THE LONE RANGER and THE SOCIAL NETWORK’s rising star Armie Hammer has put pen to paper on deal that will see him partner up with Tom Cruise on Warner Bros. reboot of cult 1960s series, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. SNATCH and SHERLOCK HOLMES director Guy Ritchie will helm what the studio hopes will kickstart them a brand new franchise in much the same vein as Cruise’s own MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE action-adventures.
The series originally ran from 1964-68, with Hollywood legend Robert Vaughan in the role of Agent Napoleon Solo, alongside British actor David McCallum as his close friend and partner, Illya Kuryakin. The two were members of the United Network Command for Law Enforcement and were looked on as the American equivalent to James Bond, foiling the plans of enemy organisation T.H.R.U.S.H. The show also spawned a couple of big-screen efforts as well as a spin-off series, THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. Cruise will now take Vaughn’s role with his younger co-star as McCallum’s rookie Kuryakin.
Steven Soderbergh had previously worked on the project alongside frequent writing collaborator Scott Z. Burns, with George Clooney and possibly Channing Tatum in line for the leads before the project fell apart.
Source: Deadline
