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Tom Cruise Cast in David Cronenberg's Matarese Circle

by Alex Billington
February 11, 2009

This project has definitely bumped up a notch in terms of anticipation. Tom Cruise will be joining Denzel Washington in MGM's adaptation of Robert Ludlum's The Matarese Circle that is being directed by David Cronenberg and written by Wanted scribes Derek Haas and Michael Brandt. That means we get to see all three of them - Cruise, Washington, Cronenberg - working on a big-budget spy thriller in the vein of The Bourne Identity. Excited yet? Cruise is in final negotiations to take on the role of the Russian spy Vasili Taleniekov, mortal enemy of American CIA operative Brandon Scofield, to be played by Washington.

The Matarese Circle will now be Tom Cruise's next project, before he even starts shooting The Tourist. Production is expected to begin sometime later this year. Novelist Robert Ludlum, also known for his Bourne series of books, drew inspiration from David Rockefeller's Trilateral Commission in the 1970s to write The Matarese Circle. But Haas and Brandt have updated the setting from the Cold War to modern times. It follows the two arch-enemy spies who are forced into a distrustful collaboration against a wide-reaching political conspiracy orchestrated by a mysterious organization called the Matarese.

Personally, I'm still a fan of Tom Cruise, even after his roles in Valkyrie and Lions for Lambs. I still think he's a fine actor and this definitely adds some prestige to the project. However, I'm not a fan of David Cronenberg, especially after seeing Eastern Promises. His recent directing style just isn't my cup of tea and I'm very concerned that he's going to take this project, which has a lot of potential, and dull it down with his very meticulous and mundane directing. I really hope I'm wrong and I hope he breaks out of his style for this, because I really want this to be good. Besides Cronenberg, everything else seems pretty top-notch.

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Farris

How did you not like Eastern Promises? This should be OK as long as Cruise actually attempts a Russian accent.
Lee

I'm still hanging in there with Cruise, myself, and am glad to see him taking on this project. I'm tempted now to watch Eastern Promises just to get an idea of the mundacity that you reference. All in all, though, I think we can plausibly hope that the intensity of a Washington-Cruise pairing would trump whatever timidity informs the direction. And as far as promises go, this project offers a lot.
Tim "Cloverfield"

Well he could NOT do a German accent....now he's playing a Russian?! I have to say NEUT !!!!!
nelson

you loose all credibility how in the fuck did you not like eastern promises
Scott McHenry

I like Cruise and I am interested in this movie but . . . Cruise will probably not even attempt a Russian accent which is total crap considering he is being paid to be a Russian! I really hope the movie is good though
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4120/sppunx06oa5.jpg Crapola

Eastern Promises was a good film I think, also Tom Cruise is a good actor, I like him in movies, all the Scientology lunacy melts away when he's on screen. I still doubt Tom could do fuck all if I was in a serious car crash, but I'd watch him in a film.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

I'm not going to argue about Eastern Promises here - I've argued about it before with plenty of people in previous posts. Sorry, but I hated that movie. I don't like Cronenberg's style and I know I'm not alone in that. Really didn't like it, that's my personal taste, sorry!
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

So you are no worried about Cruise, but ARE worried about Cronenberg????
Fisherr

Movies these days are exceeding my expectations, Washington and Cruise...though it would never happen.
wm

Alex, you don't like Cronenberg's style more recent or always disliked it? Cronenberg's has been a bit of a badass when it comes to his movies of the late 70's and 80's. You can't deny it. Sure, he's toned down a bit, but still...ah well.
you ARE alone.

Maybe if this was a Bay film, you'd be excited about it, cause you know, his style is just so cool. i mean personal taste right? you either enjoy and appreciate movies, or you just watch movies. why hire the guy who only likes watching popcorn movies to write about "real" movies.... this is just my 'personal taste/opinion' hope you enjoy!
levi

If you have a problem with Eastern Promises you have absolutely no credibility in my book. Go and watch Titanic again!