Cruise, Cruz Bring Romance to Rome

By Stephen M. Silverman

01/25/2002 at 11:00 AM EST

With their science fiction thriller "Minority Report" already wrapped and set to open in June, Tom Cruise and director Steven Spielbergnow plan to reunite to make a World War II drama, "Ghost Soldiers," about survivors of a Japanese prison camp, reports Variety. The script is reportedly still being prepared. Meanwhile, in Rome, the leading man, 39, and his "Vanilla Sky" costar Penelope Cruz, 27, continued a European publicity tour for their movie by speaking with reporters in Rome on Thursday, reports Reuters. "I'm a romantic, I believe in love," the twice-divorced Cruise told the assembled. "I believe in the eternal nature of love, that is what I walked away with from this film." "Vanilla Sky," which received mostly negative reviews in the U.S., concerns the amorous adventures of a frequently shirtless New York publisher. Cruise wanted to make sure that no one confused his onscreen romance with Cruz with the one they purport to be enjoying off-screen. "My relationship with Penelope, although it makes great headlines, is something that is very special to me, something that I am very happy about," said Cruise. "But it is very different from David and Sofia, two characters who we are playing in the film." Added Cruz: "I have nothing more to say about that, we have nothing to hide, we are happy, and I think everyone understands that."