Tom Cruise loves his science fiction. The star of ‘Minority Report’ and ‘War of the Worlds’ has just signed on to topline Universal’s sci-fi film ‘Oblivion,’ which was written and will be directed by ‘TRON: Legacy’ helmer Joseph Kosinski.

The film, a post-apocalyptic thriller that takes place on a devastated Earth, was originally set up at Disney, but that studio put it into turnaround and Universal snapped it up, tacking a $100 budget on the project, according to Deadline.

Kosinski came up with the story and, along with writer Arvid Nelson and illustrator Andree Wallin, made it into a graphic novel that will be released later this year before the film’s release in 2012. William Monahan ‘The Departed’) wrote the script for the PG-13 film, which is being rewritten by Karl Gajdusek (‘Dead Like Me’).

Here’s the story line: In a future where the Earth’s surface has been irradiated beyond recognition, the remnants of humanity live above the clouds, safe from the brutal alien Scavengers that stalk the ruins. But when surface drone repairman Jak (Cruise) discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod, it sets off an unstoppable chain of events that will force him to question everything he knows.

‘Oblivion’ will be the next film for Cruise, who is at work on the big-screen adaptation ‘Rock of Ages,’ the rock ‘n’ roll musical being directed by Adam Shankman; Cruise just finished Brad Bird’s ‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol,’ which will be released Dec. 16.