Tom Cruise: A ‘Wichita’ Lineman?

Tom Cruise’is trying to make a comeback. Will he succeed? There are various reports today that he’s signing on to film “Wichita,” an action comedy, co-starring’Cameron Diaz. Not surprisingly, the deal is at 20th Century Fox, the studio that had foreign rights to “Valkyrie.” As it turned out, the loathsome Nazi film did better internationally than it did domestically with United Artists.

You remember United Artists? That was the studio Tom and’Paula Wagner’were going to revive a couple of years ago. Now the once great UA — sullied during this debacle — is adrift. They’re advertising DVDs of their eight Best Picture winners from their glory days — like “Annie Hall,” “Rocky,” and “Rain Man” — on their website. “Valkyrie” is not one of them.

Can Cruise have a comeback? If “Wichita” is made, it won’t be released until summer 2010 at the earliest. Another if: If Cruise can keep his strangeness to himself, a comeback is possible. The public has a short memory. But right now, a new younger generation doesn’t relate to him. If he needs proof of how that works, just ask Julia Roberts.