The beleaguered adaptation of "Man From U.N.C.L.E." took another hit last week when Tom Cruise left the project, but it's possible things are looking up for the Guy Ritchie caper. (Cruise bowed out because of scheduling problems with "Mission: Impossible 5.") The latest buzz out of Hollywood is that Henry Cavill is in talks to take over the role of Napoleon Solo, one of the spies from United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.
This is a particularly interesting development for two reasons. One, Warner Bros. is the studio behind both "Man From U.N.C.L.E." and Cavill's "Man of Steel." The latter, which opens in June, will indicate whether or not Cavill is blockbuster material. Back when Steven Soderbergh was attached to direct, the names bandied about for the lead role were as high profile as George Clooney and Michael Fassbender. If Cavill is cast as Solo, it indicates that WB has confidence in its new Superman and the success of "Man of Steel." Two, as Variety points out, Cavill was aiming for the role of Soviet agent Illya Kuryakin, which went to Armie Hammer. The female lead is still up in the air, but Alicia Vikander from "A Royal Affair" and "Anna Karenina" is currently the top contender.
Will "U.N.C.L.E." finally get off the ground? Is Warner Bros. going to wait until box office results from "Man of Steel" come in? Sit back and relax, because if the movie's history is any indication, we might be waiting a while to find out.
[via Variety]
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