"Inception" forger Tom Hardy is in final negotiations to star opposite Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon in McG's action-comedy "This Means War," reports Vulture.
The story follows two best friends and spies who wage an epic war against each other when they both fall for the same girl.
Back in April, Deal Central reported that 20th Century Fox was looking to cast Pine and Seth Rogen as the dueling spies.
Rogen confirmed at Comic-Con that he was never attached to the long-gestating project, which was originally set to star Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence back in 2001.
Since then, "The Hangover" joker Bradley Cooper was attached before dropping out for conflicting reasons (either a scheduling or creative differences), and "Terminator Salvation" star Sam Worthington had preliminary discussions about the project, though his calendar filled up pretty quickly once "Avatar" became the highest grossing movie of all-time.
Frankly, Hardy is a great get for this project, as he's a talented young actor on the rise and one who likely doesn't command too high a salary just yet. He landed on Hollywood's radar with his explosive yet thoughtful performance in Nicolas Winding Refn's violent prison drama "Bronson," and was allowed to show off more of his action chops in Christopher Nolan's mind-bending blockbuster. Hardy will soon have the chance to flex those muscles again when he starts filming not one but two "Mad Max" movies under the direction of George Miller.
Overbrook Entertainment's Will Smith and James Lassiter will produce "This Means War," and Simon Kinberg wrote the latest revision.
Production will begin this fall.
