Tom Cruise, known for his daring stunt work in the Mission: Impossible franchise, reportedly isn’t risking any association with the Trump administration. Consequently, the untitled film project that was going to send Cruise into space has been grounded.
Screen Capture from MI: Dead Reckoning
An insider speaking with Page Six said, “From what I understand, they would need NASA coordination to do the movie, and supposedly Tom Cruise did not want to ask Donald Trump for a favor. You’d need permission from the federal government.”
Hollywood and NASA
In May 2020, Deadline reported that Cruise and director Doug Liman had teamed up to produce the first-of-its-kind film. Cruise and Liman had previously worked together on the movies American Made and Edge of Tomorrow, and were enthusiastic about making a movie in space. According to Deadline, Liman wrote the first the draft of the script.
Still, shooting what would presumably be an action movie in orbit sounded extremely unlikely. The project would require coordination with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and NASA. However, in 2020, then NASA head Jim Bridenstine said in a now-deleted post on X, “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”
Tom Cruise in a mech suit from the Edge of Tomorrow trailer – Warner Bros., Netflix
READ: Taylor Swift Eras Tour Costumes on Display at Walt Disney World
Bridenstine has since moved into the private sector, and other insiders have told Page Six that the Cruise movie has not been further discussed at NASA. Representatives for Cruise and NASA have declined to comment.
Cruise Avoids Politics
Throughout his career, Cruise has consistently maintained an apolitical persona. Last May, at a press event in Seoul promoting Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the star was asked for his thoughts on Trump’s proposed film tariffs for overseas productions. “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you,” Cruise said.
But in August, Cruise raised eyebrows when he declined an invitation to be honored this year’s Kennedy Awards. The official reason given was “scheduling conflicts.” Many at the time speculated that the real reason was that the event would be hosted by Trump, and Cruise didn’t want to accept an award from him.
Donald Trump sits down at an interview with Sean Hannity – YouTube, Fox News
READ: Chris Columbus Says Home Alone Franchise Was Ruined by “Really Bad” Sequels
In order to shoot a movie in space, Cruise would need more than an award from the president — he’d need Trump’s approval. “Tom didn’t want to ask for political reasons,” the Page Six source said.
Other Complexities
With no official comment from Cruise, the White House, or NASA, this is all speculation. Ultimately, suggesting this project was canned because the man some have referred to as “the last movie star” wouldn’t ask the president for a favor fails to take into account all the complexities of filmmaking.
Tom Cruise wins an Honorary Oscar – X, @TomCruiseFanCom
READ: Animal Farm Gets Ideological Rewrite as New Film Blames Capitalism Instead of Communism
Movies are canceled for many reasons, and one can only imagine the logistics of shooting a Tom Cruise and Doug Liman movie in space. There is also the matter of finding insurance for something that has never before been attempted, as well as the ages of the people involved.
If politics were a factor, or if Cruise is simply protecting his perfectly honed image, it’s highly unlikely that the public will ever know for certain.
Do you think Tom Cruise’s space movie was cancelled because of Trump? Let us know in the comments!
