MUMBAI: Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play the role that James McAvoy was to have essayed in an untitled cancer comedy due to go on the floors next Monday.

McAvoy, the British co-star of films like Atonement and The Last King of Scotland left the project "due to unrelated circumstances beyond his control," said a statement from distributor Summit Entertainment that is partnering in the venture with Mandate Pictures.

Gordon-Levitt will appear opposite Seth Rogen in the autobiographical tale of a man dealing with Cancer written by Will Reiser. The film, directed by Jonathan Levine also stars Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall.

Gordon-Levitt recently starred in (500) Days of Summer and the recent Sundance premiere Hesher.