If you’ve been keeping up with what’s happening in the industry, then you have probably heard that Tom Cruise, 61, has landed an interesting deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, so fans of the actor are in for a treat. Yes, one of the most prominent actors and producers in the business recently signed a big contract with Warner Bros., which has left his longtime Paramount partners shocked and uncertain.
Well, what does this new agreement actually entail? It is not an exclusive contract, and before he switches to WBD, Cruise has a few films to wrap up, including the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One sequel. THR has offered extensive insight into this deal, speculating that his decision to sign on under David Zaslav’s current WBD regime may have been prompted by a strained relationship between Paramount and the Jerry Maguire star.
Tom Cruise’s Warner Bros. Deal Puts The Star Against Paramount?
Tom Cruise and WBD reportedly came to an agreement in February of last year at CAA, according to THR’s sources. At the time, Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca (co-chairperson and CEO of Warner Bros. Pictures Group) had called the actor’s agent, Maha Dakhil, to thank him for his hard work in keeping theaters open during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a two-hour discussion, the deal was nearly complete, and Cruise and WBD were ready to start launching new franchises together.
The actor, who is currently in his early sixties, has a new action franchise coming up. That is what Warner Bros. has in store for the actor following his completion of previous commitments. Although it appears a bit strange for someone Cruise’s age, let us look at his recent history. Cruise is one of the biggest movie stars in the world—if not the biggest—thanks to Top Gun: Maverick. For this reason, Zaslav’s decision to collaborate with the actor and WBD to create more blockbusters makes sense.
But the situation is a little more complex than that, considering the relatively average box office receipts Mission: Impossible 7 brought in the previous year. With earnings comparable to Top Gun: Maverick, Paramount was expecting another huge hit from Cruise. However, the highly anticipated sequel to Mission: Impossible – Fallout lost approximately $25 million overall.
Also read: Before Green Lantern and Iron Man, Tom Cruise Declined a Steven Spielberg Superhero Movie
Needless to say, Paramount and Cruise are no longer on good terms, and rumors have had it that way for some time. As for Paramount, the studio’s plans to produce a TV series for either Mission: Impossible or Days of Thunder for its streaming service have been derided by the actor.
Nevertheless, both of those prospective shows could have been profitable endeavors that avoided Paramount’s current financial difficulties.
Tom Cruise’s Warner Bros. Deal Has Left Paramount in Disarray?
Tom Cruise never had a formal contract with Paramount, so his new WBD deal does not mean he is officially giving up on the studio. However, it is significant that the actor looks forward to working at Warner Bros. more, given that five of his previous seven films were produced by Paramount. The actor might be expecting a Paramount merger in the near future. Or maybe he is trying to get away quickly before the people at Paramount become enraged with him.
Paramount was also caught off guard by Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie’s propensity to overspend on their recent joint ventures. A source told THR:
“Tensions have gotten higher between Tom and Paramount as relates to budget and collaboration. He doesn’t send script pages, doesn’t let them see dailies. He used to be very responsible on budgets. That changed on ‘Dead Reckoning’.”
Either way, it seems like Cruise and Paramount’s once-productive collaboration is in trouble. THR was also informed by sources that Warner Bros. has already given the go-ahead for an unidentified action-thriller project that the actor will star in.
An executive told THR:
“He is probably got another 10 or 20 years, maybe not hanging off buildings, but as a movie star.”
David Zaslav, meanwhile, has dedicated a large portion of his time to WBD cost-cutting, even if it means permanently shelving films. How will Cruise’s new agreement incorporate those opposing strategies? A studio rival said to THR:
“I am not sure what [the Warners deal] is. It sounds like more of a David Zaslav headline than a movie.”
It will be interesting to see how everything fits together. However, it will take some time for Cruise and Warner Bros. to come to an agreement.
As the tenth highest-grossing film of 2023, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has received positive reviews and has grossed over $567.5 million worldwide. The release date of the untitled sequel is May 23, 2025.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One can be rented on Apple TV.
