Tom Cruise to play real-life British magician in new movie

Tom Cruise will develop a British accent for a new film about a Second World War magician.

He is lined up to star in The War Magician.

It is based on the true story of an entertainer who baffled Germans in North Africa with his illusions.

Cruise and his producing partner Paula Wagner have hired Jurassic Park 3 writer Peter Buchman to prepare a script.

Cruise has long wanted to play a magician on screen.

He is likely to begin work on The War Magician after his next two projects, Minority Report and Cold Mountain.