FilmsActu reports that "Onimusha", the film adaptation of the best-selling PlayStation 2 game series, has been delayed due to various factors.

The games followed historic figures that shaped Japan's history, retelling their stories with supernatural elements.

The potential S.A.G. strike has apparently prevented producers from casting a key young male character called Jacob, whilst the already cast Takeshi Kaneshiro's busy schedule is apparently in flux.

On top of this, the delay of Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" has meant that producer Samuel Hadida has also had to change his schedule.

These factors were enough that French director Christophe Gans will now direct an adaptation of Leo Perutz's novel "The Swedish Cavalier" first, taking over the reigns from Gilles Mimouni.

That project is a tale of switched identities and reversals of fortune concerning a nameless theif fleeing the gallows who crosses paths in 1701 with a noble-born deserter from the Swedish army.

Emilie de Ravin, Satomi Ishihara & Tsuyoshi Ihara remain attached to "Onimusha", no word on if they'll be let go.