Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of cult TV show The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has suffered a major blow, with leading man Tom Cruise dropping out of the forthcoming production.
Cruise had been in place to star alongside Armie Hammer as one of a pair of secret agents, but Deadline reports that he has withdrawn from the project in order to focus his attentions elsewhere.
Cruise is apparently keen to devote all his energies to Mission: Impossible 5 , in which he was recently confirmed to be producing and starring.
That project recently added Iron Man 3 ’s Drew Pearce as screenwriter, with Christopher McQuarrie expected to sign on to direct in due course.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros will have to regroup and move quickly in order to replace Cruise in good time for The Man From U.N.C.L.E .’s scheduled 2013 start date. Expect casting news on this one sooner rather than later...
