1:33pm UK, Friday September 03, 2004

Tom Cruise has delighted fans at the London premiere of his new movie, Collateral, by going on a two-hour walkabout of the crowd.

57 Tom Cruise London premiere Collateral fans

Meeting and greeting

Having refused to speak to the media, he concentrated on his groupies at Leicester Square, signing autographs and chatting.    

The Hollywood megastar is well known for taking time to speak to people, even ringing people's mothers on their mobile phones.

But despite being the good guy on the red carpet, he's actually the bad guy in the theatre.        

Going against his all-action hero reputation, Cruise is playing a hitman who takes a taxi driver hostage.        

He then makes the driver take him around Los Angeles so he can carry out assassinations.    

The Last Samurai actor said he was thrilled to play the bad guy for a change.        

"Being a movie star, it's a blast because I get to do what I love," he said.        

"I always look for a challenge. I never say, 'Is this a good guy or a bad guy?'"        

The movie, by the acclaimed director of Heat, Michael Mann, is already receiving critical praise.        

In November, Cruise will begin filming Steven Spielberg's remake of HG Wells' classic War Of The Worlds.