Size does matter: Tom Cruise will play a giant in the film version of One Shot... and fans of the book are NOT happy

He is certainly a huge celebrity, but as far as size goes,  Tom Cruise is not exactly big.
However the 49-year-old movie star's next leading role is playing giant Jack Reacher in the film adaptation of Lee Child's thriller book One Shot.

And the decision has left Reacher fans reeling as they struggle to see how the 5ft 7in Top Gun star will, ahem, measure up.

Coming up short: 5ft 7in Tom is set to play a giant in film adaptation of One Shot

The fictional character of Jack Reacher is a 6ft 5in tall, 18 stone former military policeman with superhuman strength.

He has something of a fanbase as the protagonist of all 16 books in the Lee Child series, the ninth of which is One Shot.

But readers are so infuriated with the idea of seeing Cruise play the part that many have decided to boycott the film altogether.
One outraged fan told the Daily Star: 'It’s absolutely ridiculous. Reacher is huge and  Tom Cruise is tiny. It’s the worst casting decision ever.'

The long and short of it: Both Tom's current spouse Katie Holmes (L) and ex-wife Nicole Kidman tower above him

Tom's got one shot: Author Lee Child stands by the decision to cast Tom

Another fumed in an online post: 'I will not pay to see this movie.
'The thought of casting little Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher makes me sick.'

But the British author of the book has stood by the casting in an attempt to calm the growing furore surrounding the decision.

Child claimed: 'Reacher’s size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way.'

The actor himself, who is best known for his roles in action movies, has never seemed to care much about coming up short.

Both ex-wife Nicole Kidman and current spouse Katie Holmes tower above him - making for some awkward posing on the red carpet.