It seems that the theme of “nearly forgotten actor uses old franchise to bolster their popularity” has even infected the rumour mill. Tom Cruise’s Lions for Lambs came and went with a whimper and the plot to assasinate Hitler story Valkyrie just entering post production. Cruise is not on the hotlist anymore. Now we find out that United Artists are attempting to acquire the rights to Anne Rice’s Tale of the Body Theif (book from the same series as Interview with a Vampire) and already the buzz is that Cruise will play LeStat.
There are rumours swirling that Cruise’s production company United Artists are in talks to obtain the rights for the 4th book in Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, The Tale of the Body Thief. While it has not been explicitly stated that the movie would be a vehicle for Cruise to star in, it does seem to be the most likely option.
While I loved Interview with a Vampire, I could live without Queen of the Damned and the 4th book seems to be the most fitting to a screenplay in the series.
I think Cruise needs more than a big hit movie to get himself back on the A-List track. He may own the souls of Hollywood’s elite, but the public eye still sees him as a whackjob and I think that is hurting his reputation far more than any of his films can or cannot do for him.
