The 'Mission: Impossible' star is Guillermo del Toro's favorite to star in his film, but Universal wants the 'Wanted' actor to take the lead role.
- Sep 3, 2010
AceShowbiz - Tom Cruise is put in a kind of duel with James McAvoy. Collider reports that Guillermo del Toro wants the "Knight & Day" actor to star in his flick "At the Mountains of Madness", but Universal Pictures does not show similar attitude. In fact, the studio wants the "Wanted (2008)" star to take the lead role in the movie, sources say.
Beside the two, Chris Pine was also thrown among the contenders to take the important part. However, the "Star Trek" thesp is said to have had busy schedule which might have forced him to leave the competition.
In the meantime, del Toro allegedly had met Cruise when discussing the possibility of the "Mission: Impossible" star to take a role in new "Van Helsing" movie. Though the project did not work out, the filmmaker has been impressed by the husband of Katie Holmes, Collider claims.
"At the Mountains of Madness" is pitched as the movie adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft-written novella of the same title. The story will feature a chilling recollection of an Antarctic expedition's uncanny discoveries and their encounter with untold menace in the ruins of a lost civilization.
Guillermo del Toro has signed up to serve as director for the horror flick, while James Cameron is set to produce it. This film is expected to start principal photography in May 2011, with 3-D cameras.
Tom Cruise will soon reprise his role as Ethan Hunt in "Mission: Impossible IV". The 48-year-old actor is also planning an untitled Les Grossman project which is based on his character in "Tropic Thunder".
As for James McAvoy, he is set to portray Professor Charles Xavier in "X-Men: First Class". The 31-year-old Scottish is also attached to co-star in "Cloud Atlas", Tom Tykwer's adaptation of David Mitchell's novel.
