The decision to drop out of a comedy being filmed in Hawai'i was characterized as a mutual agreement between the director and Owen Wilson, who was taken to a hospital Sunday after police responded to the report of a suicide attempt at his Santa Monica home. AP library photo | September 2002

Wilson will not appear in the DreamWorks film, already six weeks into production in Hawai'i, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter said today, citing sources they did not identify.

The decision was characterized as a mutual agreement between director Ben Stiller and Wilson, who was taken to the hospital Sunday after police responded to the report of a suicide attempt at his Santa Monica home.

"Ben and Owen have made eight movies together," said a source that Variety characterized as being close to the project. "And he can't wait to work with Owen again. It's just not going to be this film."

The Hollywood Reporter said Wilson had a minor part in the movie, which stars Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. and revolves around a group of actors who find themselves in the middle of a war.

Wilson's part was to be filmed in just a week, the trade said.

Messages left early today for a DreamWorks representative and Wilson publicist Ina Treciokas seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Many Hollywood insiders believe Wilson's setback will be short-lived and he will continue to enjoy big-screen success.

"He's loved," Bernie Brillstein, a veteran Hollywood manager who worked with John Belushi and Chris Farley, said Tuesday.

Brillstein said the reported suicide attempt is "serious, but it's a singular case. Anyone can have a bad day, a very bad day."

Wilson's box-office track record — "Wedding Crashers" topped $200 million, "Cars" brought in almost $250 million — plus his on-screen image as an affable everyman who can charm the ladies while boozing with the boys has made him a favorite with both filmmakers and filmgoers.

Wilson's public perception is "very positive," industry analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Media By Numbers said Tuesday. "Owen Wilson has a really good reputation and people in general really feel bad for him right now."

Fox Searchlight had no comment Tuesday about "The Darjeeling Limited," which stars Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman. The film is scheduled for release Sept. 29.

Wilson's next starring vehicle, Paramount's "Drillbit Taylor," is set for a March release, a studio spokeswoman said, declining further comment.

A spokesman for 20th Century Fox declined to discuss Wilson's scheduled appearance opposite Jennifer Aniston in the upcoming "Marley & Me."

"It's an inappropriate question to ask," he said. "All our thoughts and concerns are with his health and well-being. Owen asked his privacy be respected and we intend to honor that."

Wilson released a statement Monday through Treciokas: "I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time."

Treciokas declined to answer questions Tuesday about whether Wilson attempted to commit suicide.

Wilson's emotional issues could have "a deep impact on his future employability and the ability to obtain insurance," said longtime publicist Michael Levine.

But Brillstein said that the problem lies in media coverage and the public's taste for ever more sensational celebrity news.