Cruise and Denzel?

After dropping out of EDWIN A. SALT over creative differences and mulling over a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4, Tom Cruise looks set to star in a different spy thriller. Cruise is in talks to co-star with Denzel Washington in the action-thriller THE MATARESE CIRCLE. Perhaps even more exciting is the news that Cruise would work with director David Cronenberg who is set to direct the film for MGM. In the film, Cruise and Washington would star as rival spies who suddenly find themselves targets and must team up to stop a conspiracy.

The film it’s based on a pretty exciting novel by Robert Ludlum and there’s a lot of twists and surprises so expect more than just we-used-to-be-enemies-but-we’re-forced-to-be-allies. In fact these guys have no interest in being allies and I’ve heard their relationship described as Viggo Mortenson and Ed Harris in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE times 20. Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (WANTED) wrote the script and MGM is looking to begin filming this summer. Cruise has yet to decide on his follow-up to VALKYRIE and has particularly fickle tastes when deciding on his movies so don’t get too excited until filming is set to begin. But a Cruise/Denzel/Cronenberg team-up is too wonderfully bizarre to not get a little excited about…