Cruise/Stiller update

UPDATE – Variety confirms this morning (2/13) that Fox has indeed set Cruise and Stiller to star in THE HARDY MEN. They’re aiming for the film to be a comedy version of MR. & MRS. SMITH with the two estranged Hardy Boys setting aside their differences to solve one last mystery. In addition, do not count Cruise out of TROPIC THUNDER just yet. He is still, apparently, in talks with Stiller about joining that film and hasn’t ruled it out, as previously reported below. Fox looks to get production underway on HARDY early in 2008.

We’ve been hearing rumors for quite some time that Tom Cruise was looking to star in a comedy but not much has come of it. He was talking to Judd Apatow (THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN) and now comes word from TMZ.comhi that the actor has been in discussions with Ben Stiller about a couple of projects. Stiller (who does a pretty mean Cruise) recruited the actor to star in his upcoming directorial project TROPIC THUNDER but word is that Cruise passed because it would mean poking a little too much fun at his MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE franchise (the film follows a bunch of pampered actors who, while filming a war movie, become mistaken for a bunch of commandos). Stiller now looks to star in that role himself but the two are looking at another project to team on – THE HARDY MEN. Fox is reportedly looking at a comedy that would star Stiller and Cruise as the Hardy Boys, except all grown up and still trying to solve ridiculous crimes. Stiller would produce the film with Shawn Levy (him again?…) directing. I’d love to see these two work together if for no other reason that just to see Stiller do his Cruise schtick on the big screen. Will it happen? Stay tuned…