Man Overboard. Cruise flys (from) Solo...

There were a few raised eyebrows when Tom Cruise decided to join The Man From U.N.C.L.E production that is being helmed by Guy Ritchie - after all, the concept wasn't THAT far away fromhow the big-screen Mission Impossible franchise had been constructed around him already. Now it appears,  from reports that began on industry site Deadline, that Cruise himself has decided against splitting his focus and how now departed the U.N.C.L.E. project to spend more time developing Mission Impossible 5 - which may start shooting before the end of the year and in which he tends to be a hands-on prodcuer as well as star.

Cruise would have played stylish United Network Command for Law's Enforcement agent Napoleon Solo, originally essayed in the cult 1960s series by Robert Vaughan. It is not known if this will impact the inclusion of his co-star Armie Hammer (soon to be seen as the lead in The Lone Ranger) who plays Illya  Kuryakin (played in the series by David McCallum, now a regular on one of America's top-rated show, NCIS).

There have been quite a few attempts to bring the U.N.C.L.E. franchise to the screen - with names such as Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney being in the frame at previous points. It will be itneresting to see if the Solo character can be recast quickly with another high-profile actor or whether there will be a significant delay to the production which was also due for a 2103 shoot.