FROM THE NEWS ARCHIVES OF CINEMA CONFIDENTIAL

Julia Roberts to join Tom Hanks in "Charlie Wilson's War"?
POSTED ON 01/11/06 AT 8:30 P.M.
BY ETHAN AAMES

Variety reports that Julia Roberts may return to acting again by reuniting with "Closer" director Mike Nichols in "Charlie Wilson's War," a movie which Tom Hanks is already attached to star in. "West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin adapted the book by George Crile for the big screen.

The movie would tell the story of the CIA's covert operation in the CIA's covert operation in Afghanistan to arm the mujahideen during the 1980s. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "the covert ops were engineered by Charlie Wilson, a charismatic, wheeler-dealer, liberal Texas congressman who teamed with a rogue CIA operative. The two manipulated Congress, the CIA and a host of foreign governments in order to assist the Afghan rebels in their fight against the Soviets. Many of the men armed by the CIA went on to become the Taliban's enforcers and Osama bin Laden's protectors."

"Charlie Wilson's War" will be distributed by Universal Pictures.