It might explain why he hasn't aged a day in 20 years, but we don't think Tom Cruise is actually immortal. He might play one though, as rumours are linking the star of "Top Gun" and "Mission: Impossible" with a reboot of "Highlander".
The "Highlander" series tells the story of immortals who chop each other's heads off as a way to pass the time. According to The Wrap, Cruise is being targeted for the mentor role originally played by Sean Connery in the first two Highlander movies. Connery played immortal Ancient Egyptian warrior Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (it's complicated) with the same Scottish twang he always uses, while Frenchman Christopher Lambert, playing the titular Highlander Conor MacLeod, was meant to be Scottish.
Developed by Summit Entertainment since acquiring the rights six years ago, the reboot is set to be directed by effects guy Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. At one point Ryan Reynolds was set to play the lead role, but he dropped out last year. Summit hasn't got as far as actually negotiating with Cruise, but he has leaned towards sci-fi lately -- his last appearances were in two back-to-back future-set movies , "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Oblivion".
Up until 2001's "Vanilla Sky", 2002's highly influential "Minority Report" and 2005's "War of the Worlds" Cruise had never done a sci-fi movie, his closest brush being "Interview with the Vampire" -- in which he also played an ageless character -- or Ridley Scott's fantasy film "Legend". He'll next be seen in a bunch of sequels: "Mission: Impossible 5", "Top Gun 2" and "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back".
The original "Highlander", with a soundtrack by Queen, was released in 1986 and spawned no less than four sequels and two TV shows, as well as a number of comics, novels, audio dramas and video games.