As announced earlier this year, the long-awaited sequel to director James Merendino’s cult film SLC Punk!, which was released in 1999, is due out in 2014. However, despite the best efforts of fans — who launched a petition to get Jason Segel to reprise his role as Mike — it appears that Segel’s role will be recast due to the actor’s lack of interest in the film.

Writer/director James Merendino stated:

“I need to address this Fan generated petition. Jason has not read the script. But he knows that Mike’s part is a cameo. I am very impressed by Jason’s career and his many talents. He has been very sweet about why he feels that a cameo in the sequel is not the direction he is going. I have fond memories of Jason. I wish him well. I would not want him to think that he ‘must’ do the sequel out of guilt. But, that’s my opinion. You are all free to have your own and share your feelings about us having to recast Mike. Thanks for your continued support.

As for cutting Mike out of the Sequel. Mike is based on a real person. What he has done in real life is awesome and must be told. And I can’t imagine the story without including his very punk rock experience. Jason played him well but I cannot just forget how much he influenced me and this story. There are some very talented actors out there but only one Mike in my life.”

However, the good news is that, according to a comment written by an admin of the SLC Punk! 2 Facebook page, “Everybody is back except Jason including the writer/director.” That includes Matthew Lillard as Stevo and Michael A. Goorjian as Heroin Bob — and hopefully Christopher McDonald, Devon Sawa, and Annabeth Gish as well.