Brad Pitt has exited James Gray’s adaptation of the non-fiction bestseller The Lost City of Z.  The book centers on Col. Percy Fawcett’s attempts to find El Dorado and his mysterious disappearance during a 1925 expedition to find the city while trekking through the Amazon.  According to Vulture, Pitt left the project due to an impasse with Paramount over compensation for Gray.

But Pitt has plenty else to keep him busy.  A couple days ago, we reported that he had signed on to reunite with his Assassination of Jesse James director Andrew Dominik for the crime drama Cogan’s Trade.  He may also star in an adaptation of Mark Greaney’s spy novel The Gray Man.  Pitt has also been linked to an adaptation of Max Brooks’ book World War Z.  As Pitt plans ahead, the famous actor has two major films set for release next year: Bennett Miller’s Moneyball and Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life.

Director James Gray (Two Lovers) may be finally shooting his adaptation of David Grann’s bestselling non-fiction book The Lost City of Z.  We first reported on the project back in December 2008 and in April 2009 we reported that Brad Pitt was attached to star.  Now, Screen Daily reports that Lost City may get in front of cameras once Pitt wraps filming on Bennett Miller’s adaptation of Michael Lewis’ baseball statistics drama, Moneyball.  The film has been gaining major heat from buyers at Cannes due to the combination of the material and Pitt’s star power.

Via Screen Daily, The Lost City of Z “takes place in the early twentieth century and charts 30 years in the life of Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett, a former decorated British soldier turned explorer.”  The film has been gaining major heat from buyers at Cannes due to the combination of the material and Pitt’s star power.

Hit the jump for more on Fawcett’s incredible story.