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Tom Cruise has his next mission.
The ageless action star signed a new deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Bros. Discovery. These movies will be a mix of original productions and franchise fare and will star Cruise, the company said in a release touting the deal. As part of what is being billed as a new “strategic partnership,” Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank.
It’s a coup for Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in 2022, and who have been working to reinvigorate the studio, as well as for David Zaslav, the man who hired them. The deal with Cruise, who has projects at rival studios like Universal and Paramount, isn’t exclusive, nor is it a traditional first-look pact. The actor can make movies at other companies, but the hope is that he will be able to generate the kind of globally appealing blockbusters that could spawn sequels and enhance Warner Bros.’ bottom line.
Cruise has worked at Warner Bros. in the past, but it has been a decade since he appeared in the studio’s “Edge of Tomorrow.” He’s also popped up in such Warner Bros. releases as “Magnolia,” “Rock of Ages,” “Interview With the Vampire” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” an arduous shoot that saw Cruise give up more than a year of his career for a chance to be directed by Stanley Kubrick. Warner Bros. also gave Cruise his breakout role in “Risky Business,” the teen 𝓈ℯ𝓍 comedy that saw the star memorably rock out to Bob Seger in his underwear.
“We are thrilled to be working with Tom, an absolute legend in the film industry,” said De Luca and Abdy in a statement. “Our vision, from day one, has been to rebuild this iconic studio to the heights of its glory days, and, in fact, when we first sat down with [Warner Bros. Discovery chief] David Zaslav to talk about joining the Warner Bros. Discovery team, he said to us, ‘We are on a mission to bring Warner Bros. back – we have the best resources, storytelling IP, and talent in the business – and we need to bring Tom Cruise back to Warner Bros!’ Today, that becomes a reality and we are one step closer to achieving our ambition. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Tom back to Warner Bros. and look forward to bringing more of his genius to life on screen in the years ahead.”
“I have great respect and admiration for David, Pam, Mike, and the entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery and their commitment to movies, movie fans, and the theatrical experience,” Cruise said. “I look forward to making great movies together!”
Cruise’s upcoming films include the eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise for Paramount, as well as an upcoming Universal action movie from “Edge of Tomorrow” director Doug Liman that will see the actor become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk” outside of the International Space Station. He most recently appeared in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” which was a box office disappointment, as well as 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which was the biggest hit of his career.
De Luca and Abdy previously ran MGM, leaving the studio after its sale to Amazon. At Warner Bros. they have set up “Alto Knights,” a mob movie with Robert De Niro, as well as “Flowervale Street,” a thriller with Anne Hathaway.
