Rudin Quits The Reader

It is believed Rudin walked after clashing with studio boss Harvey Weinstein over the release date of the film, which stars Kate Winslet.

Rudin's exit comes less than two weeks after he issued a statement claiming to be in "complete agreement" with Miramax CEO Weinstein.

Rudin had been in favour of moving the release back to 2009, allowing director Simon Daldry more time to complete the movie.

Rudin and Weinstein have refused to comment on the reports, but co-producer Donna Gigliotti tells the New York Post she is "surprised" by Rudin's sudden exit.

However, she insists the film "is on track and testing well".