“Days of Thunder” star Randy Quaid is not pleased to hear that Anne Hathaway will be starring in the sequel. 
“We need Nicole [Kidman] back,” the actor wrote in a rant <a href="https://x.com/RandyRRQuaid/status/2093813142056808591">posted</a> to X over the weekend. “Don’t be a p***y, [Tom Cruise]. You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking. Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.”
He added in a follow-up post, “Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for ‘DAYS OF THUNDER’ NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea. It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank.”
Quaid starred in the original 1990 sports action drama as racing team owner Tim Daland, who recruits rookie race car driver Cole Trickle (Cruise). Kidman played Dr. Claire Lewicki, Cole’s love interest, in the original.
Cruise posted on social media last week that the film was slated to hit theaters in summer 2028. “I’m gonna have this baby, then we’re going to make this movie,” Hathaway says in the quick clip of her and Cruise posing with a race car emblazoned with the movie title. 
Cruise and Kidman wed in December 1990 after meeting on the set of the original movie. They were married for the next decade and adopted two children before divorcing in 2001. 
The actor is a pro at refreshing his old projects. Despite a 36-year gap between the first “Top Gun” (1986) and the sequel, it became an absolute box office smash and the most lucrative film of Cruise&#8217;s career.
“Maverick” earned a whopping $1.49 billion at the global box office. It earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won Best Sound. It was also named the Best Film of 2022 by the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. “Maverick” was rated 96% certified fresh from critics out of nearly 500 reviews and achieved a near-perfect 99% fresh audience score.
No doubt Cruise is hoping to capture some of that sequel magic with the new installment of “Days of Thunder.”

Tom Cruise

‘Days Of Thunder’ Star Blasts Anne Hathaway As ‘Leftist, Woke’ Sequel Choice

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The danger zone is calling — again. It’s been announced that “Top Gun 3” is officially in the works.
Paramount broke the good news at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week, confirming that Tom Cruise will be back in a leading role. Jerry Bruckheimer is also on board as producer.
Josh Greenstein, co-head of Paramount Pictures, said it’s “officially in development with a script underway.”
Cruise did not appear live at the industry event, but footage aired in the convention hall showed the actor standing on tip of the water tower on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles.
“The future looks pretty great from here,” Cruise can be heard <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/top-gun-3-script-underway-tom-cruise-1236566290/">saying</a> in the clip.
This comes as no surprise after the massive success of “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022. Despite a gap of 36 years between the first “Top Gun” (1986) and the sequel, it became an absolute box office smash and the most lucrative film of actor Tom Cruise’s long and successful career.
“Maverick” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/paramount-is-working-on-top-gun-3-with-tom-cruise-report?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Paramount+Is+Working+On+%E2%80%98Top+Gun+3%E2%80%99+With+Tom+Cruise%3A+Report">earned</a> a whopping $1.49 billion at the global box office. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Best Sound.
It was also named the Best Film of 2022 by the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. “Maverick” was rated 96% certified fresh from critics out of nearly 500 reviews and achieved a near-perfect 99% fresh audience score.
It’s believed that one reason the “Top Gun” sequel performed so well is that it was free from radical progressive messaging and virtue signaling. The action film recalled a simpler time in Hollywood, when movies were made to inspire and entertain rather than to push an agenda.
The Federalist called the “Top Gun” sequel “unabashedly patriotic” and “free of token left-wing social and political propaganda.” Reviewer Elle Reynolds wrote, “The only agenda being pushed is that America is the best country in the world and the men and women who risk their lives to defend her are heroes worthy of our respect.”
Another surprising detail about the sequel is how it appealed to a range of audiences, both young and old.

Itching For More ‘Top Gun’? A Major Update On Maverick’s Return

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After decades of snubs, actor Tom Cruise was awarded an Academy Honorary Award at the Governors Awards on November 16.
Despite being nominated several times for Oscars in the past, including for his work on “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989), “Jerry Maguire” (1996), “Magnolia” (1999), and “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), the 63-year-old movie star has never won. His fans believe he was being unfairly shunned by the Academy.
“The cinema, it takes me around the world,” Cruise said during his emotional acceptance speech. “It helps me to appreciate and respect differences. It shows me also our shared humanity, how alike we are in so, so many ways. And no matter where we come from, in that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form. And that is why it matters, that is why it matters to me.&#8221;
He added, “So making films is not what I do, it is who I am.”
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“My love for cinema began at a very early age, as early as I can remember,” Cruise said. “I was just a little kid in a darkened theater, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room, and I remember looking up, and it seemed to be just exploded on the screen. Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew.”
He went on to say that, for him, films “sparked a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world.”
Cruise said, “It opened my eyes. It opened my imagination to the possibility that life could expand far beyond the boundaries that I then perceived in my own life. And that beam of light opened a desire to open the world, and I have been following it ever since.”
The award was presented by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is directing Cruise in an upcoming movie coming out next year.

Tom Cruise Awarded First Ever Oscar, Gives Emotional Speech

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The Left owns Hollywood lock, stock, and barrel. Or, to be more accurate, used to own.
New media rebels are finally giving the progressive monopoly some small but fiery competition. Think “The Joe Rogan Experience,” a contrarian podcast where alternative perspectives get millions of views across media platforms. Or a certain conservative outlet that produced the <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/amiracist/?gad_campaignid=21933436219&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAq7HIBhDoARIsAOATDxBm2hPQ6CcuV09hj6BwyoTy0cbj2esalZiZVU_F95kQ04U2iaLygZIaAsO6EALw_wcB&amp;utm_campaign=air&amp;utm_content=na_subscriptions&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=googlesearch">most popular documentary of the last decade.</a>
Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter-turned-X struck another blow against the Left’s pop culture cartel. Still, the Left’s near stranglehold on the arts remains in place, leaving a David vs. Goliath battle in progress.
Enter David Ellison, a corporate titan with a small but mighty slingshot.
<div id="attachment_997647" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-997647" class="size-large wp-image-997647" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2239551629-866x576.jpg" alt="David Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer of Paramount Skydance Corp., during the Bloomberg Screentime event in Los Angeles, California, US, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Screentime gathers the moguls, celebrities, and entrepreneurs defining the next phase of pop culture to discuss and debate the future of Hollywood studios, the boom in sports and live music and the impact of AI on the creative industries. Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2239551629-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2239551629-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2239551629-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2239551629.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
The CEO of Skydance Media is now a major player in the entertainment space following his company’s acquisition of Paramount. And he could loom even larger should Skydance <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/david-ellisons-paramount-seen-front-runner-warner-bros-discovery-deal-2025-10-23/">add Warner Bros. Discovery</a> to its portfolio.
Ellison isn’t a number-crunching executive handing the creative side off to colleagues. His company’s biography says he “oversees the entire Skydance film slate.”
The son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison (one of the world’s richest men) is personally invested in entertainment, above and beyond his background with USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and memberships in the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy.
<div id="attachment_997643" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-997643" class="size-large wp-image-997643" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-450392142-866x576.jpg" alt="Larry Ellison, chief executive officer at Oracle Corp., speaks during an event at the company's headquarters in Redwood City, California, U.S., on Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Ellison announced today that Oracle Corp will be releasing a new in memory database system called 12c in July 2014. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-450392142-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-450392142-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-450392142-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-450392142.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
An <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/features/david-ellison-hollywood-takeover-paramount-warner-bros-1236569136/">expansive Variety profile</a> suggests he’s willing to shake up the status quo in order to stay profitable in an uncertain time for film and TV studios. The old ways no longer work, he believes, and there’s plenty of evidence to back him up, given Hollywood’s uncertain present.
The bigger issue, one that could turn the cultural tide? He’s MAGA=adjacent. President Donald Trump has referred to the Ellisons as “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/media/ellison-wbd-trump-warner-bros-discovery-bid">friends” and “big supporters.”</a> 
Exaggerations? Possibly. The younger Ellison has been coy about his ties to Trump, telling a press gaggle earlier this year that he <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/david-ellison-paramount-plans-politics?srsltid=AfmBOopmFhN2gwtpuslNfLqAi5xkwi8GFifA8TAs49IslmXixJozLRyB">wanted to avoid political conversations</a>.
“Half my family is Democrat, half my family is Republican … I don’t intend to put my finger on the scale.”
That’s both an improvement on the status quo and something that speaks to both the cultural moment and the sense that Hollywood, Inc. has spent years alienating a huge swath of the country at its peril.
Ellison could make a sizable play for said swath by playing it down the middle. And, on occasion, reaching out to the Right when it makes sense. 
He recently partnered with the Trump administration to bring a UFC extravaganza to the White House lawn next year. That’s part of the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/paramount-wins-exclusive-us-rights-ufc-77-billion-deal-2025-08-11/">company’s $7.7 billion (with a B) UFC deal</a>. That sport skews decidedly young and male, a far cry from the “toxic masculinity” cries circulating in some Hollywood projects.
<div id="attachment_997651" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-997651" class="size-large wp-image-997651" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2242789414-864x576.jpg" alt="ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 23: UFC President and CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 321 press conference at Etihad Arena on October 23, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2242789414-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2242789414-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2242789414-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2242789414.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC</div>
Team UFC isn’t in lockstep with the Democrats like most sports, either. You won’t find an “End Racism” logo on any octagon. Some <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/29/mma-trump-election-433529">MMA stars are pro-Trump</a>, while key figures like Rogan and UFC CEO Dana White both endorsed the leader’s 2024 campaign.
Ellison recently acquired the center-driven Free Press news outlet and hired founder Bari Weiss to restore CBS News as a trustworthy platform.
Weiss, a center-Left lesbian with a passion for old-school journalism, is the kind of person few people of Ellison’s status would embrace. He chose her anyway, hoping she would restore the CBS brand to its former glory. She quickly axed departments tied to race and climate.
That Variety profile mentions upcoming Ellison projects, such as a “Top Gun” sequel, the Heartland hit that Hollywood has yet to Xerox in any meaningful fashion. The only recent film to capture “Top Gun: Maverick’s” spirit? “F1,” the Brad Pitt racing film from earlier this year. Both hit films were shot by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-all-american-director-you-dont-know-by-name">same director</a>, Joseph Kosinski.
<div id="attachment_997633" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-997633" class="size-large wp-image-997633" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-1395478401-864x576.jpg" alt="SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: (L-R) Brian Robbins, President &amp; CEO, Paramount Pictures, Bob Bakish, President and CEO, Paramount Global, David Ellison, Joseph Kosinski, Tom Cruise, Shari Redstone, Non-Executive Chairwoman, Paramount Global, Jerry Bruckheimer and Christopher McQuarrie attends the Global Premiere of &quot;Top Gun: Maverick&quot; on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-1395478401-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-1395478401-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-1395478401-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-1395478401.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures</div>
Other Ellison films include a “Call of Duty” video game adaptation from Trump-friendly director Peter Berg and a cowboy feature the liberal outlet dubbed a “Western version of ‘Taken.’”
For years, Hollywood seemed willing to lose money in order to push a progressive message. The best example? It kept late-night TV reflexively liberal, ignoring viewers who craved a second opinion. Fox News shamed the industry by giving right-leaning Greg Gutfeld a late-night showcase, and his ratings numbers now speak for themselves.
That’s called leaving money on the table. Would Team Ellison do that?
CBS famously put an end to Stephen Colbert’s reign on “The Late Show,” giving him until May of 2026 to peddle his nonstop Trump barbs. That move came a month before Skydance acquired Paramount, Colbert’s then-employer.
As Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/skydance-colbert-late-show-anti-bribery-laws-paramount-senators-letter-1236476164/">reported</a>, “&#8230;Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, Skydance’s general counsel and co-president of business operations, said in part … “Skydance was “not involved” in CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert&#8230;”
None of this means Ellison plans to turn Skydance into a Fox News-like media empire. No channels dedicated to Dinesh D’Souza documentaries or Chuck Norris films. It’s far more significant than that, potentially.
Ellison’s mission could give half the nation a veritable safe space, a company that won’t insult them and, on occasion, deliver content that speaks to their values. Hollywood needs fresh thinking and a way to reach audiences who have been chased away by A-list talent for far too long.
A key reason why the Oscars, a once-beloved TV institution, is no longer a ratings juggernaut is that too many stars rage against the show’s audience. Viewers hate them back by turning the channel.
Megastars no longer move the political needle every four years, in part, due to that animosity.
An Ellison-ized Hollywood could tell stories that would never otherwise be told. Imagine features on how Venezuela’s socialism crashed a once-prosperous nation. Or heroic tales that speak to the best American values, not just Oscar-bait dramas reeking of greedy capitalists or cruel men of faith.
It’s the kind of industry shake-up Hollywood needs, and it may take a billionaire of Ellison’s status to make it happen. Or, as screenwriter William Goldman said about Hollywood, “nobody knows anything.”
But if Ellison bucks conventional wisdom, he actually could make Hollywood great again.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Key Speakers At The Bloomberg Screentime Conference

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Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a chance to be honored by President Donald Trump with an award at the Kennedy Center, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/08/13/trump-kennedy-center-honorees/">The Washington Post</a>.
The outlet reported that the “Top Gun: Maverick” star cited “scheduling conflicts” when asked to attend the gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., on December 7.
Cruise, 63, remains silent on political issues, and <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/tom-cruise-sidesteps-trump-tariff-question-mission-impossible-1236392597/">redirected</a> the conversation when a Korean reporter pressed him on the issue of Trump and tariffs at a press junket for “Mission: Impossible 8” earlier this year.
“We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you,” the actor said.
Notably, Cruise has a history of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63992399/">skipping</a> awards shows, especially considering how fans believe he’s been snubbed by the Academy on multiple occasions after being nominated for an Oscar three times, but never winning.
President Trump made headlines earlier this week when he announced this year’s Kennedy Center honorees personally during a press conference.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
This year’s celebrity honorees include country singer George Strait, legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band KISS, “Phantom of the Opera” actor Michael Crawford, and singer Gloria Gaynor, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-kennedy-center-nominees-says-he-rejected-wokesters">reported</a>.
“The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, incredible, we can’t wait … in a few short months since I became chairman of the board, the Kennedy Center, we’ve completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution,” Trump said during his speech on Wednesday.
When asked if he participated in the selection process, Trump said he was “about 98% involved” and that “they all came through me.”
The president flat out said he turned down certain suggestions for being too “woke.”
“I turned down plenty, they were too woke. … I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be,” Trump added. He went on to mention other Hollywood awards shows, which seemingly take an opposite approach.
“Look at the Academy Awards — it gets lousy ratings now, it’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore,” Trump said.

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump’s Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump's Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

The Kennedy Center

Spielberg. Tarantino. The Coen brothers. Nolan. Cameron. Coppola.
Kosinski?
While Joseph Kosinski may lacks the name recognition, let alone the resume of those cinematic giants, he’s still responsible for two of the most all-American films of the past decade. Three if you count a little-seen gem about our brave firefighters.
One film literally <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/steven-spielberg-tells-tom-cruise-saved-hollywood-top-gun-maverick-1235522763/">saved movies</a>, according to none other than Steven Spielberg.
Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” did more than extend the popular ‘80s smash. It brought movie goers back to theaters following the pandemic. And you’d be hard pressed to find a more patriotic, “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/5K6kkL6powWwpoHy6WFiN2">America [bleep} Yeah</a>” movie over the past decade.
He has a feel for old school Hollywood that could save the industry from itself. Here&#8217;s what makes his film so refreshing.
“Top Gun: Maverick” soared higher than even the 1986 original. Tom Cruise returns to play Maverick, the hotshot aviator staring down a different kind of challenge.
Irrelevancy.
<div id="attachment_943031" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943031" class="size-large wp-image-943031" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-864x576.jpg" alt="MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MAY 06: Tom Cruise and Joe Kosinski attend the Mexico Press Day of &quot;Top Gun: Maverick&quot; at The Ritz Carlton Hotel on May 06, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Hector Vivas/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures</div>
We all know what happened next. Maverick dug back for something extra, defied authority, fell for an old flame and gave young pilots the courage to complete a death-defying mission.
Kosinski didn’t inject woke into a single frame of his film. Nor did he shy away from American excellence, let alone the “need for speed.” His film hearkened back to old-school Hollywood movies with handsome heroes, lovely ladies and a determination that cannot be denied.
Why wouldn’t it earn a whopping $718 million in U.S. theaters alone? It’s the movie audiences were waiting for all along.
And Kosinski just did it again.
“F1” stars Brad Pitt as an aging race car driver hoping for one last shot at glory. He’ll have to make nice with a talented rookie (Damson Idris) and defeat old demons to get back in the winner’s circle.
Sound familiar?
The parallels don’t end there. Both films offer slick, you-are-there visuals, generational tension and a commitment to the American Dream. If you work hard enough, anything is possible.
“F1” raced to $57 million in its opening weekend stateside, the most for any original film this year.
<div id="attachment_943033" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943033" class="size-large wp-image-943033" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-864x576.jpg" alt="NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 09: Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Joseph Kosinski, director of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, talk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 09, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dan Mullan/Getty Images</div>
Both films feature heroes willing to try new things, to push past conventional boundaries to achieve their dreams. That plays into the entrepreneurial pluck in America’s DNA.
It helps that Kosinski snagged two older movie stars who defy Father Time. Each is given a full-bodied romantic story arc at a time when Hollywood often forgets how much audiences crave that part of the hero’s journey.
Scarlett Johansson co-stars with three handsome co-leads in “Jurassic World Rebirth.” There’s not a hint of romance in the film. And that’s more common than ever.
Cruise and Pitt lean into their movie-star looks, as does Kosinski. He made their characters vulnerable but undeniably masculine. That’s refreshing.
The films deliver crowd-pleasing thrills without guilt or compromise. They also scored a 99 and 97% “fresh” rating, respectively, from general audiences at RottenTomatoes.com.
The irony? Kosinski’s previous film, 2017’s “Only the Brave,” also served up heroism from a decidedly heartland perspective. The fact-based story recalls the men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who risked it all to defeat an ominous Arizona wildfire.
Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly starred in a film that got ignored by audiences at the time. Seen today, Kosinski’s knack for slick visuals and on-screen bravery paved the way for “Maverick.”
<div id="attachment_943035" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943035" class="size-large wp-image-943035" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: (L-R) James Badge Dale, Josh Brolin, Joseph Kosinski, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Pat McCarty and Taylor Kitsch attend &quot;Only The Brave&quot; New York screening at iPic Theater on October 17, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic</div>
The film’s core themes aren’t an accident. The 51-year-old director told a reporter he has a <a href="https://cultmtl.com/2025/06/winning-at-underdog-stories-joseph-kosinski-and-jerry-bruckheimer-on-f1-the-movie-interview/">weakness for underdog stories</a>, another trait of the American Dream.
“What’s it like to be at the back, trying to score a win, rather than winning all the time? Who wins all the time in life? Very few people.”
The director isn’t shy about his love for the U.S. Military, an affection that bloomed while preparing for “Maverick.” He spent some time with <a href="https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/top-gun-maverick-director-calls-the-movies-production-a-dream-come-true.html">real-life soldiers and came away impressed</a>.
“The fact that [servicemen and women] do that for six months or nine months without seeing their families, I was just really blown away by their sacrifice and what they give up to do that job for us…So, I think all of us on the crew walked away with even more respect for all the men and women out there. And that’s another reason we wanted this film to represent them in the best way possible. Because they worked so hard to help us capture all that.”
<div id="attachment_943051" style="width: 830px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943051" class="size-large wp-image-943051" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-820x576.jpg" alt="SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: (L-R) Kristin Kosinski and Joseph Kosinski attend the Global Premiere of &quot;Top Gun: Maverick&quot; on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="820" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-820x576.jpg 820w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-768x539.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" />SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA &#8211; MAY 04: (L-R) Kristin Kosinski and Joseph Kosinski attend the Global Premiere of &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick&#8221; on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)</div>
It’s ironic that the first film to mirror the kind of all-American storytelling “Maverick” offered came from that film’s director. Hollywood traditionally loves to clone successful projects. When “The Blair Witch Project” introduced found-footage storytelling to the masses, we soon saw dozens of lesser copycats.
The “John Wick” franchise paved the way for more hitmen movies.
Yet we haven’t seen a film like “Top Gun: Maverick” for the past three years. Until that film’s director got back to work, that is.
Kosinski may never reach the heights of a Spielberg or Tarantino, and his planned “Maverick” sequel has some mighty big shoes to fill. The director’s knack for knowing what audiences crave and his willingness to deliver sans compromise means we’ll be hearing a lot more from him soon.
He may not stay anonymous for long.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The European Premiere of F1 ® The Movie

The All-American Director You Don’t Know By Name

Brad Pitt

Tom Cruise may be in his 60s, but the action star was still able to set a Guinness World Record while filming a stunt for “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
The organization announced this week that Cruise had been awarded the title for &#8220;most burning parachute jumps by an individual,&#8221; citing the 16 times the A-lister &#8220;leapt out of a helicopter&#8230;while strapped to a parachute pre-soaked in fuel and lit ablaze.&#8221;
The flaming parachute could only burn for seconds before Cruise, known for performing his own stunts, had to cut it away and deploy a backup, as <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-cruise-guinness-world-record-mission-impossible-flaming-parachute-stunt/#:~:text=Tom%20Cruise%20has%20become%20a,said%20in%20a%20news%20release.">CBS News</a> reported. The actor would also hold a 50-pound camera for some of the jumps.
&#8220;Tom doesn&#8217;t just play action heroes — he is an action hero!&#8221; Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said of the stunt. &#8220;A large part of his success can be chalked up to his absolute focus on authenticity and pushing the boundaries of what a leading man can do. It&#8217;s an honor to be able to recognize his utter fearlessness with this new Guinness World Records title.&#8221;
Cruise posted a clip of some of the jumps on social media. “If this is twisted while it’s burning, I’m going to be spinning and burning. I have to kick out of the twist and then ignite in 10 seconds,” Cruise can be heard saying before jumping. “We’re going to be real smart. I’m not saying be risky. We don’t take risks, obviously.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Light the fuse. <a href="https://t.co/X1i1w70VOX">pic.twitter.com/X1i1w70VOX</a>
&mdash; Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise/status/1930682304894239114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” had a strong Memorial Day Weekend debut and has grossed $390 million at the worldwide box office. This gave the movie business a much-needed boost after a sluggish start to the year.
“This weekend was one for the history books!” Cruise wrote in a note he shared with followers after the debut. “Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member and every single person who works at the studios.”
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“To every theater and every employee who helps bring these stories to audiences, thank you,” the message continued.  “To everyone that works at Paramount Pictures and Skydance, thank you for your many years of partnership and unwavering support. And most of all, THANK YOU to audiences everywhere for whom we all serve and for whom we all LOVE to entertain. Sincerely, Tom.”
Cruise had previously discussed doing “physically punishing” stunts during filming. One involved him breathing in his own carbon monoxide during an underwater submarine scene.
“You have to overcome all of that while you’re doing it, and be present,” he said during a February interview with Empire, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cruise-opens-up-about-physically-punishing-stunt-for-upcoming-film">reported</a>.
Cruise also discussed an action sequence on the outside of a biplane, saying he passed out multiple times while filming it.
“When you stick your face out [of an airplane], going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” the Hollywood star said. “So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”

Tom Cruise Sets Random Guinness World Record With ‘Mission: Impossible’ Stunt

Tom Cruise Earns Guinness World Record While Filming 'Mission: Impossible 8' 

Mission Impossible

Tom Cruise had an enthusiastic reaction to his latest film, “Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning,” helping to make Memorial Day weekend 2025 break records at the box office.
The success of “Mission: Impossible 8,” which raked in $341 million worldwide, and Disney’s latest live-action remake, “Lilo &amp; Stitch,” which earned $200 million, gave the movie business a much-needed boost after a sluggish start to the year. 
“This weekend was one for the history books!” Cruise wrote in a note he shared with followers on his social media platforms. “Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member and every single person who works at the studios.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/zkf0sr7zuI">pic.twitter.com/zkf0sr7zuI</a>
&mdash; Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise/status/1927346598029217940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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“To every theater and every employee who helps bring these stories to audiences, thank you,” the message continued.  “To everyone that works at Paramount Pictures and Skydance, thank you for your many years of partnership and unwavering support.”
“And most of all, THANK YOU to audiences everywhere for whom we all serve and for whom we all LOVE to entertain. Sincerely, Tom.”
“Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning” earned $63 million domestically, a record for the long-running “Mission: Impossible&#8221; franchise, over the three-day weekend alone, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/tom-cruise-reacts-mission-impossible-8-box-office-record-1236410669/">Variety</a>. The film brought in an estimated $77 million at the domestic box office during the four-day holiday.
“A record opening on the eighth iteration is remarkable. It speaks to the longevity of the franchise,” Paramount’s distribution chief Chris Aronson said. “The spectacle of what Tom and McQ [director Christopher McQuarrie] put on screen is one-of-a-kind in today’s marketplace.”
The success comes after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reviews-are-in-for-tom-cruise-and-mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning">early reviewers</a> gave high praise to the action film. 
“[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] is whip-smart and razor-sharp, this tense eighth entry in one of the most exhilarating franchises of all time is another winner. With sphincter-tightening set pieces, blockbusters do not get much better than this. Cruise &amp; [director Christopher] McQuarrie nail it!” one reviewer wrote. 
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).

Tom Cruise Shares Thank-You Note After ‘Mission: Impossible 8’ Record Opening

Tom Cruise Reacts To 'Mission: Impossible 8' Helping Set Memorial Day Box Office Record

box office

Memorial Day

President Donald Trump fires back at Vladimir Putin following Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, the Treasury Department reveals a new approach to combating drug cartels, and Hollywood enjoys a record-breaking box office over Memorial Day weekend. 
It’s Tuesday, May 27, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump REBUKES Putin &amp; Cracks Down on the Cartels" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h-cs4WQyzlc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/russia-strikes-again-cartel-crackdowns-5-27-25/id1576594336?i=1000710071254" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Russia Strikes Ukraine</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-925457" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-01.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-01.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-01-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump rails against Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launches another aerial attack on Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Russia launched a series of air assaults on Ukrainian cities, deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. Those strikes killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more — many civilians — in what Ukraine <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russian-drone-fragments-set-kyiv-apartment-building-ablaze-official-says-2025-05-24/">called</a> the most extensive aerial bombardment of the three-year war. 
In recent months, there had been hopes that a peace deal was within reach, but Putin appears to be making clear that he’s pushing ahead, despite increased threats of sanctions from the West. Ukrainian intelligence <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/russias-casualties-war-against-ukraine-095937828.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM3atsZc41kCSRMKSfurjA_lU-16DhBVMjma8L5udzrwkvFa0KgXegrcgN4PLiL5kMS7G5o-tI97OUCDDVv0q_D28ERp7U8aWOO1ONbadwbiQg0sOb-32woFiDBFhUNANBcGjAoYOUBI1FcOyeD46QfZpkI09tXrEb_Zwy9CY8KJ">reportedly</a> shows that Moscow is gathering forces near the front line in preparation for a summer offensive. 
In response to those attacks, President Trump offered his <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/1926775198956572815">strongest condemnation</a> of Putin to date. “I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin. I&#8217;ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he&#8217;s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don&#8217;t like it at all. Okay, we&#8217;re in the middle of talking and he&#8217;s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities.“ Later, on social media, the president appeared to make a veiled threat against Putin, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390">writing,</a> “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” 
However, this new anti-Putin rhetoric hasn’t exactly led to friendlier relations with Ukraine. Trump also said over the weekend that “Zelensky is doing his country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems.” 
Meanwhile, on Friday, Trump accused the Europeans of being “difficult to deal with” during trade negotiations, saying “discussions are going nowhere.”  The president threatened a 50% tariff that would kick in on June 1. That seemingly got their attention, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the White House over the weekend to say “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.” As a result of that new willingness to make a deal, Trump agreed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-delays-50-tariffs-eu-leader-blinks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Delays+50%25+Tariffs+On+EU+After+Its+Leader+Blinks">pause</a> his tariff hike until July 9 so an agreement could be reached. 
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<h2>Freezing Cartel Funds</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-925459" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header02.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header02.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header02-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline:  Trump enlists the Treasury Department in his sweeping crackdown on drug cartels.
President Trump promised a “whole of government” approach to combating drug cartels. While the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Border Patrol have obvious roles to play, the Treasury Department is taking steps to crack down on money laundering.
“One of the most important things that the president did upon coming into office was to declare a number of the narco groups terrorist organizations,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender told The Daily Wire. “[That] unleashes additional authorities at Treasury for us to better target some of the financial activities that these cartels are engaging in. It&#8217;s one thing to have our partners at DHS work on stopping the flow of people and drugs, but we can also use our financial tools to go after the money – because if the money is not flowing back south, then there&#8217;s less of an incentive to bring the drugs and the guns and some of the illicit activity up to the north.”
Among other things, Faulkender explained why Brinks Global was fined $37 million. “There is a statute called the Bank Secrecy Act that requires that if you&#8217;re going to facilitate transfers of monetary sums, that you need to know who the party is that is receiving this money, that is engaging in this transaction. And so what we did is our Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is called FinCEN, they launched an investigation into how this money was flowing south of the border – and found that Brinks had facilitated some of these money transfers without knowing who the parties were that were participating in this transaction.”
For the full interview, check out the Morning Wire podcast.
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<h2>Box Office Bonanza</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-925461" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-03.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-03.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/5.27.25-Story-Header-03-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: The box office for the holiday weekend blew away expectations. Disney’s live-action &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and Paramount’s &#8220;Mission: Impossible 8&#8221; set records to kick off the summer blockbuster season.
&#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; provide a much-needed shot in the arm for theaters nationwide. According to studio estimates, &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; grossed a staggering $183 million domestically. That’s an all-time Disney record for this time frame. Its global haul was $342 million. Meanwhile, &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; brought in a franchise-best $77 million domestically and $190 million worldwide. Taken together, Hollywood hopes this is a game-changer for an industry that’s been fighting to regain that pre-pandemic momentum.
Social media buzz for &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; especially from younger women and parents, has been off the charts with an “A” CinemaScore signaling strong word-of-mouth. Posts on X captured the excitement, with fans showing up in Stitch merch and plushies, turning screenings into events. This kind of cultural resonance is exactly what Disney banks on with its IP-driven strategy – sometimes successfully, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">sometimes not</a>.
While it didn’t reach the heights of &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; is unquestionably a triumph for Tom Cruise. The film’s opening beat the previous franchise record set by &#8220;Mission: Impossible – Fallout&#8221; in 2018 by $14 million, not adjusted for inflation.
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Morning Brief: Trump Blasts Putin, Cartel Crackdowns & Box Office Bonanza

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vladimir putin

Action star Tom Cruise summed up his thoughts on retiring from acting with four definitive words, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I will never stop.”
The 62-year-old actor is currently promoting “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which premiered last week at Cannes ahead of its Memorial Day weekend theatrical release. When an interviewer asked Cruise about the franchise ending with the eighth installment, he replied, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.”
Next, the three-time Golden Globe Award winner was asked about a statement he made two years ago about his admiration for Harrison Ford, who was 80 years old when he starred in &#8220;Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny.&#8221; When <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-cruise-making-movies-into-100s-mission-impossible-1236220928/">asked by THR</a> if he still felt that way, Cruise replied, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.”
“I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy, films — I’m excited,” he continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
At the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionImpossible?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionImpossible</a>—The Final Reckoning premiere, Tom Cruise reveals he will keep making movies into his 100s <a href="https://t.co/dZdzfEKnAf">pic.twitter.com/dZdzfEKnAf</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1924241894973772068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“There’s been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in. Everything that I’ve learned and continue to learn about storytelling, about life, about leadership, about character and every aspect of filmmaking. It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional,” Cruise said during the red carpet interview.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it. I love just making movies,” he concluded.
“The Final Reckoning” is getting good buzz from critics who have viewed it ahead of its nationwide release. One reviewer called it “whip-smart and razor-sharp,” while another said it’s “an exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order.”
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).

Tom Cruise Has 4 Word Response To Reporter On Retirement Plans

Some film critics were able to check out Tom Cruise’s new film, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” ahead of its Memorial Day weekend release date of May 23, and so far, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.
“[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] rips! Loved it. An exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order. McQ, [Tom Cruise] &amp; CO have crafted the gold standard – a brilliant, bold actioner for the ages. See it BIG &amp; LOUD,” one film critic <a href="https://x.com/Lulamaybelle/status/1922155008658723170">shared</a> on X. 
Another reviewer shared similar sentiments, <a href="https://x.com/ShowbizSimon/status/1922155294500556946">writing</a>, “[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] is whip-smart and razor-sharp, this tense eighth entry in one of the most exhilarating franchises of all time is another winner. With sphincter-tightening set pieces, blockbusters do not get much better than this. Cruise &amp; McQuarrie nail it!”
“[&#8216;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8217;] is the ACTION MOVIE OF THE SUMMER! [Tom Cruise] DEFIES ALL ODDS with JAW-DROPPING action built only for @IMAX. Every stunt, every set piece, every second is designed to blow your mind, A PULSE-POUNDING THRILL RIDE, and Cruise remains the king of spectacle,” a third reviewer <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">echoed</a>.
Another said this film, “ties up loose ends of the franchise while also coming full circle on storylines I never imagined would be revisited. The wonderfully insane stunts are to be expected, but the film really hinges on the tension throughout. It’s a great time!”
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“MI8” will debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14 ahead of its theatrical release. 
This latest effort is a follow-up to “Dead Reckoning Part One,” which was considered a box office disappointment despite making $566 million globally due to the high costs of production and marketing. Per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>, “MI8” cost more than $400 million to make and was plagued by production delays, meaning it has even more ground to make up.
The &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have <a href="https://www.therichest.com/mission-impossible-movies/">grossed</a> more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).
While &#8220;Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning&#8221; is titled in a way that suggests it might be the end of the franchise, the film&#8217;s director, Christopher McQuarrie, has not confirmed or denied the suggestion. Tom Cruise did confirm that

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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tom-cruise">Tom Cruise</a> opened up about a “physically punishing” stunt for his upcoming movie “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
Speaking about his appearance in the final installment in the “M:I” franchise, the 62-year-old actor told <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/tom-cruise-breathed-carbon-dioxide-mission-impossible-final-reckoning-scene-exclusive/">Empire Magazine</a> that his character Ethan Hunt has to check out the wreckage of a submarine — and for the action scene he had to breathe in his own carbon dioxide.
“I’m breathing in my own carbon dioxide,” Cruise said. “It builds up in the body and affects the muscles.” 
The “Top Gun” star said in order to shoot the scenes he had to wear a specially-designed suit and mask, which he can only wear for an interval of 10 minutes at a time, otherwise he will suffer from hypoxia (an absence of oxygen in body tissue), the outlet noted.
“You have to overcome all of that while you’re doing it, and be present,” he added.
In order for fans to experience Cruise’s underwater experience, the whole thing was shot in an 8.5 million liter water tank on a gimbal that can rotate on command, the outlet noted.
“Mission Impossible” director Christopher McQuarrie called the underwater shoot “really physically punishing” for Cruise.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tom Cruise says &#8220;I was breathing in my own carbon dioxide&#8221; while filming an underwater action scene for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 8: “It builds up in the body and affects the muscles.&#8221;
Chris McQuarrie said it was “really physically punishing” for Cruise.<a href="https://t.co/wCYAHwPJ7z">https://t.co/wCYAHwPJ7z</a>
— Zack Sharf (@ZSharf) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZSharf/status/1889028262845616245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
“He’s in a rotating structure filled with debris, and you had to find a way to make that environment look as chaotic and unhinged as humanly possible,” McQuarrie said. “But in a way that you could repeat, and that Tom could navigate, and survive.”
In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOhDyUmT9z0&amp;t=1s">first trailer</a> for the upcoming film, there are a whole host of action sequences — including a high-speed car chase and crash, an underwater battle involving a submarine, and Cruise hanging on to the outside of a biplane as it flies upside down — among many others.
Cruise <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-stunts-melt-your-brain-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously talked</a> about the action sequence on the outside of the biplane and said that he passed out multiple times while filming it.
&#8220;When you stick your face out [of an airplane], going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” the Hollywood star said. &#8220;So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”
“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” hits theaters May 23.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mission-impossible-director-fan-almost-had-a-heart-attack-watching-scene-from-new-film" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Mission: Impossible’ Director: Fan ‘Almost Had A Heart Attack’ Watching Scene From New Film</a>

The Royal Film Performance & UK Premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick”

Tom Cruise Opens Up About ‘Physically Punishing’ Stunt For Upcoming Film

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