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Tom Cruise Might be the 'Man from U.N.C.L.E.' for Guy Ritchie at WB

by Ben Pearson
March 18, 2013
Source: Deadline

When George Clooney exited an early version of the film adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. back in 2011, many thought it was the beginning of the end for the long-gestating project. Steven Soderbergh was once attached to direct, but Clooney's departure and ensuing disagreements about budget and re-casting caused him to vacate a few months later and direct Side Effects instead. Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie took over soon after, but progress has been slow since then. Now Deadline is reporting that Tom Cruise is in early talks for a lead role. A move like that should speed up development on this considerably.

The original NBC television series, which ran from 1964-1968, followed two mismatched secret agents (one American, one from the USSR) working for the United Network Command for Law Enforcement as they thwarted the plots of THRUSH, an organization so evil that even opposing countries like Russia and the U.S. put aside their differences and worked together to oppose it. This is not to be confused with Get Smart, Mel Brooks' spy satire series which also ran in the 1960s and was adapted into its own movie back in 2008.

If this deal goes through, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. would be Cruise's second spy franchise based on a '60s TV series, as he launched and continues to headline the Mission: Impossible movies. Word is this movie is being primed to start a franchise of its own, so it looks like Cruise could be suiting up for more gadget-based antics on the big screen. This seems like a really odd career choice for him, especially considering the M:I connection, and we were hoping he'd stick to science fiction for a little while longer since he has Oblivion, All You Need is Kill, and Our Name is Adam on his plate. But with Ritchie's style and hopefully a decent script, this one could turn out to be worth seeing. We'll keep an eye on the film's development from here.

Filed under Casting, Development, Movie News

From around the web:

JM

The problem with Tom Cruise is that he is always Tom Cruise over the different characters he plays. He is not a great actor, but a big celebrity, and that overshadows any project, so all of them look the same. Even if he will start in Wonderwoman.
- $126191
  
  Particularly in recent years. He doesn't bother to change his appearance much either. That's why I liked him in Collateral, where he at least dyed his hair, grew some stubble, played an aggressive role.
avi

wow! Cruise and Ritchie! I like the movies from Guy Ritchie allot! Bring it on!
- si1ver
  
  Yeah that sounds like a good combo
http://www.yepi8.org/ yepi8

I watched some of the films he played pretty good and I saw him play, good will reap success
grimjob

Well, that does it. I'm officially done holding out hope for The Real RocknRolla. It just will not happen. That said, still love Ritchie and I look forward to anything he does.
- Cody W
  
  I gave up on it once Sherlock Holmes 2 was announced.
Eric Mielle

Attention is not whatsoever Ritchie will perform"The Man FROM the UNCLE " as bookmakers are betting that it would be the next James Bond 24 director hat not said in an interview his desire to achieve agent most secret of Britain.
- Cody W
  
  Im really not trying to be a smartass seeing as english obviously isnt your first language but I really dont know what the hell you were trying to say there.
  - Eric Mielle
    
    Sorry,I'm French and I try to look at the news of cinema . I recently read and article on the net that England bookmakers bet that Guy Ritchie wil be the next James Bond Film ,the filmmaker did not say no?
Last Son

Cruise in another spy film. Seems like he is typecasting himself. It was bad enough when he did Knight & Day. Stick to the Mission:Impossible films as they are getting better and better with each film.
kodekn

Maybe it's just me but I don't want to see Cruise in anything. His deep involvement with that money-grabbing and dangerous cult has made him disgusting in my eyes. Too bad that he seems to be getting lot of leads nowadays, but thankfully in the movie business there are loads of other films to choose from.
John Bryans Fontaine

Please don't have Tom Cruise be in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
John Bryans Fontaine

If Tom Cruise is in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., someday he will want to play James Bond.