Soderbergh's Bitter Pill Gets A Cast

Recently Steven Soderbergh walked from directing The Man From UNCLE for Warner Bros. Guy Ritchie would come on to produce and possibly direct that project instead. ThePlaylist has word that Soderbergh's other project is set to go with principle actors set for The Bitter Pill. The cast includes Blake Lively (The Town), Channing Tatum (Haywire) and Jude Law (Contagion). Tatum seems to be Steven's current muse as he's starred in his last two films Haywire and Magic Mike.

Guy Ritchie Will Likely Direct The Man From UNCLE

Deadline reports that Warner Bros. in talks with Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock, RockNRolla, Snatch) to direct The Man From UNCLE. The project was written by screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and previously had Steven Soderbergh as it's director which is based on the classic 60's spy television show. The project seemed to come to halt when the studio and Steven couldn't work out the casting and it's budget. I'm sure with this news casting announcements won't be far behind.

Ritchie has been a loyal director for the studio helming two Sherlock Holmes installments with a third in the works. However, Robert Downey Jr. has stated recently with his new baby on the way he would be slowing down big projects. This could mean that Guy would have time to fit in a couple of films before we see Sherlock Holmes 3 go into production. It's also expected that UNCLE could become a new franchise for the studio similar to Mission Impossible. That would mean Ritchie might have agreed to make sequels if the first film is successful.

Steven Soderbergh Wont Direct The Man From UNCLE

ThePlaylist reports after an exhausting casting search and budget restrictions Steven Soderbergh has called it quits on The Man From UNCLE. The budding spy franchise had been an active project for Soderbergh who was considering retiring before announcing he would direct it. It mainly came down to Warner Bros' limited budget of $60 million for a action film set in the 60's and would hop to four different continents. Think Mission Impossible or Bond meets Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy it would be expensive even before the actors were cast. Soderbergh had also been ticked off when the studio asked for younger actors giving them the suggestions of Michael Fassbender and Joel Kinnaman. Only to have them turned down then taken for other studio projects Londongrad and Arthur And Lancelot.

Warner Bros. seems to have dropped the ball since Soderbergh's Contagion ended up a solid success for them. You'd expect them to be more compromising when they're shelling out budgets twice as big for riskier projects. It's unknown if the project will keep going without Soderbergh but I'm sure he'll tackle something else soon.

Channing Tatum Could Join The Man From UNCLE

It looks like casting is all over the place with for Steven Soderbergh's The Man From UNCLE. Deadline now reports that Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street, Haywire) is now in mind for the role of American spy Napoleon Solo. That role had been linked to the likes of George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bradley Cooper. Channing recently worked with Soderbergh on Haywire and his male stripper film Magic Mike which is currently shooting. There is no word if Joel Edgerton (Warrior) is still up for the second lead as the Russian agent.

Bradley Copper Not In Soderbergh's The Man From UNCLE

TheWrap reports that Bradley Cooper has left talks to star as Napoleon Solo in Steven Soderbergh's The Man From UNCLE. Warrior's Joel Edgerton had been offered the role of Russian Agent Illya Kuryakin. It seems like the Solo role is having a lot of trouble finding an actor to fill it. Previously actors like George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt had been mentioned as in the mix.

Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Alexander Skarsgard and Joel Kinnaman were originally mentioned before either Cooper and Edgerton got involved. Fassbender and Kinnaman have lined up other possible projects with the studio in the meanwhile. I wouldn't be shocked to see Ryan Gosling landing the role since Warner Bros. originally wanted him in the movie. Gosling had been linked for the role of but I could see him better suited for Solo. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also gathering a massive amount of steam landing roles in The Dark Knight Rises and Django Unchained.

Joel Edgerton Offered Lead In The Man From UNCLE

Vulture reports that Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Animal Kingdom) has been offered the second lead in Steven Soderbergh's The Man From UNCLE. News of Edgerton being offered the lead in 300: The Battle of Artemisia had been revealed earlier today.

Bradley Cooper (Limitless, Hangover 1-2) had already landed the role of American spy Napoleon Solo, which had been vacated by George Clooney. Joel would play Russian spy Illya Kuryakin which had been linked to both Ryan Gosling and Joel Kinnaman. Kinnaman was recently offered an equally large role as Lancelot in the studio's Arthur & Lancelot. Oddly enough months back it was rumored that both Cooper and Edgerton were up for the lead in Ant-Man.

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.

Michael Fassbender & Joel Kinnaman In The Mix For The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Warner Bros' new spy project The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is expected to be the studios' answer to Paramount's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Universal's Bourne Legacy. WB is looking to hire equally talented rising stars to fill out the cast of UNCLE. Previously names like Ryan Gosling, Alexander Skarsgard and Joesph Gordon-Levitt had been on a studio wish-list. ThePlaylist adds other names to that list which include Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pine, Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Hamm, Russell Crowe and Robert Pattinson. Some of these names are interesting others underwhelming and uninspiring.

The site mentions that director Steven Soderbergh has met with Swedish/American actor Joel Kinnaman for the role of Russian spy Illya Kuryakin. Joel is a exceptional new actor giving intense performances in Snabba Cash and the series The Killing. He also recently landed a role in David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and the upcoming Moscow set alien thriller The Darkest Hour. I think Joel is a great up and coming actor so it's possible he'd be willing to sign a multiple film contract. While some other actors might not want to commit to a budding franchise like UNCLE. Yet the studio is very keen on their own golden boy Ryan Gosling for Illya.

George Clooney dropped out of project which had him attached for the role of American spy Napoleon Solo. Matt Damon and Brad Pitt had been knocked around but it doesn't look it will work out. Steven has another actor in mind for Solo, that being German/Irish actor Michael Fassbender. Fassbender is gathering a lot of praise for his film's Shame and A Dangerous Method which might lead to an Oscar nomination and or win. He's also ranking up some serious badass credits with roles in Inglourious Basterds, 300, X-Men First Class, Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Soderbergh's Haywire. They also mention Joesph Gordon-Levitt is liked by the studio but might be too young. Ewan McGregor is another possibility since he worked with Steven on Haywire and was originally going to play Basher (Don Cheadle) in the Ocean films.

I'd be on board to see Fassbender and Kinnaman cast as the film's leads. I wouldn't be shocked to see other big names peppered in the other roles and it seems like Soderbergh isn't leaving the film industry anytime soon. He has mentioned previously he only had a couple more films in him before he would retire. Yet a franchise in the making like this could mean he might be invested for at least an UNCLE trilogy. The studio has been making comparisons to Lethal Weapon meaning we'll be seeing a large scale action buddy comedy. It might be wishful thinking they'd also go with an R-rating since all four of the Lethal films were.

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.

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.

Steven Soderbergh In Talks To Direct Man From U.N.C.L.E.

HeatVision reports that Warner Bros. is interested in hiring Steven Soderbergh to direct The Man From U.N.C.L.E. based on the spy themed television series from the 60's. The show was co-created by James Bond author Ian Fleming so it could be a new franchise for the studio. Previously it had been setup as a comedy but more than likely will have more of a serious direction now that Soderbergh could be involved. Not to mention screenwriter Scott Z. Burns who wrote both The Informant! and Contagion for Steven is also in the mix. The Cold War-set spy series, followed the adventures of American and Russian members of a secret agency known as the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Hopefully this project will turn out more like Mission Impossible rather than the horrible I Spy, The Saint or Avengers films.