told us it was a done deal.  "We've fired Lindsay," he said, revealing that "we've already lined up somebody else who we are really happy with."

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Lindsay's camp is insisting she wasn't fired, it was her decision to pull out of the film.

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Either way, Akerman is a great "get" for Wilder and moves the project up several notches.  There's no word yet on when they'll start shooting.

Lindsay is set to complete her court-ordered treatment at the Betty Ford Center on January 3.

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In a case of Hollywood he said/she said, a source close to Lindsay Lohan tells RadarOnline.com it was Lindsay's decision not to star in Inferno; she wasn't "fired" from the project, as director Matthew Wilder told us earlier today.

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"Lindsay has realized that in order to get her life and career back on track, she has to be very selective with her projects," the insider says.  "She wants to pursue projects like the ones that made her successful.

"She also realizes that she doesn't need to identify with roles that relate to issues she dealt with.  Everyone on her treatment team has stressed that."

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Lindsay might have continued if certain parts of the script were changed but she and the director came to an impasse, the source adds.

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Earlier Saturday, director Wilder told us he decided it was "best for all parties concerned" to replace Lindsay.  He said another actress is already lined up to replace her.

The Linda Lovelace biopic had long been problematic for Lindsay.

In May, she enraged Judge Marsha Revel when she missed a court date after traveling to the Cannes Film Festival and then allegedly having her passport stolen.  She'd gone to France to work with Wilder on landing Inferno a distributor.  Lindsay's father Michael also frequently spoke out against his daughter taking the part.

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LiLo is scheduled to remain in treatment at the Betty Ford Center until January 3.  She's now residing in a sober living house not far from the facility.

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The possibility that Lindsay Lohan might be dropped as the star of Inferno was first reported by RadarOnline.com earlier this week. Now we've confirmed it's a done deal. The rehabbing Lohan is out of the project.

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"We have fired Lindsay Lohan from Inferno and we have already lined somebody else up, who we are really happy with, to play the part," Matthew Wilder tells RadarOnline.com exclusively.

"I don't want to say too much just now or anything that I may regret, but I believe it is best for all parties concerned that we do Inferno without Lindsay."

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Wilder and his producers ran out of patience with Lohan when she didn't meet with them while she was at her West Hollywood apartment on a day pass from the Betty Ford Center last weekend, several sources tell RadarOnline.com.

Lindsay is under court-ordered treatment at Betty Ford until January 3.  Ironically her father Michael was always opposed to Lindsay starring in the Linda Lovelace biopic.

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Inferno director Matthew Wilder has stood by Lindsay Lohan throughout her legal troubles, waiting for her to star in his movie about porn star Linda Lovelace.

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But now Wilder tells RadarOnline.com that he is developing a 'Plan B' if Lindsay can't shoot the movie.

Lindsay Lohan is working on getting a “work pass” so that she can get out of rehab to discuss her next movie Inferno before her January 3 release date, RadarOnline.com has learned.

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The Mean Girls star is currently staying at a sober living home close to The Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, California where she has been receiving treatment in recent weeks. Inferno director Matthew Wilder has been in constant contact with Lohan during her rehabilitation.

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Wilder told RadarOnline.com: “Lindsay is happy and I have been sending her some films starring several actors that we would like to cast alongside her in our movie.

Inferno Director Matthew Wilder has told RadarOnline.com that he believes Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox has "cut Lindsay Lohan a break" by not sending her to jail Friday.

As RadarOnline.com previously repored,  Judge Fox ordered Lohan to return to the Betty Ford Center until January 3, 2011, and now the director and his producers will hold talks with Team Lohan about when she can actually start shooting the movie about  porn star Linda Lovelace, who died in April, 2002.

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The production has been on hold until Lindsay’s troubles could be resolved, but at last Wilder and his team seem to have some good news about their controversial leading lady.

He said: “I think the judge cut Lindsay a break today,  but obviously it will be tough to be in rehab over the holidays for her.

Lindsay Lohan’s continuing legal troubles could have torpedoed her appearance in the movie One Night With You, and now Taylor Swift's name is being tossed around  to take over the role, RadarOnline.com is reporting.

The part would have been perfect for the Mean Girls star, 24, as the script involves a child star whose career is ruined by a series of scandals only to then book a gig on a reality dating show to try and revive her career and image.

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Inferno director Matthew Wilder told RadarOnline.com Friday morning that Lindsay Lohan will be stunned that she was sent back to jail.

Wilder spent time with Lohan yesterday and he says she was not expecting Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox to throw the book at her.

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In a Beverly Hills courtroom Friday morning, Judge Fox revoked Lohan’s bail and sent the starlet back behind bars until her probation violation hearing on October 22, 2010.

In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Wilder says “I was with Lindsay yesterday and she did not seem frightened, she was calm and collected, in fact.