Tom Cruise could have joined the DC Universe and marked his first superhero role with the adaptation of a lesser known comics from DC’s Wildstorm.
Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars to have never dipped his toes into the superhero genre. While Cruise was once in contention for the role of Tony Stark / Iron Man during the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the star could have just as easily ended up on the DC side of the superhero landscape.
According to reports, Cruise was heavily involved in the development of a lesser-known DC title which would have seen him make his superhero debut. Moreover, the director of one of the best superhero films from the 2000s, Sam Raimi, was also attached to the project. Here is everything you need to know about Tom Cruise’s unmade DC project.
Tom Cruise Was Set to Make His DC Debut With an Adaptation of Sleeper From Director Sam Raimi
In 2008, Tom Cruise‘s chance to play Iron Man had passed but the actor seemed to be interested in the superhero genre. According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Cruise was loosely attached to star in an adaptation of the Sleeper comic book written by Ed Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips.
The comic was printed under the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics. The title first debuted in 2003 and lasted for twelve issues. The Wildstorm Universe originally started at Image Comics before it was purchased by DC and integrated into its own universe. As a result, the Cruise-led adaptation of Sleeper was expected to be set up at Warner Bros., despite alleged complicated rights issues.
In the same report, it was also stated that Cruise was working with director Sam Raimi, who directed the Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man trilogy for Sony. However, Raimi, along with his producing partner Josh Donen, were only expected to serve as a producer on the film. The project never seemed to move forward as there were no further updates regarding it. It was later reported in 2013 that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were interested in adapting the comic for the big screen.
Why Sleeper‘s Supernatural Spy Role Was Perfect For Tom Cruise
Had the Sleeper adaptation developed under Cruise and Raimi come to fruition, it would have seen the Mission: Impossible star in the role of Holden Carver, also known as The Conductor. The comics sees Carver being placed as an undercover operative within a villainous organization led by TAO, an enemy of WildC.A.T.s, the premiere superhero team of the Wildstorm Universe.
Carver is bonded with a mysterious artifact that absorbs all the damage caused to his body and stores it in the form of energy. Carver can then release this energy, using it to attack his opponents. On paper, the role seems perfect for Cruise, as it would have kept his star persona intact without the actor having to simmer into the image of a well-established comic book character.
At the same time, Sleeper veers away from the tropes and conventions of the superhero genre for a more traditional crime-mystery / neo-noir story. Given Cruise’s filmography which includes the Jack Reacher franchise, such a story would have played to the actor’s strengths. Furthermore, the supernatural elements would have added an element of action spectacle fans usually associate with Cruise’s films, making the role perfect for him.
News
The Western That Allows Jodie Foster to Release Her Inner Screwball Comedian
Westerns are making quite the comeback, and people of all ages certainly enjoy the older ones, from classics like True Grit to more modern hits like 3:10 to Yuma. Maverick, though, is one of those Westerns that works absolutely perfectly, as its comedic timing is…
Why Didn’t Jodie Foster Star in the ‘Hannibal’ Movie?
When Sir Anthony Hopkins returned to the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter 10 years after The Silence of the Lambs accomplished an actual cultural reset by winning every major Academy Award (rare indeed for the horror genre), he did so without Jodie Foster, his original…
‘True Detective: Night Country’ Borrows From ‘The Thing’ to up Its Horror and Paranoia
True Detective is one of the most groundbreaking works of filmmaking, as it proved that television was not a “lesser” medium when compared to cinema. While this may in part be because the series frequently casts major film stars in its leading…
Justin Bieber teases potential music in cryptic post
Justin Bieber teases potential music in cryptic post Justin Bieber might be working on new music and Hailey Bieber is there to support her The two-time Grammy winning artist took to his official instagram account on Sunday, October 20 to share some…
Jodie Foster’s Favorite Movie Is A Controversial Comedy That’s Celebrating Its 20th Anniversary Read More: https://www.slashfilm.com/1689954/jodie-foster-favorite-movie-controversial-comedy/
Jodie Foster’s career has been famously wild. As a child, she appeared in lightweight Disney films like “Napoleon and Samantha” and “Freaky Friday,” while also taking the world by surprise playing an underage sex worker in Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi…
Jodie Foster on Her Crush on Robert Redford and How Sting is Perfect
Jodie Foster, a renowned actress and director, recently opened up in an interview with W Magazine about her early start in the entertainment industry, her passion for directing, and her celebrity crushes. A Star is Born: Jodie’s Early Career Jodie…
End of content
No more pages to load