Mission: Impossible 3: According to UK site, Mirror, The Office creator/ star, Ricky Gervais, has agreed to join Tom Cruise's next film, Mission: Impossible 3...

OFFICE creator Ricky Gervais has chosen to accept a mission improbable...starring alongside Tom Cruise.

He agreed to take a role in Mission Impossible III after meeting the Hollywood legend when he picked up two prestigious US Golden Globe awards.

Gervais, who played hapless boss David Brent, said: "I was delighted to be asked, who wouldn't?"

The 43-year-old, who yesterday also finished writing a script for The Simpsons, explained: "I know the director well and he said, 'Do you want a part?'. I just replied, 'Yeah, that will be great'."

Gervais has yet to finalise his role in the £85million blockbuster, which co-stars Scarlett Johansson.

But he said: "I greatly admire the director Jeffrey Abrams and Tom Cruise is the greatest film star of our generation. It should be fun."

Gervais now hopes to hire Cruise, 42, for a cameo role in his new comedy Extras about a struggling actor. Jude Law will also appear in one episode.

A source said: "Ricky and Tom are not friends, but they do know and respect each other.

"Despite all these offers, he's determined to keep his feet on the ground, but America is opening up."

Gervais has not looked back since selling The Office's format to the US. American critics voted it the funniest programme of 2004 and chatshow king David Letterman called it "close to perfection".

He has offered Gervais guest slots on The Late Show, which attracts audiences of five million.

Gervais has also made an appearance in the hit American drama Alias, which was directed by Abrams.

"This has all come to me without trying really," he said.

He turned down the chance to appear alongside Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice and George Clooney in Magnum.

But he said: "There are some things you have to say 'yes' to."