Mary J. Blige “Rock Of Ages” Movie

Mary J. Blige has started negotiations to join Tom Cruise and Taylor Swift in the cast of the upcoming movie musical Rock of Ages alongside Tom Cruise.

Rock of Ages is the story of a small town girl and a big city rocker who fall in love to the soundtrack of some of greatest pop classics of the ‘80s. According to New York Magazine’s Vulture Blog, Mary, 39, is up for the role of Justice Charlier, the owner of exotic dance venue The Venus Club, in the film adaptation of the Tony-nominated Broadway musical.

Bedtime Stories director Adam Shankman, who stepped behind the lens to helm the movie version of another hit Broadway production — Hairspray – in 2007, has been commissioned to direct the Rock of Ages film. Cruise was initially in talks to play Dennis Dupree in the movie, but is now said to be more interested in playing bad-guy rock singer Stacee Jaxx.

Rock of Ages: The Movie is eyeing a Summer 2012 release.

Although the Grammy-winning Blige is best known as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” Mary has enjoyed a host of acting roles, particularly on a number of TV shows, including the now-defunct dramas Ghost Whisperer and Strong Medicine. The “Just Fine” singer has been cast as jazz great Nina Simone in a biopic about the late singer’s life. Nina will open in 2012.