‘Eyes’ Keeping Cruise Out of Sight

On Dec. 13, 1996, “Jerry Maguire” starring Tom Cruise opened in theaters around the country and immediately became a blockbuster hit.

But the next time audiences will see Cruise in a starring role, in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” won’t occur until next December, two full years later--if then.

Kubrick, under an extraordinary net of secrecy, has spent more than 15 months meticulously assembling “Eyes Wide Shut” even as the film world has grown increasingly puzzled over why it is taking so long. The wait appeared to grow even longer this week as Kubrick resummoned several actors--including Cruise and his wife, Nicole Kidman--back to England next month for more reshoots.

That Hollywood would have to go two full years between Cruise films has proved to be an agonizing wait for the studios.

“I think everyone wants him in a movie and he hasn’t been available,” lamented one studio executive, who asked not to be identified. “We’ve lost one of the biggest superstars for 15 months while he’s made this movie.”

In that time, the executive added, Cruise could have starred in two films.

Warner Bros., meanwhile, had released a statement from Kubrick late last week saying: “Because of schedule conflicts, Jennifer Jason Leigh, currently filming in Canada with David Cronenberg, will be unavailable to do a few days of shooting on the cameo scene she played with Tom Cruise in ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’ ” The director said Leigh would be replaced by Marie Richardson.

Elaine Rich, Leigh’s manager, said the actress was only a couple of weeks into filming “eXistenZ” for Cronenberg and would be unavailable for Kubrick.

“Her first responsibility now is to the movie she is shooting,” Rich said.

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But in an environment where everything beyond the list of cast members is grist for conjecture, any cast change raises red flags. Early on, for example, Harvey Keitel left the production after rumors leaked about tensions between the actor and Kubrick. Keitel was replaced by actor-director Sydney Pollack.

One Internet Web site that regularly chronicles gossip circulating around “Eyes Wide Shut” recently quoted an unnamed source as saying that in February, Kubrick commissioned the construction of three new sets and that the budget has risen to $55 million. There was even speculation that Warner Bros. executives would stop off in London while on their way to the Cannes Film Festival this month and view a rough cut.

Speculation abounds over the script. Written by Kubrick and veteran screenwriter Frederick Raphael (“Darling,” “Two for the Road”), some believe the film is based on an old novel by Viennese writer Arthur Schnitzler, who wrote “La Ronde.” Those familiar with the book say it involves a doctor and his wife, living in Vienna, whose dreams penetrate their waking days. Kubrick has updated and relocated the story to New York City.

It is not surprising that Kubrick asked Cruise and others in the cast not to disclose details of “Eyes Wide Shut.” The producers of “Godzilla,” for instance, have gone to great pains to guard the likeness of their city-stomping monster from being made public before the film comes out this summer.

What is surprising is that Kubrick has successfully managed to keep the details of his film under wraps while employing two of the world’s highest-profile movie stars.

Since leaving the production, Kidman has gone off to film “Practical Magic” with Sandra Bullock. That film is scheduled to wrap in early May.

As for Cruise, the actor has yet to announce what his next project will be.

Sources say he has all but committed to making the sequel to the hit 1996 high-tech spy thriller “Mission: Impossible.” Cruise and his producing partner, Paula Wagner, would produce the sequel for Paramount Pictures, but as yet he has not signed off on the script. Sources say Cruise currently is in negotiations with John Woo to direct the movie, which would begin no later than this fall.

Cruise and Wagner are currently producing a film called “Without Limits,” about runner Steve Prefontaine, which Robert Towne wrote and directed. It is scheduled for release in September.

Despite the lingering mystery over “Eyes Wide Shut” and the fact that audiences might not see Cruise in his next venture until year’s end, the studios are happy about one thing.

“He hasn’t lost any of his popularity,” said one executive.