Tom Cruise in Talks for Lead in “The Man from U.N.C.L.E”

Tom Cruise is reportedly in talks for the lead role in “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” the long shelved project that Guy Ritchie is now attached to direct. Even better, word online has it Tom Hardy is also loosely attached for a part.

“Tom Cruise is in early talks to take the lead role of Napoleon Solo, the Cold War spy originally portrayed by Robert Vaughn in the ’60s TV series,” Slash Film reports.

Other actors linked to the role throughout the years include George Clooney, Michael Fassbender, Johnny Depp and even Channing Tatum.

As for directors, the project has had, in turn, Matthew Vaughn, David Dobkin and Steven Soderbergh before Ritchie agreed to do it in 2011.

Reports online say that Tom Hardy would make a perfect Illya Kuryakin, Solo’s Russian partner, though his involvement in the project is sketchy at best at this time.

“The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has the potential to give Cruise another major studio franchise, in addition to the Mission: Impossible series and the Jack Reacher movies,” Slash Film writes. In other words, Cruise stands to consolidate his action man status if negotiations work out in his favor.