Henry Cavill committed to star in U.N.C.L.E., USA Today says

Henry Cavill

USA Today, in a story about Man of Steel star Henry Cavill, quotes the 30-year-old British actor as saying he has signed to play Napoleon Solo in a movie version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Here’s the key excerpt. It’s part of a passage about Cavill says he doesn’t plan to get sterotyped playing Superman:

“There is always that risk. But it’s a risk I’m glad to take,” he says. “The way to break out of that is to do a different role.”

To that end, Cavill just signed on to star as a spy in Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., replacing Tom Cruise, who is no longer associated with the project. He is tight-lipped about his Napoleon Solo role except to say he’ll be alongside The Lone Ranger star Armie Hammer, who will play Illya Kuryakin.

“Things are full-steam ahead. It’s all very early days. But it’s gonna happen,” Cavill says before pausing. “Well, this is Hollywood. It’s supposed to happen.”

Warner Bros., which is releasing Man of Steel and has the rights to U.N.C.L.E., hasn’t made an official announcement. Trying to come up with a new version of the 1964-68 series starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum has a very complicated history full of missteps.

Conceivably, the fate of a new U.N.C.L.E. may depend on the reception of Cavill as Superman. Man of Steel comes out June 14 in the U.S. The character of Napoleon Solo was created by Norman Felton and Ian Fleming in the fall of 1962. The rest of the series was created by Sam Rolfe.

For more about U.N.C.L.E.: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode guide

MAY 28 POST: Henry Cavill in talks to star in U.N.C.L.E.

UPDATE: Man of Steel has been generating a lot of advanced ticket sales according to THIS STORY on the Deadline Hollywood Web site.

UPDATE II (June 6): Armie Hammer, during an appearance on Australian television to promote the upcoming Lone Ranger movie, said he is doing a Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie and that Cavill will be his co-star. To see it, CLICK HERE. The U.N.C.L.E. comment comes around the 5:00 mark.