Stephen Chow, who was set to play the key role of Kato in the Green Hornet film, is leaving the production, according to the Hollywood trades. The film, starring Seth Rogen, is set to begin shooting in September for a July 2010 release, which is not expected to change.

Cameron Diaz has been added to the cast as the female lead, and Chow’s departure is apparently over scheduling issues, so everybody parted amicably. Which is all well and good — however that doesn’t make this loss any easier for us, or the film, to get over.