The Playlist is reporting that, on top of recently being offered the lead role in the upcoming 300 sequel 300: Battle of Artemisia, actor Joel Edgerton is also being offered a starring role in the upcoming adaptation of the classic 60’s TV spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
The lead role of Napoleon Solo was originally going to be played by George Clooney before he departed the project (the part has since been offered to Bradley Cooper). Edgerton has been offered the role of Illya Kuryakin, a Russian spy who is Solo’s partner.
The remake is being directed by Academy Award-winner Steven Soderbergh, which will once again reunite him with screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, who has written both The Informant! and Contagion.
The film “will be a 1960s period piece centering on the fictitious United Network Command for Law and Enforcement set in London during the Cold War.” Burns spoke in an interview that he was drawn to the project because of the prospect of doing a spy movie without modern gadgetry and cell phones. Perhaps they’re going for something along the lines of the earlier Bond films? You know, before the gadgets just got incredibly ridiculous?
Edgerton’s really upped his profile lately, starring in such films as Animal Kingdom, The Thing prequel, and Warrior. He’s currently working with director Baz Luhrmann on his adaptation of The Great Gatsby where he’s taking on the role of Tom Buchanan. After that, he’s teaming up with Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow for Kill Bin Laden.
It’s also being reported that Edgerton is likely to take either this role or the 300 sequel. If that’s the case, he has a difficult choice ahead of him. With the former, he probably wouldn’t get a chance to show much talent at all, mainly because, while the first film was quite enjoyable, it wasn’t really an “actor’s film.” At the same time, it has the potential to be as wildly successful as the first. With the latter, he at least might have a chance to show some of the talent he’s already displayed.
What do you think? Which film would you rather see him do and why?