The adaptation of the 1960's spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is finally picking up steam again. The project looked as though it was going to completely fall apart when director Steven Soderbergh decided he was no longer interested in helming, but now Guy Ritchie is attached to direct, both Tom Cruise and Armie Hammer are set to star, and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has found its female lead.
Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, who has recently landed roles in high-profile films like the young adult adaptation The Seventh Son and the Julian Assange biopic The Fifth Estate, is now in negotiations to play " a British agent who has a thing for cars." The trade says that she is a brand new character that was featured on neither the 60s series nor the spin-off The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Cruise and Hammer will be playing the lead roles of Napoelon Solo and Illya Kuryakin, agents for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement (also known as U.N.C.L.E.). Unfortunately there's no information regarding when the movie is planning to start production.
Vikander earned notice for her performance as Kitty in Joe Wright's 2012 adaptation of Anna Karenina, and will next be seen in The Seventh Son, which will be in theaters on October 18th. The Fifth Estate will be released in November and she recently completed production on Son of a Gun with Ewan McGregor. She is currently back in Sweden filming a new drama titled Hotell, co-starring Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy's David Dencik.
