Tradecraft: Henry Cavill Drops Out of Stratton

Variety reports that Henry Cavill (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) has abruptly dropped out of the action/espionage movie Stratton just five days before filming was scheduled to start due to "creative differences." Cavill was also producing the movie through his shingle Promethean, and he seemed very enthusiastic about the movie, envisioned as a potential franchise, last December. He even grew the beard he's been sporting so far on his Man From U.N.C.L.E. press tour for the character of SBS (Special Boat Services, the Naval equivalent of the SAS) operative John Stratton, hero of a series of books by Duncan Falconer. This is all very disappointing. I'd hoped to see Cavill toplining two spy series simultaneously. Financiers GFM films plan to recast as quickly as possible to keep the crew and director Simon West (The Mechanic, The Saint) in place. I hope they're able to find someone of Cavill's caliber. Stratton follows the title character as he chases down an international terrorist cell through Central Asia, Europe and London, all while contending with the damage done by a mole inside MI5.