Cruise gets new deal with football boss

Tom Cruise has signed a new movie deal with an American football club owner – but it is worth a fraction of his Paramount contract.

Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, agreed to finance the star's Cruise/Wagner Productions company in a two-year agreement.

The contract is worth between two and three million dollars a year, however, compared to an estimated 10 million dollars-a-year with Paramount.

Paula Wagner, Cruise's business partner, welcomed the news. She said: "This gives us the opportunity to work with all the studios and broadens our base." It is thought, though, that the pair still need to secure other services including distribution.

Sumner Redstone, boss of Paramount owner Viacom, last week ended the company's 14-year relationship with Cruise/Wagner and said the stars recent erratic behaviour was "creative suicide".