TOM CRUISE IN STAR TREK?

IGN says that J.J. Abrams has asked Tom Cruise to play Captain Christopher Pike in the upcoming movie version of "Star Trek".  Pike was James T. Kirk's predecessor and captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise in the original and unaired Star Trek TV pilot.  The role would be little more than a cameo.  IGN says:

Cruise's name first surfaced last fall as a possibility for a role in Trek, but Cruise spokesman Arnold Robinson said, "That story is not true." There was still bad blood between Cruise and Trek studio Paramount at that time, but in recent months Sumner Redstone, the Viacom honcho who ousted Cruise, has softened his rhetoric, leaving the door open for reconciliation. A Cruise cameo in Trek, however, would be a favor to Abrams and not to Paramount.

While I appreciate JJ Abrams absolute faith in my Star Trek knowledge, it's possible he's overestimating the average movie goers enthusiasm for Star Trek trivia.  Besides you're asking for trouble to put Tom Cruise's scientology lovin ass on a spaceship.   You'll yell action, he'll see some lasers, think it's the rapture and start killing everyone.