With KNIGHT AND DAY performing beneath expectations, questions have been raised about Tom Cruise’s ability to be able to still draw a crowd after all these years. The man hasn’t had a hit in quite some time, and now that might affect his next project, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE IV.
Brad Bird is helming and JJ Abrams is producing, but the question is now how prominent Cruise should be in the film. Deadline reports that the script is good, but it might be rewritten so Cruise is now mentoring a young operative rather than taking on center stage all by himself.
Personally, I don’t buy it. I don’t think Cruise has lost his magic at all, he’s just chosen the wrong projects for a while now. VALKYRIE was something of a trainwreck, but that had A) an ending everyone already knew (Hitler doesn’t die!) and B) Cruise trying to be a convincing German while speaking full–on American English.
I hated KNIGHT AND DAY, but it wasn’t because of Cruise at all. Rather, the problem was with the script who was written by this guy. Who is that guy? I have no goddamn idea, which is kind of an issue when you have that much talent attached to a project.
I’m actually looking forward to MI:4, and I think between Bird, Abrams and Cruise, it will be a return to form for the actor at last.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed