John Travolta, Katie Cassidy remain

Who shot J.R.? Well, nobody yet since the big-screen adapation of "Dallas" has received a major setback.

Production, which was scheduled to begin in November, has been put on hold because all the major castmembers, with the exception of John Travolta, have been dropped from the film, reports Variety.

Travolta is still on board to play the central oil baron J.R. Ewing. It's his assorted dysfunctional family members that are currently MIA.

Luke Wilson, Shirley MacLaine and Meg Ryan were supposed to play Bobby Ewing, Miss Ellie and the perpetually inebriated Sue Ellen, respectively, but are now out. Casting hasn't been an easy process since the beginning. In August, Ryan had to step in when Jennifer Lopez was dropped from the Sue Ellen role.

TMZ.com reports that Katie Cassidy, daughter of "Partridge Family" actor David Cassidy, is also still on board to play Lucy Ewing.

Director Gurinder Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckham") reportedly had problems with the casting choices, and focus group research showed that audiences only responded to the J.R. character. Chadha is still currently attached to the New Regency project, but may or may not stay once the new cast has been established.

The script by "Steel Magnolias" writer Robert Harling may get some tune-ups, but a major overhaul isn't planned.

"Dallas" the TV show ran from 1978-1991 and followed the backstabbing adventures of Texas oil magnate J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) and his Lone Star family. The best episodes usually climaxed with some sort of fisticuffs landing the combatants in the swimming pool. At the time, the "Who Shot J.R.?" episode was the highest-rated single episode of a TV series.