Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington team up for "The Matarese Circle"

Could Jason Bourne have a couple of new rivals? And wouldn’t Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington be great in a spy thriller together? Yes on all counts!

The two super-stars are set to co-star in the action-packed flick "The Matarese Circle," written by Bourne writer Robert Ludlum. David Cronenberg, who directed "Eastern Promises," has signed on as director. Great combo!

But, oh no. Tom will play a Russian spy named Vasili Taleniekov (will he even attempt to do an accent, since he did NOTHING in "Valkyrie"?), while Denzel will play American intelligence agent Brandon Scofield.

The mortal enemies have been sparring for years, but now a political conspiracy throws them together.

Love both these guys, even though they’ve weathered scandals (Denzel’s not the most faithful guy on the planet – so I’ve heard!), and Tom needs a winner after the dismal "Valkyrie." 

Shooting will begin later this year, with a 2010 release date. Could MGM be looking at a franchise with multiple sequels? Well, let’s see how the first movie does before we jump on that bandwagon.

Image: Picapp.com; Source: The Hollywood Reporter