Star Wars fans horrified at the prospect of Tom Cruise slipping into an Ewok costume or strapping on a lightsaber can breathe a sigh of relief: the Top Gun star has denied reports he will shoot a cameo role in JJ Abrams' forthcoming Episode VII.

The Sun newspaper fuelled speculation that Cruise was set to join the long-running space opera with a piece reporting a meeting between the actor and Abrams in London at the weekend. A source told its reporter: "Tom has been in London for over a week and met up with JJ and some other people from Star Wars over the weekend. On Saturday evening, five of them met up for dinner and drinks at the Belgravia Hotel. JJ produced M:I5 and loves working with Tom whenever he gets the chance."

Cruise and Abrams also worked together on Mission: Impossible III, Abrams' big screen-directing debut. The US film-maker is currently shooting Episode VII at Pinewood Studios, outside London.

Cruise's spokesperson told Entertainment Tonight Canada there was "no truth" to the rumours and called the Sun article "pure fiction".