Jake Gyllenhaal & Reese Witherspoon forced to go public with their romance?

Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon have been forced to go public with their romance, after the couple were busted sharing a series of secret get-togethers and overnight stays at each other's hotels reports NW Magazine

Rumors of a romance first began last November after observers on the set of their political thriller Rendition noticed that Reese and Jake were constantly flirting with each other.

But now, the private pair have had to come out as an item, after being caught sharing a string of late-night New York rendezvous.

The first evidence they were in a full-blown relationship emerged when a US newspaper reported that on March 1, Reese was seen quietly slipping into Jake's lavish pad in New York's trendy West Village.

In other news, Jake Gyllenhaal is in the middle of a bidding war to star as comic book hero in two separate blockbusters.

New Line executives want the Brokeback Mountain star to play Captain Marvel in Shazam!, based on the DC comic.

A source said: "The film will be New Line's box office franchise to rival Batman, Superman and Spider-Man.

"They're ready to spend up to $US200 million to get it started."

Jake is also being pursued by Sony Pictures to play Spider-Man in the fourth instalment of the hit series.

Spider-Man 3 is due out on May 4 and star Tobey Maguire has said he is ready to retire as the web-slinging superhero.

Director Sam Raimi is keen to continue the franchise and is keen for Jake to take over the lead role.

A source said: "Sam is obviously disappointed Tobey wants to hang up his suit. He initially didn't think he would be able to make the film without him but now thinks he has found the ideal replacement in Jake."

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