UPDATE:According to Deadline, the news that Tom Cruise may be in negotiations to star in Universal's upcoming reboot of "The Mummy" is false, with the site claiming that both the studio and the actor's representatives are denying that report's veracity.

As we reported earlier, Variety had the scoop that Cruise was in talks to headline the new version of "The Mummy," and help steer the studio's grand plan to revive all of its classic monster movies. But rival trade Deadline is debunking that report, claiming, "Both Universal and the star's people tell Deadline adamantly that no deal with Cruise is in the works for the film."

Of course, Deadline didn't get either party to go on the record with those statements. (Universal declined to comment on Variety's story.) But the site says that Cruise is simply too busy to take the part -- whatever it may be -- citing his busy schedule filming the next "Jack Reacher" movie and "Mission: Impossible 6," which is slated to start production next August.

In our original report -- which you can read in full below -- we noted that Cruise's transition into monster movies would be a bit of a departure for the actor. But, stranger things have happened. It seems unlikely that this particular scenario will pan out, but we'll wait until Universal says something on the record until we know for sure. Stay tuned.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

Today in crazy casting news: Tom Cruise is reportedly in talks to star in the upcoming reboot of "The Mummy."

That potential unlikely marriage of mega-star and monster movie comes via a report from Variety, which says that Cruise is currently negotiating to take a lead role in the reboot. Cruise won't produce the film, Variety says, but "will play a major part in development."

According to the trade, that development includes a master plan from Universal that will take a cue from the Marvel comics flicks, and involve all of the studio's classic monsters, including Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man, among others. "Characters from the monster universe films are expected to crop up in each other's installments before culminating in an 'Avengers'-style tie-in film," per Variety's report.

The trade also notes that Cruise's "Mummy" film will be unrelated to the previous, most recent "Mummy" flicks starring Brendan Fraser, which were all set in the past. The reboot will reportedly take place in the present day.

Universal declined to comment on Variety's scoop, though if true, this could introduce Cruise to a whole new generation of fans -- not to mention genre fans. It's an odd mashup, but an intriguing one. We'll have to see if this plan pans out.

[via: Variety]

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