Tom Cruise Could Lead Guy Ritchie's THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., Ritchie Could Walk If A Lead Can't Be Secured

THR reports that's it's do or die time for Guy Ritchie's The Man From U.N.C.L.E. at Warner Bros. The film (budding franchise) is about to loose it's director if the studio can't secure a lead. Tom Cruise is newest actor being looked at for the role of Napoleon Solo. If it doesn't pan out Guy might walk to focus on another one of his many projects. Those include Treasure Island and The Real RockNRolla which Ritchie has been developing for a while now. Sherlock Holmes 3 is still being worked out as Robert Downey Jr.  is trying to figure out if Avengers 2 and possibly Iron Man 4 are in the cards.

Cruise's All You Need Is Kill setup at Warner Bros. is getting them excited to him in another big projects and already has a successful franchise based on a classic TV series with Mission: Impossible. It will be interesting to see if this goes forward before Mission: Impossible 5 that just landed Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher, Usual Suspects) as it's director. Tom also has a few possible projects that have been developing in the last couple of years including Guillermo del Toro's At The Mountains Of Madness and Van Helsing reboot. The former almost went into production at Universal but is could move to another opened minded studio.

More recently, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon had been offered the leads but like many before them passed. When Steven Soderbergh (Haywire, Ocean's 11, Traffic) was originally attached to direct a slew of talent was being looked at including George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Joel Kinnaman and Michael Fassbender. Scott Z. Burns had penned the film's script when Soderbergh was involved. There had been talk of making it a period piece (60's) setting itself apart from other espionage themed action flicks.

Hugh Laurie In Talks To Play TOMORROWLAND Villain

THR reports that actor Hugh Laurie (House, Black Adder) is in talks to play the villain in Brad Bird's Tomorrowland which stars George Clooney. Nothing is really known about the science fiction film besides having a link to the Disney theme park and mysterious box labeled 1952. Laurie had been previously linked for the villain role in the Robocop reboot which eventually went to Michael Keaton.

Matt Damon Joins George Clooney And Daniel Craig In MONUMENTS MEN

Deadline reports that Matt Damon has joined the crazy talented cast for George Clooney's Monuments Men. The WWII era film focuses on a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art that were stolen by Nazis before they are destroyed. Clooney stars along with Daniel Craig (Skyfall), Cate Blanchett (Hobbit), Bill Murray (Moonrise Kingdom), Jean Dujardin (Artist, Wolf of Wall Street) and John Goodman (Argo).

George Clooney In Talks For Brad Bird's 1952

Variety reports that George Clooney is talks to take the lead in Brad Bird's (Ghost Protocol) sci-fi epic 1952. The Disney franchise-in-the-making film written by Damon Lindelof (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness, Prometheus, World War Z) and Jeff Jensen is said to be in the vein of Close Encounters of The Third Kind and involves contact with aliens. Clooney recently worked with Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men) on the highly anticipated sci-fi thriller Gravity.

George Clooney's MONUMENTS MEN Lands Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin And Others

Deadline reports that George Clooney's next directorial effort Monument Men has nailed down it's cast. The WWII drama's lineup is stunning to say the least with Daniel Craig (Munich, Road To Perdition, Skyfall), Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin (The Artist, Wolf of Wall Street), Bill Murray (Moonrise Kingdom), John Goodman (Big Lebowski, Argo), Hugh Bonneville and Bob Balaban. A crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art that were stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them.

Bradley Cooper Front-Runner For Soderbergh's Man From UNCLE

ShowBlitz reports Bradley Cooper (Limitless, Hangover) is now Steven Soderbergh's choice to play Napoleon Solo in The Man From Uncle. It's a big change from previous wanted names for the role like George Clooney who dropped out along with hopefuls Matt Damon, Johnny Depp and Michael Fassbender. It was previously mentioned was that Warner Bros. was keen on bringing in Ryan Gosling for the role of Russian Agent Illya Kuryakin. While Soderbergh wanted up and coming Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman (Dragon Tattoo, Snabba Cash 1-3, Safe House, Killing, Darkest Hour) for the part of Illya. I think since they're hoping to go with Cooper, Gosling seems a better bet as both actors have a rather decent sized following.

Joesph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling & Alexander Skarsgard Wanted For The Man From UNCLE

Steven Soderbergh's big screen adaption of the 60's spy show The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is moving closer to production at Warner Bros. The only issue is that George Clooney who was attached dropped out recently and the studio is without a lead. TheWrap names actors like Joesph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, Dark Knight Rises) and Ryan Gosling (Drive, Gangster Squard, Logan's Run) being mentioned on a possible studio wishlist, along with Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Generation Kill). The hope is that the movie will become something similar to Lethal Weapon, becoming a solid buddy action comedy. I think both Ryan and Joesph are prime for a leap like this since both actors are solid in comedies and action focused films. Here's hoping the studio is able to wrangle their caliber to the project with Soderbergh's involvement alone.

Ryan Gosling Could Join Johnny Depp As The Lone Ranger

Deadline reports that Ryan Gosling along with others are being courted for the role of the Lone Ranger. It had been mentioned that George Clooney and Timothy Olyphant were being looked at. Gosling recently attached himself to Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson) Logan's Run remake and it also involved with talks for Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) Gangster Squad. Johnny Depp is locked in the role of Tonto which the film will be told from his character's perspective.

I'm not sure how likely it is that Disney would be able to wrangle Ryan as he's been avoiding franchise projects like this one. He however didn't rule out The Flash and Wonder Woman.

George Clooney Attached For Monster of Florance

HeatVision reports that George Clooney is set to star in adaptation of The Monster of Florance which Fox 2000 has just acquired. The project which is being scripted by Christopher McQuarrie (Usual Suspects) and Nathan Alexander (Valkyrie) is based on a true story. Tom Cruise had shown interest in the movie back in 2008 when it was at United Artists.


Preston and Spezi's book is an investigation into the murderer (or murderers) known as Il Mostro, who killed more than a dozen people from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s without being caught. In the course of their digging, Preston, who had moved with his family to a villa in Florence, and Spezi, an Italian crime journalist, were themselves then investigated by the police.

George Clooney Joins Sandra Bullock In Gravity

HeatVision reports that George Clooney will replace Robert Downey Jr. in Alfonso Cuarón's (Children of Men) Gravity. The site also confirms that Sandra Bullock will indeed star in the lead. Previously Angelina Jolie had been attached but left to focus on her directorial debut. Then a slew of talented young actresses were tested for the role they included Marion Cotillard, Scarlett Johansson, Blake Lively and Natalie Portman.

I'm excited to see Alfonso jump into the space side of science fiction but hesitant to picture Bullock in the film. It centers on a female astronaut struggling to survive and trying to make it to Earth after a disaster in space.

Clooney Eyeing Man From U.N.C.L.E.?

Playlist reports George Clooney is interested in starring in Man From U.N.C.L.E. It's not hard to believe since Clooney's reltionship with director Steven Soderbergh. The site also mentions that Soderbergh will be faithful to the series. Keeping the film set in the 60's and making it a serious action thriller.