Cruise next will star in "Lions for Lambs," a Robert Redford-directed drama that
will co-star Redford and Meryl Streep.
Pic will be his first outing for United Artists since he and C/W partner Paula
Wagner agreed to revive the shingle for Harry Sloan`s MGM.
"Lambs" is a Matthew Carnahan-scripted drama that consists of three interconnected
storylines: Cruise as a congressman who interacts with a journalist (Streep); Redford
as an idealistic professor who attempts to inspire a privileged student in his class;
and a third storyline about a pair of American soldiers wounded in enemy territory,
one of whom is Redford`s former student.
United Artists is financing the film. Production will begin early next year.
Even before Cruise and Wagner made their UA alliance, "Lions for Lambs" was the
favorite among three pics Cruise circled as a star vehicle ( Daily Variety
, Oct. 24). He also has been eyeing a Chuck Leavitt-scripted adaptation of
Dave King`s novel "The Ha-Ha" at Warner Bros. and the Spike Lee-directed "Selling
Time" at Fox.
Given the UA development, "Lions for Lambs" is even more attractive, since it
isn`t tethered to a studio and can be distributed through MGM. If deals close and
production begins early next year as expected, the studio could have its first C/W-generated
film in time for fall 2007.
All the creative talent on the film so far is repped by CAA, which helped arrange
Cruise`s alliance with UA and a separate overhead pact with Washington Redskins
owner Daniel Snyder. It`s no secret that the agency has made it a priority to find
a strong film for Cruise, who wants to prove his UA deal was more than a cosmetic
announcement designed to repair his public image.
Cruise became a free agent when Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone declared C/W`s
Paramount tenure over and cited his "inappropriate behavior" and high salary as
the reason "Mission: Impossible III" didn`t perform beyond its $395 million worldwide
gross.
Source: Variety
Mentor L.A. will honor Tom Cruise at a fund-raiser chaired by Megan and Peter
Chernin March 22 on the Fox lot
The nonprofit org aids schools in L.A.`s poorest communities, primarily through
educational reform and outreach to the private sector. Crenshaw, Manual Arts and
West Adams Prep are three of the schools that will benefit. "Tom is really, truly
passionate about helping public schools," said Megan Chernin. "And our organization
wants to help the large public schools in areas desperately in need of revitalization.
We want to make the schools the beacon of hope in these neighborhoods." For the
gala, the org has lined up as co-chairs Brad Grey, Robert Iger, Michael Lynton,
Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Barry Meyer, Paula Wagner, Rick Nicita, Harry
Sloan, Ron Meyer and Terry Semel
Source: Variety
ROME (AP) ? Tom Cruise made his first public appearance since arriving in Rome
to get married, speeding away in a van from a luxury hotel Tuesday. Cruise sat in
the back of one of two dark vans with tinted windows that left the Hassler hotel,
surrounded by dozens of fans holding photos and cameras in hopes of getting a glimpse
of the American actor before his weekend marriage to Katie Holmes.
Cruise landed in Rome on Monday on a private jet from Los Angeles together with
some 10 people, including his mother and his three children. He is said to be staying
at the Hassler, located at the top of the Spanish Steps. Airport officials said
Holmes was also in Rome, but it wasn`t immediately clear whether the actress was
staying in the same hotel. Holmes, 27, and Cruise, 44, became engaged in June 2005.
Their daughter, Suri, was born April 18. The couple are set to marry at an undisclosed
Italian location on Saturday. Speculation on the location has focused on Odescalchi
Castle on Lake Bracciano, near the capital. Earlier, as bodyguards stood at the
ready and barriers were being set up in front of the hotel, the fans mingled with
photographers and TV crews, waiting with their cameras. Sophie Bassett-Symonds,
a 34-year-old British tourist and Cruise fan, said she decided to stop by the hotel
after hearing of the wedding. "He`s exceptionally talented and as a man, he`ll always
be a heartthrob," she said, holding a camera ready to take a snap of the actor.
"The waiting is very addictive and I enjoy the suspense and excitement. I don`t
mind standing here for as long as it takes," she said. Cruise and Holmes were first
photographed together in Rome in April 2005. Two months later, the "Mission: Impossible"
star announced he had proposed to Holmes atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He has
two children, 13-year-old Isabella and 11-year-old Connor, from his former marriage
to Nicole Kidman.
ALL ABOUT TOM & KATE!!
Before they get married Saturday, get all the details on their engagement, their
family and how it all began by taking a good look at the special People magazine
has prepared
HERE
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have landed! The powerful pair`s plane -- from which
they were seen exiting with baby Suri and Tom`s kids, Isabella and Connor arrived
in Rome today.
The highly anticipated nuptials are just around the corner for the superstar
couple, who have confirmed that they will be saying "I do" on November 18 in Italy
-- and ET`s Jann CarlL will be in there for the big day!
Their celebrity guests are also getting ready to head to Italy for the wedding
of the year. New reports say Kirstie Alley, David and Victoria Beckham, Russell
Crowe, Steven Spielberg, Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd are all flying in for the
event -- with John Travolta reportedly shuttling the attendees aboard his private
jet.
Famed Italian tenor Andrea Boccelli is said to be serenading the couple on their
wedding day. Roman newspapers proclaim the blind singer with the angelic voice will
be a guest at the wedding as well as singing for the couple.
Sources say Tom`s ex Nicole Kidman won`t be attending, but that she`s already
taken care of the gift -- a pricey Baccarat vase.
In other TomKat news, Katie`s Armani gown will reportedly be cream-colored, and
Tom`s tux is believed to be gray, which will also be the color scheme for the guest
restroom towels. Another famous Italian design house, Buccellati, will be doing
the posh place settings.
Meanwhile, the pair will be in great company since they`ll wed at Castello Odescalchi
in the village of Bracciano, just outside Rome. The famed medieval castle is where
JFK JR. and his wife CAROLYN BESSETTE attended the 1998 wedding of CNN`s Christiane
Amanpour. The castle, which is usually open to the public for tours, is now closed
until next Monday.
Sources also reveal that Katie has picked out cross necklaces as gifts for her
bridesmaids and that the invitations have reached the A-list guests. The couple
will reportedly marry in a Scientology ceremony.
And apparently the guests won`t be leaving empty-handed! It`s been reported that
TomKat paid $8,000 for monogrammed embroidered towels as gifts for their guests.
Tom and Katie began dating in April of 2005 and announced Katie`s pregnancy in
October of the same year. On April 18, 2006, the inseparable twosome welcomed their
baby daughter, Suri, and in September they revealed her to the world via a 22-page
spread in Vanity Fair.
Tom proposed to Katie in Paris in June 2005. This spring, Jann Carl sat down
with Tom on the set of `Mission: Impossible 3` for some wedding dish. "I just want
it to be a celebration of love and our relationship," he said.
This is Katie`s first marriage and lucky number three for Tom -- he was previously
wed to actress MIMI ROGERS and then to Nicole Kidman, with whom he adopted two children.
TOM & KATE ARRIVE TO ROME
Tom & Kate have just arrived to Rome today in order to take care of the latest
details of their wedding this Saturday. Tom & Kate have arrived to Italian capital
alongside Tom`s mom, Tom`s sister and their kids: Bella, Connor & little Suri. Here
are some pictures (blurry pictures, sorry), more in the gallery
PICS OF THE FOOTBALL GAME
Yesterday, before leaving to Rome, Tom & Kate went to see Connor`s football game.
Here are some pictures, more in the gallery
TOM & KATE AT THE SOCCER GAME
Tom & Kate went to see their latest Bella`s soccer game as singles. Remember
Tom & Kate marry next Saturday!! Here`s a preview of the pictures, more in the gallery
TOM & KATE AT THE BLACK BALL
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes attended ?The Black Ball? yesterday night. The event
was hosted by Alicia Keys and Iman . The annual Black Ball benefits ?Keep a Child
Alive,? which provides drugs for AIDS and HIV patients. The event was held at Hammerstein
Ballroom in NYC. Here`s a preview of the pictures, more in the gallery
Tom Cruise blockbuster Top Gun has been voted the nation`s favourite aviation
film in a poll by the National Museum of Flight
In the survey carried out by the East Fortune attraction, almost a quarter of
flight fans voted for the 1986 movie.
The tale of hot shot US Navy fighter pilot Maverick, starring Cruise and Kelly
McGillis, just edged out Second World War classic The Dam Busters, which came second,
on 23.1 per cent of the vote. Another Second World War film, The Battle of Britain,
was third, with ten per cent.
The rest of the top ten was made up of Memphis Belle, comedy classic Airplane,
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, 633 Squadron, Flight of the Phoenix,
The Aviator and Firefox.
Amanda Jopling, general manager of the National Museum of Flight said: ?It was
a very close run thing between Top Gun and The Dam Busters but I think Tom Cruise`s
box-office appeal won through in the end.
?I hope our survey will rekindle the excitement engendered by these movies and
that as many people as possible will visit our museum to see the real thing in spectacular
surroundings.?
Source: Scotsman
Tom Cruise has won high praise from his War of the Worlds costar Tim Robbins
, who thinks the new United Artists studio boss is among the most professional and
positive people in the business.
While many Hollywood experts criticize the Mission: Impossible star
for his Scientology stance and bizarre behavior on talk shows, Tinseltown activist
Robbins has nothing but fond memories of working with the movie star .
And Robbins is far from surprised Cruise and his production partner, Paula Wagner
, have revived Charlie Chaplin `s United Artists studio--and he`s convinced they`ll
be producing hit film after hit film.
Robbins says, "From working with him, there isn`t a more positive person on the
set that I`ve worked with.
"What he might be talking about or advocating, I think, comes from a positive
point of view.
"I don`t ever feel that he`s a destructive person or a negative person or a person
that plays games or anything like that; he`s always so supportive and so positive
when he`s working with you."