Tom Cruise is circling the title role in Disney’s long-gestating musical comedy “Bob the Musical,” multiple individuals familiar with the high-concept project have told TheWrap.
Cruise is not officially attached to star at the moment, but Disney has had its eye on the “Mission: Impossible” star since as far back as January. “The Artist” director Michel Hazanavicius is also being courted to direct.
Representatives for Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a representative for Cruise declined to comment.
Allan Loeb wrote a recent draft of the script, which follows a regular guy who can suddenly hear the inner songs of everyone’s heart after suffering a blow to the head. His reality instantly becomes a musical, much to his dismay.
The project would represent a departure of late for Cruise, who is coming off the action movies “Jack Reacher,” “Oblivion” and “Edge of Tomorrow.”
“Bob the Musical” has been in development since 2004 and over the past decade, several filmmakers have circled the project including Phil Lord and Chris Miller and “Hairspray’s” Adam Shankman, who directed Cruise in the 2012 musical “Rock of Ages.”
Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn are producing “Bob the Musical” with Chris Bender and J.C. Spink of Benderspink.
Cruise next stars in “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” and will soon begin filming Doug Liman’s crime thriller “Mena” with Domhnall Gleeson of “Harry Potter” and future “Star Wars” fame. He’s represented by CAA and Greenberg Glusker.