As we recently saw with the latest confirmed cameo in Disney's Guardians of the Galaxy, sometimes rumors linking a director to a prior collaborator turn out to be true, but I have serious doubts about what's being said in regards to Star Wars: Episode VII right now. The story making far too many waves around the Internet says that Tom Cruise is set to make an appearance in Star Wars, which is being directed by his Mission: Impossible 3 helmer, J.J. Abrams.
The story first surfaced at The Sun, which should be enough reason for skepticism. Cruise supposedly has been in London for a week and met with Abrams, along with some others, over the weekend to discuss Star Wars. Abrams continues to have a hand in the Mission: Impossible franchise as a producer, and their prior working relationship is said to be a motivating factor in Cruise coming aboard. But even more than that, the injury sidelining Harrison Ford up to eight weeks has given Abrams "some time to play around with" and craft a role for Cruise. This doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to be perfectly honest. If production has been altered for two months on a film that is going to be developing right down to the wire as it is, wouldn't that leave less time to start shoe-horning in celebrities in newly created roles? Plus, the inclusion of Cruise would be seen by too many as a distraction, and not an especially beneficial one given Cruise's lackluster box office performances of late.
And lastly, let's not forget that Cruise's Mission: Impossible 5 is going up against Star Wars: Episode VII in December of 2015. There is very little incentive for Disney to have Cruise involved other than to keep Abrams happy, and since he's apparently leaving the franchise in favor of Rian Johnson as of Episode VIII, that's not going to be much of a concern either.
So we'll see what happens, but you probably can tell I don't buy these rumors one bit.
