While talking to the radio show Studio 360 (via Hollywood Reporter), director Steven Soderbergh appeared to confirm his involvement in the feature film version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. "Liberace [a biopic with Matt Damon] and Man From U.N.C.L.E. are the only two things I'm obligated to do," the director said in a discussion of his much-mooted impending retirement. (He confirmed that rumor, too... but only up to a point, claiming that "the tyranny of narrative is just starting to really wear on me." It seems like he's burnt out right now, but he doesn't rule out returning to Hollywood in the future, and it sounds like he might continue to make more artistic independents anyway.) Soderbergh's involvement with The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has been whispered about since a Hollywood Reporter story last November reported that the director was "in talks" for the project. But this is the first time I've seen it confirmed from the horse's mouth, so to speak. He also confirms George Clooney's involvement (which has been widely rumored for nearly as long), and doesn't contradict host Kurt Anderson when Anderson surmises that Clooney will be playing Napoleon Solo, the titular spy originated on the Sixties TV show by Robert Vaughn. Even in the stories about Clooney's attachment, I hadn't seen it actually said by anyone official that he would definitely be playing Solo, though that's what most people assumed. He could have conceivably been boss Mr. Waverly or an entirely new character.
Soderbergh's next spy movie, Haywire, starring MMA fighter Gina Carano, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender (among many others) is currently scheduled to open in August, after bouncing around quite a lot. Filming was completed some time ago. A few set photos from Haywire (showing Carano in a wetsuit beating up McGregor on a beach) leaked today, and you can see them on Collider.
