Angelina Jolie is in talks to star in a movie originally intended for Tom Cruise, says Daily Variety. ‘Edwin A. Salt’ — a title that will no doubt change if Angelina signs on — is a thriller about a CIA officer who goes on the lam to prove his/her innocence after being labeled a spy.

Tom’s negotiations to play the title character recently ended, the trade paper says, opening the door for an interested Angelina to star.

Knox and Vivienne’s mom is certainly no stranger to the action hero trade, having top-lined heavy artillery blockbusters like ‘Wanted’ and ‘Tomb Raider.’

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WENN

SPEAK UP!: How do you think they look?  They’re awfully color coordinated!

WENN

Tom Cruise’s representative has denied the star’s wife Katie Holmes has ordered his mother and sister to move out of the couple’s family home.

Cruise’s mom Mary Lee South and his sister Cass have been living with the Hollywood actor at his mansion in Beverly Hills, California since his divorce from Nicole Kidman in 2001.

But now the star’s family have decided to quit the luxury property, leaving Cruise, Holmes and their two-year-old daughter Suri alone in the house.

The move sparked rumors that Holmes had played a part in their departure.

But a representative for Cruise has dismissed the claims, telling London newspaper Metro, “This has nothing to do with Katie.”

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WENN

Tom Cruise is named in a $250 million federal lawsuit that is using the RICO statute against the Church of Scientology. Ex-Scientologist Peter Letterese, a longtime critic of the church, filed suit in Southern District Court in Florida on July 15 alleging, among other things, that members of the church harassed him after he left.

In court papers provided to The News by investigator Paul Barresi, Letterese claims a member of the church phoned his lawyer at home, and when the lawyer’s wife answered, said he was her husband’s homosexual lover.

Barresi, who has done investigative work on behalf of Cruise, tells us: “[Letterese] is just including a celebrity name to get attention.”

Letterese calls the church a “crime syndicate” and wants it broken up under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization law, just as the feds have broken up Mafia families.

He singles out Cruise, who’s made no secret of his religion, saying that Scientology head David Miscavage is “aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and [made] his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars.”

One of Letterese’s beefs is that the church allegedly uses a business book, “Effective Sales Closing Techniques,” as part of its teachings. He says this violates his intellectual property rights, since he bought the rights to the book from the widow of author Leslie Dane.

Cruise’s lawyer, Bert Fields, did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology, told us: “This is a frivolous suit based on falsehoods.”

As for the Dane book, Pouw said, “Earlier this month, the federal Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit already rejected similar claims and affirmed that the church’s use of the book in question was fair use. Mr. Letterese was penalized $266,000 by a California court for refusing to provide evidence to support many of the same allegations.”

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WENN

Tom Cruise has been named in a $250 million lawsuit filed against the Church of Scientology by a former member.

The action accuses the controversial faith’s leaders of harassment.

The Hollywood star is an outspoken member of the Church, and is alleged to be second in line to Scientology head David Miscavage.

But his close connections have landed him in the middle of a new legal battle with ex-Scientologist Peter Letterese, who filed papers in Florida’s Southern District Court on July 15th.

Letterese, who also names Miscavage and others in the lawsuit, wants the religious organisation to be investigated under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization law, which is used to break up Mafia families and drug rings.

He claims he was constantly harassed by members of the Church after he denounced the faith - with one Scientologist even phoning the home of Letterese’s lawyer. When the attorney’s wife answered, the unnamed member claimed he was her husband’s gay lover, according to the court papers.

Branding the Church of Scientology a “crime syndicate”, Letterese goes on to allege that Miscavage is “aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and (made) his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars”.

Letterese is also complaining against the Scientologists’ use of business book Effective Sales Closing Techniques, which he owns the rights to. He claims the use of the tome in their teachings violates his intellectual property rights, after he bought the book rights from late author Leslie Dane’s widow.

But the lawsuit has been dismissed by Church of Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw, telling the New York Daily News: “This is a frivolous suit based on falsehoods.”

Pouw also addressed Letterese’s concerns over his book rights: “Earlier this month, the federal Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit already rejected similar claims and affirmed that the church’s use of the book in question was fair use. Mr. Letterese was penalised $266,000 by a California court for refusing to provide evidence to support many of the same allegations.”
Cruise’s lawyer Bert Fields has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

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WENN

Since Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes married and had their daughter Suri in 2006, their Beverly Hills mansion has been filled with laughter and love — and a lot of people. “We live with my sister-in-law, her two sons, my mother-in-law, and [Tom’s] kids Isabella and Connor,” Katie once said.

But according to insiders, Katie, 29, has grown tired of living in a commune-like atmosphere. “It’s like a huge family reunion every day at their house,” a family friend says. Now, In Touch can exclusively report that when Katie and Tom recently moved into a $35 million home in Beverly Hills, Katie put her foot down and insisted that everyone — other than Suri and Tom’s two children with Nicole Kidman, Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13 — find another place to live. “It’s about time for Tom and Katie to live alone,” another pal adds. “They never have before.”

The adjustment may be difficult for Tom, 46. His mother, Mary Lee South, and three sisters have been a constant presence in his life since he divorced Nicole in 2001. All are Scientologists, and Mary Lee and sister Cass have lived with him at different points. “He’s very close with his sisters and his mother and he always welcomes his family into his house,” an insider says. Cass has even home schooled Connor and Isabella. “Cass and her sons have been an integral part of Tom’s life, and Cass helps take care of Tom’s children when he is away,” adds the insider.

But when Katie finally said enough is enough, “Tom agreed things needed to be different,” the family friend says. “He assured her that they would not be moving in with them.” Instead, Mary Lee and Cass will remain at a duplex apartment at the Scientology Centre on Hollywood Boulevard, where the entire Cruise clan stayed while their new house was being renovated.

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First it was Rocky, then it was Rambo and more recently Indiana Jones, and now Tom Cruise is following the eighties remake craze by filming a Top Gun sequel.

Twenty two years after Maverick sang his way into the heart of his instructor Charlie with ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, the fighter pilot will take to the skies again.

Movie bosses are keen to resurrect the mega-successful 1986 movie, which launched Tom onto Hollywood’s A-list and earned $350 million worldwide.

Cruise, 46, is in talks with studio bosses to reprise his role as Lt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in a long-awaited follow-up.

An insider tells The Sun: ‘The idea is Maverick is at the Top Gun school as an instructor - and this time it is he who has to deal with a cocky new female pilot.’

The original Top Gun starred Cruise as an cocky aspiring pilot who falls in love with his beautiful instructor, Charlie Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis.

If Cruise agrees to reprise his role, Top Gun II would be a surefire box office hit.

The actor’s film career has been remarkably less successful in recent years after previously dominating the highest box offices receipts since the 1980s.

His last big hit was War Of The Worlds in 2005 - which was released around the same time he started dating his now third wife Katie Holmes.

Mission: Impossible III in 2006 performed below industry expectations, taking less money than the first film in 1996, which was a huge worldwide success.

His last film, Lions For Lambs, which opened last November, failed to make an impact at the box office and was critically mauled.

Meanwhile, Tom took time out of his acting career to enjoy a day at the race track with wife Katie.

The couple left the kids at home for the day as they stepped out at the Red Bull US MotoGP World Championship in Monterey, California.

Dressed down in jeans, sunglasses and leather jackets, the couple walked in sync around the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as they talked to drivers and officials in between races.

The couple were given pole position as they watched the races from the pit lane wall.

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