Joe Manganiello
Joe Manganiello has dropped out of Ryan Murphy's "Scream Queens" due to a scheduling conflict. Reuters

It looks like Ryan Murphy’s forthcoming comedy-horror series just lost a pretty big name: Joe Manganiello has reportedly dropped out of “Scream Queens” because of a scheduling conflict.

The actor (and fiance of Sofia Vergara) had originally agreed to appear in the 15-episode Season 1 run of the show, according to People magazine. When he learned that his press tour for the film “Magic Mike XXL” would conflict with the series’ planned shooting dates, however, he respectfully bowed out.

Replacing Manganiello will be Oliver Hudson, brother of actress Kate Hudson and star of the ABC drama “Nashville.” Luckily for fans of the popular hit centered on country music, People reported his role on “Nashville” won’t be affected by the filming of “Scream Queens.”

With Manganiello out, Hudson will be joining a cast that’s already jam-packed with some pretty impressive names. “Scream Queens” will feature Abigail Breslin, Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas, Billie Lourd, Lea Michele, Keke Palmer and Nasim Pedrad, as well as the original scream queen, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Also on the list is “Scream 4” star Emma Roberts. The actress has worked with Murphy in the past, having a meaty role on the third season of FX’s smash hit, “American Horror Story: Coven.” She also gave those curious about the new show, described as a comedy-horror series, their first look at her as a sexy sorority girl with some demon bubble gum (see below).

Precious little is known about Murphy’s “Scream Queens” other than that it will be structured similarly to “American Horror Story,” with each season constituted as a self-contained story. The creator told Deadline he hopes to have each new season revolve around two women.

The first season will focus on a college campus suddenly at the center of a series of vicious murders, according to Entertainment Weekly. As the teaser appears to indicate, some supernatural elements will be worked into the show, creating a grander mythos than most modern-day horror movies even bother with.

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