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We're as guilty as anyone of losing sight of this, but before Tom Cruise began dabbling in a variety of new vocations on a more full-time basis—theme-park-greeter-cum-NFL mascot, baby-toupee impresario, and diamond-nippled youth soccer videographer among them—he was a successful actor. Perhaps sensing that his failure to attach himself to an acting gig since being held up as an example of all that's wrong with the Overpriced, Profit-Hogging Star System by cranky Viacom overlord Sumner Redstone isn't helping the perception he's currently in exile semi-retirement, Team Cruise is apparently letting slip which projects he might be interested in. Reports Variety:

The indie appears to be the favorite: "Lions for Lambs," a political drama revolving around a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Scripted by Matthew Carnahan ("State of Play"), the project is shaping up with Robert Redford likely to direct as well as play a role.

Cruise is being courted to play a congressman and Meryl Streep for a role as a journalist.

Cruise is also eyeing "The Ha-Ha," a Chuck Leavitt-scripted adaptation of a Dave King novel at WB. The actor would play a Gulf War vet rendered mute by his injuries who's charged with the care of a 9-year-old whose mother goes AWOL.

The actor's also been talking to helmer Spike Lee about "Selling Time," a Fox drama about a man who sells back chunks of time in his life for a chance to relive and change the worst day of his life. Lee has met with Cruise several times and is working on a rewrite of a script by Dan McDermott.

As Var is careful to point out, "There are no guarantees on any pic," meaning that he'll probably taunt us with the prospect he'd take the movie in which he's unable to speak during much of his screentime (can Dakota Fanning still do nine years old?), eventually withdraw his name from consideration, and leave us with nothing but more stories about which centerpieces Katie Holmes has picked out for the wedding until he's ready to pretend he's going back to work again.