Angelina Defects from 'Salt'

Now what? After developing the spy thrilla Edwin A. Salt for years with Tom Cruise in mind for the title role, producers did an end-around, naming Angelina Jolie as the star. That move meant a name change, obviously, and probably several other cosmetic changes at the very least. But IGN is reporting that less than a month after landing the role, Jolie may not star in the new Columbia movie after all. It has nothing to do with the script or the film or director Phillip Noyce, but rather Angelina's newborn twins. Jolie "might not be able to meet the picture's start date. While it's not official yet, Jolie's departure from Salt certainly appears likely." So I ask again, now what? Well, the most likely scenario has Noyce and company looking again for a male lead; Cruise was rumored to be out of the running because of his recent box office slump, so I doubt he'll be back in the fold. There are still a dozen ways you could go, however, to find a credible star who might deliver a good opening weekend. It would be a shame if this project remained in limbo because the story - a CIA agent is accused of being a Russian defector - is a strong start. In my opinion, they've actually been two-for-two with their casting. I understand being gun shy about Tom Cruise at the moment, but both he and Jolie would probably do well under Noyce's direction in this kind of film.