Bradley Cooper, star of THE HANGOVER (and to a lesser extent, THE HANGOVER PART II) has turned down the lead role in Steven Soderbergh’s update of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
This is surprising, not only because Cooper’s agents had been campaigning for him to win the role, but also… It’s Steven Soderbergh! A well respected director, equally happy making all star capers such as the The OCEANS Trilogy, critically acclaimed character studies including CHE (2009) and ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000) or indy flicks that hardly anyone will ever see, like THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE (2009)
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. concerns the awesomely named Napoleon Solo (portrayed by walking handsome factory Robert Vaughn). He was a spy, working for international espionage agency U.N.C.L.E. along with his Russian partner Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum). Every week, they did battle with their evil equivalent T.H.R.U.S.H. (to quote Tim Bisley from SPACED, ‘Hehehe thrush’).
Being one of the most popular shows of the 60s, you would imagine leading men all over Hollywoodwould resort to subterfuge to land the role of Solo. Yet, George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Matt Damon all passed. This could be because Damon has had enough of spywork after the BOURNE films, and Depp is about to star in another movie adaptation of a TV classic, THE LONE RANGER. Cooper himself recently played the role of Face in THE A-TEAM, so he may also want to evade TV show reboots.
The film is being written by Scott Z. Burns, who has collaborated with Soderbergh on THE INFORMANT! (2009) and this years CONTAGION. He also knows his spy movies, having adapted THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007). Had Damon taken the role of Solo, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. would have been their fourth collaboration together.
THN will keep you updated with any casting in the near future.
Source: Dark Horizons
