Tom Cruise is circling a project that could have him starring with Denzel Washington. According to Variety, Cruise is in negotiations to join the cast of The Matarese Circle.

Denzel Washington has already signed on for the film, which is an adaptation of a Robert Ludlum novel, which, if Cruise signs on, will feature Cruise and Washington squaring off as rival spies who have been gunning for each other for years, when they both find themselves targeted by the shadowy organization, the Matarese.

Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (Wanted) adapted Ludlum's book and also modernized it from the book's Cold War setting and David Cronenberg will direct from their script.

It was said that MGM hopes to put this into production this year, with an eye for a 2010 release.