While the past two decades saw Tom Cruise transforming into a full-fledged action star, who pulls off his own stunts irrespective of the risk, there is more to his career than these big-budget action flicks. Even though the impact of the MI franchise can’t be denied as it remains a staple in the realm of action filmmaking, prior to it, Cruise’s filmography was mostly dictated by dramas led by auteurs.
During the mid-80s and the ’90s, the Tropic Thunder star would continue to display his acting chops in critically acclaimed dramas, which paved the way for his dominance in Hollywood,
Tom Cruise Puts Filmmakers on the Top
Although Tom Cruise has earned a reputation for taking control over the production of the projects he is involved in, this isn’t exactly the case. Unlike many action stars, who get trapped in a certain type of role for most of their career, the Oscar-nominated star would continue to push his acting chops in various genres after ascending to the top. This resulted in the actor allowing auteurs to use him in whatever way they saw fit, as a result, the ’80s and ’90s saw him starring in several acclaimed classics.
The actor also tends to hold the director to the highest, who has collaborated with the likes of Kubrick, Scorsese, Spielberg, Michael Mann, PTA, Coppola, Ridley and Tony Scott, and Oliver Stone. That’s excluding the auteurs he has worked with in the MI franchise, including Brian DePalma, Christopher McQuarrie, and John Woo, who brought their own style into the series. Some of his most renowned works from these collabs include, Born on the Fourth of July, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, Minority Report, Collateral, etc.
Another famous instance that further showcases the actor’s commendation for directors occurred during the casting process for Jerry Maguire. While Cameron Crowe was less than thrilled about having Cruise in the film following his reputation of controlling productions (via Here’s the Thing podcast), to his surprise, Cruise asked to audition for the part. The Oscar-nominated Star even took the responsibility of making the film a success onto his own shoulders, agreeing to act for free and only charged for the marketing expense.
Tom Cruise Is Reportedly Set to Collaborate With Another Auteur
Having worked with the biggest names the world of cinema has to offer, it seems Tom Cruise is now eying to join forces with another industry giant after MI 8. Even though the Tropic Thunder Star’s schedule is pretty busy following his commitment to the sequel to Dead Reckoning, reports have emerged claiming Cruise is set to star in Quentin Tarantino‘s last movie. Considering he came close to starring in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and Tarantino expressed that he’d love to collaborate with him, we might end up seeing Cruise in The Movie Critic. Tarantino said:
“He’s a great guy and we really hit it off. [A collaboration] could happen on something else.”
Following his versatility, followed by his dedication to putting directors on top, Cruise’s filmography is a testament to why he is not only the best action star but one of the greatest actors in general.
