Even though he is currently shooting one film and in between the theatrical releases of two big features, Steven Soderbergh is looking far ahead. His Matt Damon/Michael Douglas Liberace biopic was just snatched up by HBO Films and now Variety reports he has decided on his actor for his spy caper The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

After George Clooney most recently departed the project that also had Matt Damon and Johnny Depp circling, Bradley Cooper is now the director’s top choice to lead the film. Unless he turns it down, Cooper would be playing the star character of Napoleon Solo in the Warner Bros film, one that also previously many actors from Michael Fassbender to Ewan McGregor rumored to join.

Cooper is just as busy as Soderbergh, with his current shooting of The Silver Linings Playbook for The Fighter director David O. Russell. He then jumps into big-budget blockbuster territory with Alex ProyasParadise Lost. This will give him an open spot in March for the Scott Z. Burns-scripted U.N.C.L.E. as Soderbergh will be completed with his male stripper movie Magic Mike and before he begins Liberace.

Stepping in for Clooney, Cooper has big shoes to fill, but he is charismatic enough and it would be interesting to see him take on more serious material after fun fluff like Limitless and The Hangover films. He is already headed in that territory with the highly anticipated next film from Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance, The Place Beyond the Pines, which is wrapped and looking at a fall 2012 release.

Don’t expect The Man From U.N.C.L.E in theaters until late 2012, most likely 2013.

What do you think about Cooper becoming Soderbergh’s Man?

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