Star Wars fans are a rabid bunch. Say what you want about Trekkies, with their in-depth commitment to and knowledge of all things Vulcan. Learning to speak Klingon is one level of nuts. Getting into a fight with Doctor Who fans is a much more visceral thing.

Now, pair that with the polarizing effects of Tom Cruise. Rumor has been floating around for days that Tom Cruise is in talks with J.J. Abrams for a cameo in Star Wars: Episode VII.

The whole thing seems to have launched when Cruise and Abrams met for dinner. Put that against the backdrop of Harrison Ford’s recent on-set injury, and the tweets nearly wrote themselves by the time the check came to the table.

These rumours of writing Harrison Ford/Han Solo out of Star Wars Episode VII & there being a role for Tom Cruise in the flick are BANANAS!

— Victor Lucas (@Victor_Lucas) June 25, 2014

Cruise and Abrams have been friends ever since Abrams directed Cruise in Mission: Impossible III. Their prior relationship only fanned the flames of fan flaming.

Tom Cruise is to appear in the new Star Wars movie. At the moment it is not known whether he'll be playing Yoda or R2-D2.

— WTFipedia (@Qiffypedia) June 23, 2014

And Tom Cruise may get a cameo in the new Star Wars film. Shoot me now.

— Jez™ (@MisterJez) June 23, 2014

Scientology jokes were not far behind.

If rumours are true and Tom Cruise has a cameo in the next Star Wars movie, will he be playing 'Xenu'? http://t.co/E1k4KNpl9g #justasking

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 23, 2014

But everyone can now relax. A rep for Cruise has told ET Canada that the rumor is “pure fiction”.

He was a little short to be a storm trooper, anyway.

Image via YouTube