Tom Cruise has revealed he wished as a youngster he had been given the chance to kill Adolf Hitler, something his latest movie role sees him attempt to do.

The admission came during conversations to journalists in Seoul ahead of the Asian premiere of his historical drama Valkyrie.

"I always wanted to kill Hitler, I hated him," the Hollywood actor said.

"As a child studying history and looking at documents, I wondered, why didn't someone stand up and try to stop it? When I read the script, it was entertaining and informative to know what the challenges were and what it was like to be in the environment."

In Valkyrie Cruise plays Claus von Stauffenberg, colonel in the Germany army who led a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler towards the end of the second world war.

The plot is foiled by Hitler being saved by a wooden table leg from a briefcase bomb planted by Von Stauffenberg, who is later executed.

"It was a very powerful experience and hopefully it will communicate with the audience," Cruise said of his latest blockbuster, which opens in the UK on January 23rd.

"It has certainly influenced my life, just knowing that there were people who tried to stop him [Hitler]."

While reviews in the American press have been largely lukewarm, the film attracted considerable attention due to German efforts to prevent Cruise from filming in certain locations due to his belief in Scientology – which is regarded as a cult by German authorities.

by:celebrity gossip