The Outsiders (1983)

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‘The Outsiders’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

'The Outsiders' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Stay golden. Ralph Macchio , Rob Lowe , Patrick Swayze and more transformed into ‘60s teens for Francis Ford Coppola’s big screen adaptation of The Outsiders .

The coming-of-age drama, based on S. E. Hinton ‘s classic novel of the same name, hit theaters in March 1983 and helped to kickstart the careers of several of its stars. In particular, Macchio received rave reviews for his turn as Johnny Cade in the battle of the Greasers and Socs.

“I read the book when I was 12 years old in seventh-grade English class. It was the first book that I ever finished cover to cover,” the Karate Kid actor told Parade in 2017. “S.E. Hinton — like J.K. Rowling of today — started a lot of young kids reading in school. I was immediately connected to it.”

Macchio was drawn to Johnny before even being cast in the project. “I always felt [Johnny] sounded like I looked,” he recalled. “Big puppy dog eyes, dark hair. He was the runt. I was never the biggest guy in class. But I didn’t come from his backstory by any stretch. … Johnny was a kid whose mother was an alcoholic. His father was abusive, and home was the last place he wanted to be. Those were the challenges, but I embraced them.”

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Lowe, for his part, looked back on how Coppola turned Hollywood’s Brat Pack into “wrong side of the tracks guys,” sharing behind-the-scenes secrets with Kelly Clarkson in 2020. “[He] found a bunch of different actual greasers who were now grown-up adults and made us go spend the night and live with them,” the “Literally” podcast host said on The Kelly Clarkson Show at the time. “They came to us at rehearsal and, like, ‘OK, so we’re gonna divide you up. Rob, Tom, you guys are gonna go stay with Bill and Sandy whoever.’ And we just went to their little house and had dinner.”

The costars “ended up in the basement on two cots” — and neither of them were thrilled with the setup. “I mean, who vetted them? Really?” Lowe joked. “Do you think Francis Ford Coppola spent a lot of time vetting these people? I can tell you, he didn’t. He was [sitting] with an espresso and watching some fancy Fellini movie and went, ‘Yeah, yeah that sounds great’ and went back to his espresso.”

Decades after its release, The Outsiders is still widely recognized as an all-time classic film. Scroll down to see what the cast is doing now:

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock

'The Outsiders' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Stay golden. Ralph Macchio , Rob Lowe , Patrick Swayze and more transformed into ‘60s teens for Francis Ford Coppola’s big screen adaptation of The Outsiders . The coming-of-age drama, based on S. E. Hinton 's classic novel of the same name, hit theaters in March 1983 and helped to kickstart the careers of several of its stars. In particular, Macchio received rave reviews for his turn as Johnny Cade in the battle of the Greasers and Socs. “I read the book when I was 12 years old in seventh-grade English class. It was the first book that I ever finished cover to cover,” the Karate Kid actor told Parade in 2017. “S.E. Hinton — like J.K. Rowling of today — started a lot of young kids reading in school. I was immediately connected to it.” Macchio was drawn to Johnny before even being cast in the project. “I always felt [Johnny] sounded like I looked,” he recalled. “Big puppy dog eyes, dark hair. He was the runt. I was never the biggest guy in class. But I didn’t come from his backstory by any stretch. … Johnny was a kid whose mother was an alcoholic. His father was abusive, and home was the last place he wanted to be. Those were the challenges, but I embraced them.” Lowe, for his part, looked back on how Coppola turned Hollywood’s Brat Pack into “wrong side of the tracks guys,” sharing behind-the-scenes secrets with Kelly Clarkson in 2020. “[He] found a bunch of different actual greasers who were now grown-up adults and made us go spend the night and live with them,” the “Literally” podcast host said on The Kelly Clarkson Show at the time. “They came to us at rehearsal and, like, ‘OK, so we’re gonna divide you up. Rob, Tom, you guys are gonna go stay with Bill and Sandy whoever.’ And we just went to their little house and had dinner.” The costars “ended up in the basement on two cots” — and neither of them were thrilled with the setup. “I mean, who vetted them? Really?” Lowe joked. “Do you think Francis Ford Coppola spent a lot of time vetting these people? I can tell you, he didn’t. He was [sitting] with an espresso and watching some fancy Fellini movie and went, ‘Yeah, yeah that sounds great’ and went back to his espresso.” Decades after its release, The Outsiders is still widely recognized as an all-time classic film. Scroll down to see what the cast is doing now:

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Courtesy of C. Thomas Howell/Instagram

C. Thomas Howell (Ponyboy Curtis)

Before The Outsiders , which earned him a Young Artist Award, Howell made his movie debut in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . He later appeared in The Hitcher, Grandview U.S.A., Secret Admirer and Red Dawn and was one of the actors considered for the role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future , which ultimately went to Michael J. Fox. More recently, Howell has starred in The Amazing Spider-Man, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and LBJ , with TV roles on Grimm, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Animal Kingdom and The Blacklist. The California native previously dated Kyle Richards before marrying Rae Dawn Chong in 1989. The twosome called it quits one year later, and Howell tied the knot with Sylvie Anderson in 1992. They split in 2016.

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Karl Schoendorfer/Shutterstock

Matt Dillon (Dallas Winston)

Following appearances in There's Something About Mary and Wild Things , Dillon made his directorial debut in 2000 with City of Ghosts . His performance in Crash won him an Independent Spirit Award and earned him nods at both the Oscars and Golden Globes. The New Yorker is a Grammy nominee, gaining recognition in 2001 for narrating Jack Kerouac's On the Road . Dillon has also appeared in Employee of the Month, You, Me and Dupree, Herbie: Fully Loaded and Capone .

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

Ralph Macchio (Johnny Cade)

Macchio is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in the original Karate Kid franchise, a role he reprised on Netflix’s Cobra Kai, which began in 2018. He went on to star in ​​ My Cousin Vinny, Crossroads, Hitchcock and Psych: The Movie . On the small screen, the New York native had roles on Ugly Betty, The Deuce and Eight Is Enough . He landed in fourth place with pro Karina Smirnoff on season 12 of Dancing With the Stars in 2011. The Distant Thunder star shares daughter Julia and son Daniel with wife Phyllis Fierro .

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Paul Hawthorne/Starpix/Shutterstock

Patrick Swayze (Darrel Curtis)

Apart from The Outsiders, Swayze’s most memorable performance was as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing , which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. His popularity grew after 1990’s Ghost , receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame seven years later. Following roles in Point Break, Donnie Darko, One Last Dance and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights , the actor died of pancreatic cancer in 2009. His final film credit was 2009’s Powder Blue . He is survived by wife Lisa Niemi , who wed Albert DePrisco in 2014.  

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock; MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Rob Lowe (Sodapop Curtis)

A member of the Brat Pack, the Virginia native is known for his work in Oxford Blues, St. Elmo's Fire, About Last Night... and Square Dance . Lowe later turned to television, starring in Aaron Sorkin ’s The West Wing from 1999 to 2003. The Code Black alum has experienced a few ups and downs throughout his career, including a sex tape scandal and a sobriety journey. He made a major comeback with Parks and Recreation , playing Chris Traeger from 2010 to 2014 before joining the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2020. The Emmy nominee shares sons Matthew and John Owen with wife Sheryl Berkoff . In March 2023, John Owen and his dad teamed up for the Netflix series Unstable , in which they play a father-son duo who work together at a biotech research facility. 

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Emilio Estevez (Two-Bit Matthews)

Martin Sheen’s son joined Lowe as part of the Brat Pack, also starring in The Breakfast Club and ​​St. Elmo's Fire. The filmmaker is also known for appearing in the Mighty Ducks franchise as hockey coach Gordon Bombay. After three of the sports movies, a series titled The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers debuted on Disney+ in 2021. Estevez raised eyebrows when he exited the show amid rumors he disagreed with the set’s COVID-19 vaccine policy. He later clarified to Deadline that his departure was due to “nothing more than a good old fashioned contract dispute” and “a myriad of creative differences.”

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock; Carlos Tischler/Eyepix Group/Shutterstock

Tom Cruise (Steve Randle)

A three-time Oscar winner, Cruise is one of the hottest actors in Hollywood, with iconic roles in Top Gun, Risky Business, Jerry Maguire, The Mummy and more. Apart from his work on screen, the New Yorker’s personal life has been making headlines for years. He has been married thrice: to Mimi Rogers from 1987 to 1990, Nicole Kidman from 1990 to 2001 and Katie Holmes from 2006 to 2012. Cruise, who is a member of the Church of Scientology, welcomed a daughter with Holmes in 2006 and shares two adopted children —  Isabella (born 1992) and Connor (born 1995) — with Kidman.

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros.

Glenn Withrow (Tim Shepard)

Along with The Outsiders, the Kentucky native has worked in movies such as Rumble Fish and Peggy Sue Got Married . He jumped behind the camera in 2012, directing his first full-length feature film, The Mooring. Withrow has been married to Hallie Todd , with whom he shares daughter Ivy, since 1991.

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock; Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Diane Lane (Cherry Valance)

Lane has been a working actress since age 14, making her movie debut in A Little Romance . Other notable credits include The Perfect Storm, Unfaithful, Under the Tuscan Sun, Must Love Dogs, Man of Steel and more. She was previously married to producer Christopher Lambert — with whom she shares daughter Eleanor — from 1988 to 1994 and to Josh Brolin from 2004 to 2013.

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros.; Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Leif Garrett (Bob Sheldon)

Garrett was a child star and a teen idol, signing a five-album record contract in 1976. Two decades later, he released a greatest hits compilation, The Leif Garrett Collection , which included covers of songs by the Beach Boys, Dion and more. The Fear Factor alum had a number of legal troubles over the years, from personal bankruptcy to driving under the influence. He was arrested several times throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s for drug possession and later dropped out of a court-ordered rehab program. Garrett entered treatment once again in 2010.

tom cruise as steve

Credit: Warner Bros.; Courtesy of Darren Dalton/Twitter

Darren Dalton (Randy Anderson)

After The Outsiders , Dalton starred in Red Dawn alongside Swayze, Howell, Jennifer Grey , Harry Dean Stanton, Charlie Sheen and more. He went on to make guest appearances on TV shows including Quantum Leap and Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman . The Wyoming native was married to Kristin Dalton from 1993 to 2009.

tom cruise as steve

Michelle Meyrink (Marcia)

The Canadian is also known for her work in 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds , but her last acting credit was just four years later in Permanent Record . She lives in Vancouver with her husband, John Dumbrille , and their three children.

tom cruise as steve

Gailard Sartain (Jerry)

The Oklahoma native has been acting in small roles since the 1970s with credits including The Buddy Holly Story, Fried Green Tomatoes and The Replacements . His last known performance was in 2005’s Elizabethtown starring Orlando Bloom , Kirsten Dunst , Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon .

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If you're starting to feel the need for speed, that's because Top Gun: Maverick is almost here! The long-awaited sequel hits theaters on May 27, and only ET has an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Tom Cruise's return to the skies as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

"My whole life, I've wanted to make movies or fly airplanes or go to space," Cruise says in a new featurette for the upcoming film. "I wanted to jump off buildings, go ride fast motorcycles... My life has just been filled with stories -- telling stories, creating characters."

For Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise returns to his beloved character from the 1986 original. Maverick's spent his time in the intervening years as a test pilot, refusing the Navy's attempts to promote him up the chain of command so he can stay in the air as much as possible. But when a team of top recruits need to be trained up for a near-impossible mission, it's Maverick who gets the call.

"It's a film about competition," Cruise explains. "It's about teamwork. It's a journey about a character, Maverick... he's someone who challenges authority and can't help himself." 

Behind the scenes, however, Cruise was the authority on the film's high-flying scenes, explaining that he put his younger co-stars through their paces so they would know what to expect from a real-life fighter pilot's perspective -- as well as how to film themselves in the cockpit with Maverick 's state-of-the-art camera setup.

"I was able from that to create a whole program and a format for the actors, to train them to be able to get into an F-15 and to operate the cameras," he recalls. "They were very, very dedicated."

"I get in the F-14, and we're doing three flights in one day and there is nothing you can do -- you're going to puke. First flight, I had that plastic right there," Cruise adds with a laugh. "So that's why right away I said, 'I'm going to teach you everything there is to know about what you’re going to go through in that aircraft, and by the time you sit in that F-18, it's not going to be a surprise to you like I had to go through.'"

Cruise's personal "all-encompassing aviation training" took his co-stars through a gauntlet of aviation experience, from a single-engine airplane, to an L-39, to the F-18 Super Hornet. 

"I'm very proud of what we all accomplished," the actor raved of  Maverick' s cast of newcomers -- which includes  Miles Teller ,  Glen Powell , Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez and more -- and their intense flight training. "Each one of them are extraordinary."

"Everybody thought it would be impossible for actors to really be in the jets," marvels Teller, who plays Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of Maverick's late wingman and best friend, Goose.

"That's the gift that Tom gave us, that by the time we got up there, we could handle it," agrees Powell, who plays Lt. Hangman.

Clearly, Cruise's leadership was a motivating factor for the entire cast and crew -- and the actor was clear in his devotion to making the Top Gun sequel that fans have been waiting for for over 30 years. Haven't seen the OG film? ET has you covered on how to watch the original Top Gun ahead of the highly anticipated sequel.

"I wanted it to be great for worldwide audiences. I wanted to be great for those people that have asked me to make it all these years," he shares. "I wanted to be great for everyone involved and wanted to be great for [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer, for allowing me to be at the table as a young artist."

"I have the best job in the world," Cruise adds. "I worry about how am I going to entertain all these wonderful people, and that's what I want to do. It's going to be their experience, and it was made with a lot of love, a lot of care, with them in mind."

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'The Outsiders' film set in Oklahoma was released 40 years ago. Where is the cast now?

tom cruise as steve

"The Outsiders" served as a kickstart for several future A-list actors, including C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise.

It had its theatrical release on March 24, 1983, and was directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and is based on S.E. Hinton novel.

The home where the movie was filmed was restored by Danny Boy O'Connor, formerly of the hip-hop group House of Pain. Several celebrates have taken tours at The Outsiders House Museum, including Leonardo DiCaprio, the band Green Day and "The Outsiders" author and Tulsa native S.E. Hinton.

Here is a look at where the cast of "The Outsiders" are now:

C. Thomas Howell: Michael 'Ponyboy' Curtis

Howell stars as Ponyboy Curtis, a bookish greaser who can quote Robert Frost.

He is most known for his roles in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Red Dawn," "The Hitcher" and a recurring role as a serial killer in "Criminal Minds."

Nearly 41 years after he journeyed to Tulsa to star as Ponyboy Curtis in the 1983 film "The Outsiders," Howell maintains strong ties to the Sooner State — and a deep love for the iconic movie that supplied just the second role of his almost lifelong acting career.

"I get how some people might feel like, 'Hey, dude, let go of the Ponyboy thing and move on.' I hope I'm never that way. I hope I'm never jaded that way. I love and respect 'The Outsiders' so dearly, and the children come to me and have so many questions," Howell said in a phone interview. "I feel I have a bit of responsibility to the piece in itself, just to respect and to honor it. It would be wrong not to, so I'm grateful for the duty."

'It's a special place': Howell shares love for Oklahoma ahead of release of restored 'Outsiders'

Matt Dillon: Dallas Winston

Dillon stars as Dallas Winston with blue eyes "blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world."

Dillon also starred in the film "Rumble Fish," also set in Oklahoma.

"Rumble Fish" follows a low-level street thug (Dillon) who is trying to live up to his older brother's (Mickey Rourke) reputation. The movie was shot at various locations throughout Oklahoma, but mostly in Tulsa. It is also directed by Coppola and based on Hinton's novel of the same name.

Dillon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sgt. John Ryan in the 2005 film "Crash." The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

His works also include "There's Something About Mary," "The House That Jack Built," "Wild Things" and "You, Me and Dupree."

Cinematic classics: Several iconic films have been made in Oklahoma in the past 100 years

Ralph Macchio: Johnny Cade

Macchio stars as Johnny Cade, a "dark puppy that has been kicked too many times."

He went on to to have a breakout role as Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 film "The Karate Kid." He would reprise his role for "The Karate Kid Part II" and "The Karate Kid Part III." He would also reprise the role in 2018 for the series "Cobra Kai."

He also published a memoir "Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me" in 2022. The book traces the rise of Macchio after the original film's 1984 release.

"The book is always tied into the Daniel LaRusso of it all, ‘The Karate Kid’ journey of it all," Macchio tells USA TODAY. "Even though I talk about ‘The Outsiders’ and ‘My Cousin Vinny,’ and my life and my wife and kids here and there, and the '90s that got a little dry for me after the '80s success."

'It was magic': Ralph Macchio talks 'Cobra Kai,' relationship to Pat Morita in 'Waxing On'

Patrick Swayze: Darrel 'Darry' Curtis

Swayze starred as Darrel Curtis, oldest brother to Ponyboy.

He went on to star as Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing,” as Sam Wheat in “Ghost” and as Bodhi in “Point Break.”

"Dirty Dancing" was a cultural phenom that grossed $218 million at the global box office and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," sung by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

Swayze died of pancreatic cancer at age 57 in 2009. 

“You’re only on this planet for so long,” Swayze says in a 2019 documentary. “You could be dead tomorrow, go for it now.”

Grab your tissues: 5 Patrick Swayze moments in the new documentary that'll give you all the feels

Rob Lowe: Sodapop Curtis

Lowe starred as Sodapop Curtis, the second oldest of the Curtis brothers.

In 1982, Lowe was relatively unknown in Hollywood. But now, he's most known for his roles in "9-1-1: Lone Star," "Parks and Recreation," "The West Wing" and "St. Elmo's Fire."

"I had my 18th birthday here, on the set of 'The Outsiders,'” Lowe told  The Oklahoman and The Associated Press in 2017 .

“Tulsa is where it all started for me,” he said. “I didn't go to college, I went to Tulsa. I left home and this is where I came. I did the movie here and I did a movie after that and a movie after that and a movie after that and that brought me to where I am today.”

Lowe also has a podcast, "Literally! With Rob Lowe," where he interviews celebrities and friends such as Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pratt and LeVar Burton.

'People want the real': Rob Lowe on his new podcast, binge-watching and '9-1-1: Lone Star'

Emilio Estevez: Keith 'Two-Bit' Matthews

Estevez stars as Two-Bit Matthews, a greaser and Steve Randle's bestfriend.

Estevez would go on to star in many '80s films such as "The Breakfast Club," "Young Guns" and "St. Elmo's Fire." He is the son of actor Martin Sheen and brother to Charlie.

In 2021, Estevez stepped back into his role of Gordon Bombay for "The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers," a revival of the '90s movie franchise now streaming on Disney+ .

Decades later, Estevez, remains fond of his role. "I never had a coach like Bombay," he says of the "compassionate father figure."

"I wish I did. And I think that's probably why people connected with the character as they did."

'The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers': Emilio Estevez's surly Bombay is 'a guy who's given up'

Tom Cruise: Steve Randle

Cruise stars as Steve Randle, a greaser and Sodapop's best friend.

Cruise is most known for his roles in the films "Top Gun," "Jerry McGuire," the "Mission: Impossible" movie franchise and "The Last Samurai," to name a few.

He also starred opposite Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 film "Rain Man." The movie was filmed in El Reno, Guthrie and other Oklahoma locations. It won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Actor for Hoffman and Best Director for Barry Levinson .

Cruise has received the following Academy Award nominations: Best Actor for "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Jerry Maguire," Best Supporting Actor for "Magnolia" and Best Picture for "Top Gun: Maverick."

He was recently honored with a career achievement award at the 34th annual Producers Guild of America Awards .

"I was certain this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Cruise said, recalling that he studied the movie-making process. "I was overwhelmed by what I didn’t know."

Producers Guild Awards honor Tom Cruise, give top prize to 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

Diane Lane: Sherri 'Cherry' Valance

Lane stars as Cherry, a Soc Cheerleader.

Lane has a long list of credits including "Unfaithful," "Under the Tuscan Sun," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "A Walk on the Moon," "Man of Steel," "Inside Out" and "Rumble Fish."

Lane was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film "Unfaithful."

Francis Ford Coppola: Director

Coppola and Hinton co-wrote the screenplay to her 1975 novel "Rumble Rish" on his days off from filming "The Outsiders." The director made the movies back to back in Tulsa. 

With "The Outsiders," Coppola was able to cast the cream of the crop of Hollywood's young actors, whom he famously auditioned in groups, trying different combinations to get the right dynamic.  

He said he decided to make the film adaptations of Oklahoma author Hinton’s novels after receiving a letter from a class of schoolchildren and their teacher, who said “The Outsiders” was their favorite book and the youngsters had elected him to make a movie of it.

Coppola has been nominated for 55 Academy Awards and has won a total of 5. He won Oscars for "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula."

Some of his works include : "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now," "The Rainmaker," "Jack" and "Rumble Fish."

Remaining cast:

  • Glenn Withrow portrays Tim Shepard in the film. His last acting credit is a 1990 TV movie "By Dawn's Early Light." He was also cast in the film "Rumble Fish."
  • Leif Garret portrays Bob Sheldon. He is known his roles in "Walking Tall," "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, "Joe Dirt" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
  • Darren Dalton portrays Randy Anderson. "The Outsiders" was Dalton's first acting role . He also appears in "Red Dawn."
  • Michelle Meyrink portrays Marcia. "The Outsiders" was also Meyrink's first role. Her last acting credit was in 1988 on "Permanent Record."
  • Tom Waits portrays Buck Merrill . Waits also appears in "Rumble Fish," "Seven Psychopaths" and "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs." Waits is also know for his musical career and has won two Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album for :Bone Machine" and Best Contemporary Folk Album for "Mule Variations".
  • Galard Sartain portrays Jerry. He is most known for his roles in "Fried Green Tomatoes," "The Replacements" and "The Grifters."
  • William Smith portrays the store clerk. He is most know for his roles in "Any Which Way You Can," "Rich Man, Poor Man," "Red Dawn" and "Laredo."
  • S.E. Hinton , author of the novel "The Outsiders," portrays a nurse in the film.
  • Sofia Coppola , daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, is credited as Little Girl (as Domino) in the film . Sofia Coppola won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Lost in Translation." She also became the first American woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director . 
  • Flea, founding member and bassist for the rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, has an uncredited as Soc #3 in the film. He has also appeared in "Baby Driver," "Back to the Future Part II," "The Big Lebowski" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." The Red Hot Chili Peppers have won 3 Grammy Awards .

What is 'The Outsiders' about?

The 1967 coming-of-age novel received an equally iconic adaptation directed by Coppola.

The film takes place in Oklahoma in the 1960s and features rival teen gangs: the Socs, short for Socials and the Greasers. The house was home to the Curtis brothers and a hangout for their Greaser friends.

More: Author reflects on ‘The Outsiders' after 40 years

Where can you watch, stream, rent/buy 'The Outsiders'?

  • Prime Video
  • Google Play
  • Microsoft Store
  • AMC on Demand
  • Spectrum on Demand

Contributing: The Associated Press and USA Today

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2024 awards season calendar – dates for writers guild, tonys & more, steven spielberg tells tom cruise he “saved hollywood’s a**” & doesn’t regret turning down directing ‘harry potter & the sorcerer’s stone’.

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Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg Harry Potter

Steven Spielberg is seemingly crediting Tom Cruise for “saving Hollywood” with the theatrical release of Top Gun: Maverick .

The Fabelmans director caught up with Cruise at the Oscar nominees luncheon and their encounter was caught in a video that has now gone viral. Spielberg congratulated Cruise on hitting the “milestone” last year by bringing back audiences to the theaters.

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Top Gun: Maverick , directed by Joseph Kosinski, was released in May 2022 and has grossed more than $1.48 billion globally.

steven spielberg telling tom cruise to his face, “you saved hollywood’s ass. and, you might have saved theatrical distribution. seriously. MAVERICK might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” i have to lie down. pic.twitter.com/nYbWbgadM7 — amanda (@marisatomay) February 14, 2023

In a separate interview, Spielberg is saying that he has no regrets about turning down the offer to direct Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , the film that established the whole franchise.

“There were several films I chose not to make,” Spielberg told “RRR” director S.S. Rajamouli during a conversation in India (via Insider ). “They offered me ‘Harry Potter’ and I chose to turn down the first ‘Harry Potter’ to basically spend the next year and a half with my family, my young kids growing up.”

Spielberg continued, “So, I sacrificed a great franchise — which today looking back I’m very happy to have done — to be with my family.”

Chris Columbus ultimately ended up directing the first adaptation of the J.K. Rowling book series that was released in 2001. Columbus also directed the sequel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which was released the following year.

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Steven Spielberg Tells Tom Cruise: ‘You Saved Hollywood’s Ass’ and ’Top Gun: Maverick’ Might’ve ‘Saved the Entire Theatrical Industry’

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Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise reunited at this year’s Oscar nominees luncheon, where the blockbuster filmmaker praised his “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds” actor for saving the theatrical movie business with “ Top Gun: Maverick .” Both Spielberg and Cruise are in the running for best picture this year thanks to “The Fabelmans” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” respectively.

“You saved Hollywood’s ass and you might have saved theatrical distribution,” Spielberg said to Cruise in a video originally shared on Instagram by director Kartiki Gonsalves, whose film “The Elephant Whisperers” is nominated for best documentary short film. Cruise was left blushing.

“Top Gun: Maverick” was the second movie to gross over $1 billion at the worldwide box office amid the pandemic, following “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” With a $1.48 billion gross, “Maverick” ranks as the 11th highest-grossing movie in history worldwide (unadjusted for inflation). The film is the fifth-highest grosser at the domestic box office with $718 million.

Although “No Way Home” grossed more, that was a Marvel movie with three generations of Spider-Man actors in it. Although “Maverick” is a sequel, its success was hardly preordained. Yet the follow-up to 1986’s “Top Gun” became a rare old-fashioned hit that legged out at the box office for months based on worth of mouth. According to Paramount, repeat customers fueled the momentum for “Maverick.” By its fourth weekend in North American movie theaters, 16% of the audience had returned more than once and 4% had returned three times or more.

As Variety’s Oscars expert Clayton Davis previously reported , Cruise was the big hit of the nominees Luncheon. Spielberg was hardly the only nominee who fawned over the “Maverick” star. Brendan Gleeson, Paul Mescal, Baz Luhrmann, Michelle Yeoh, Austin Butler and more all made sure to approach Cruise during the event and take photos.

“Top: Gun Maverick” is nominated for six Oscars, while “The Fabelmans” is up for seven. The Oscars air March 12 on ABC.

steven spielberg telling tom cruise to his face, “you saved hollywood’s ass. and, you might have saved theatrical distribution. seriously. MAVERICK might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” i have to lie down. pic.twitter.com/nYbWbgadM7 — amanda (@marisatomay) February 14, 2023
Steven Spielberg tells Tom Cruise that “you saved Hollywood’s ass and you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” pic.twitter.com/nPWR5BqiUV — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 14, 2023

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Steven Spielberg proclaims to Tom Cruise he 'saved Hollywood' with 'Top Gun: Maverick'

  • "You saved Hollywood's ass," Steven Spielberg told Tom Cruise at Monday's Oscar luncheon.
  • "Seriously, 'Maverick' might have saved the entire theatrical industry," he also told Cruise.
  • Along with being Cruise's biggest box-office hit to date, "Top Gun: Maverick" is also Oscar-nominated.

Insider Today

In a rarely captured, candid moment between two movie titans, Steven Spielberg proclaimed Tom Cruise the savior of movies when the two had a brief encounter at the annual Oscars luncheon on Monday.

"You saved Hollywood's ass," Spielberg told his "Minority Report" star after the pair saw each other at the event. "And you might have saved theatrical distribution."

"Seriously, 'Maverick' might have saved the entire theatrical industry," the legendary director told Cruise.

—amanda (@marisatomay) February 14, 2023

It's hard not to argue with Spielberg. The release of " Top Gun: Maverick " following the pandemic brought a vital jolt to movie theaters.

In a time when most studios were pushing their titles on streaming services, Paramount stood firm and held the movie's release until people felt more comfortable returning to theaters.

That finally happened in May 2022 when "Maverick" opened and led to a historic box office run. Its more than $1.4 billion worldwide gross is the biggest of Cruise's career to date, and the movie was the biggest box-office earner since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic until "Avatar: The Way of Water" was released in December.

The luncheon takes place every year in Los Angeles before the Oscars where nominees mingle and take photos.

Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" and Cruise's "Top Gun: Maverick" are both nominated for best picture at this year's ceremony, which will air on Sunday, March 12.

Cruise has starred in two of Spielberg's blockbusters: 2002's "Minority Report" and 2005's "War of the Worlds."

Watch: What 12 movies from 2022 looked like behind the scenes

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Steven Spielberg Appears to Tell Tom Cruise the Actor ‘Saved Hollywood’s A**’

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Steven Spielberg thinks theaters are soaring, thanks to “ Top Gun: Maverick .”

The “Fabelmans” writer-director appears to have told Tom Cruise at the Academy Awards nominees luncheon that the “Top Gun” actor-producer “got the milestone” of the year.

“You saved Hollywood’s ass,” Spielberg says in a clip widely shared on Twitter. “And, you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously. ‘Maverick’ might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” (You can watch the video below.)

Cruise’s appearance at the annual daytime gathering of the Academy Award nominees was a surprise to most attendees. He’s been largely absent from the awards circuit and so became the center of attention at the event, with nominees like Ke Huy Quan and Angela Bassett stopping him to say hi and take photos.

Cruise and Spielberg have collaborated on two films, “Minority Report” (2002) and “War of the Worlds” (2005).

Related Stories Tom Cruise to Lead Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s New Film for Warner Bros. and Legendary Mel Gibson Almost Starred in ‘Schindler’s List’

Cruise’s best Picture nominee “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, has grossed $1.48 billion at the global box office since opening last May. The now six-time Oscar-nominated film later became the most-watched movie premiere on Paramount+. Amid the pandemic, Cruise was adamant that “Top Gun: Maverick” premiere in theaters only, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Paramount allegedly turned down offers from streamers to buy “Maverick,” shutting out Netflix and Apple to instead have a theatrical release. “Top Gun: Maverick” remains second only to “Avatar: The Way of Water” for top 2022 releases globally.

Spielberg previously called the Best Picture Oscar nominations for blockbusters “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” an inspiring step for cinema — and specifically theatrical releases. “I’m really encouraged by that,” Spielberg told Deadline .

In an earlier interview, Spielberg told  The New York Times that the pandemic “created an opportunity for streaming platforms to raise their subscriptions to record-breaking levels and also throw some of my best filmmaker friends under the bus as their movies were unceremoniously not given theatrical releases.”

He continued that there is “no question” that “big sequels” and Marvel, DC, and Pixar films “still have a place in society,” especially as being theatrical draws among the likes of animated movies and horror films as a whole.

Spielberg is up for Best Director for “The Fabelmans” this year, as well as Best Picture as a producer on the film.

steven spielberg telling tom cruise to his face, “you saved hollywood’s ass. and, you might have saved theatrical distribution. seriously. MAVERICK might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” i have to lie down. pic.twitter.com/nYbWbgadM7 — amanda (@marisatomay) February 14, 2023

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Why even beat around the bush?

If you want a surefire blockbuster hit, just enlist the biggest director ( Steven Spielberg ) and the biggest actor ( Tom Cruise ), make a movie full of jaw-dropping special effects and scares and release it in the heart of summer. OK, and maybe throw in a very public real-life relationship involving the movie’s star as well.

Yes, there are high hopes for War of the Worlds , the Cruise / Spielberg extravaganza in theaters June 29, not just from the giddy fans anticipating not-so-loveable-and-affable extraterrestrials but also from the industry watchers, who will be anxiously counting the numbers at the box office. The last Spielberg / Cruise collaboration, the 2002 Minority Report , was the less than blockbuster-worthy. It was more a self-indulgent Spielberg in sci-fi metaphysical mode than anything else.

But whether or not the past financial performances of these two can turn War into box-office peace, the duo’s rich (pun intended) pedigrees cannot be denied. We’ve counted down our top five favorite Cruise and Spielberg moments.

Tom Cruise’s Top Five

5. Mission: Impossible (1996) Box office says: $181 million Lest we forget: In this TV show-turned-feature film, Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from everyone and trusting no one, Hunt does his darnedest to elude his pursuers and simultaneously uncover the truth. Why it’s on our list: Hard to believe, but this was Cruise ‘s first real summer-action extravaganza. Up to this point, he had seemingly explored every other avenue in his illustrious career except opening a summer blockbuster. And the surprisingly smart caper–by summer standards, anyway–earned more than enough to spawn a franchise, making Ethan Hunt the James Bond of our generation (sorry, XXX ). Maximum exploitation of Cruise’s looks? The fact it was a summer action movie, director Brian De Palma didn’t dress Cruise down. But audiences still wouldn’t stand in line, in the heat, at the multiplex for comeliness alone. They wanted to see that fabulous mega-watt smile and the Bond-esque explosions and gadgets.

4. Magnolia (1999) Box office says: $22.5 million Lest we forget: Director Paul Thomas Anderson ‘s brilliantly interwoven tour de force connects nine Californians’ lives. Cruise plays Frank Mackey, a womanizer who makes a living teaching single men his dirty tricks but who also carries a heavy burden. Why it’s on our list: Mackey is easily the actor’s most tortured soul to date. He took a risk in his career, playing such a depraved role. It could have turned many off. But Cruise stunned fans and critics alike, turning in a stellar, Oscar-nominated performance. Maximum exploitation of Cruise’s looks? Cruise dons a greasy ponytail and a macho attitude unfamiliar to his legions of fans but does nothing to dull his chiseled features. Although the indie was never going to break box office records, totally obscuring what the masses recognize him for wouldn’t have helped.

3. Rain Man (1988) Box office says: $173 million Lest we forget: Cruise stars as Charlie Babbitt, a fast-talking hustler, who finds out he has an autistic-genius brother, Raymond ( Dustin Hoffman ). A large sum of money bequeathed to Raymond by their father brings them together–and tears them apart. And when Charlie takes Raymond on an unsolicited road trip, his brother ends up teaching him some valuable lessons. Why it’s on our list: Cruise plays a marked second-fiddle to Hoffman , but such is the brilliance of his underrated performance in this oft-overlooked (at least by Cruise followers) Best Picture winner. At this point in his career, Cruise truly solidified his place as an actor with the chops to make it. Maximum exploitation of Cruise’s looks? Nope. Things are kept to a minimum in that department, even though it is impossible to completely hide Cruise ‘s good looks. No, Rain Man is all about Hoffman ‘s Oscar-winning performance. The film achieved the rare feat of veneration and big grosses.

2. Top Gun (1986) Box office says: $177 million Lest we forget: Director Tony Scott helms this high-octane action-romance, in which Cruise stars as Pete Mitchell–aka “Maverick”–a hotshot fighter pilot sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School to perfect his craft. Along the way, he learns about the ways of love, camaraderie, and his own personal shortcomings. Why it’s on our list: Coming hot off the heels from his breakout role in Risky Business , this was the quintessential Cruise movie that truly put him on the map. The highly quotable film also showcased the talents of several unknowns at the time– Val Kilmer and Tim Robbins , amongst others–who have since become stars in their own right. Maximum exploitation of Cruise’s looks? Are you kidding? Where Risky Business plays off his boyish charm, Top Gun thrives on Cruise ‘s virility, raw charisma–and six-pack abs, making the actor a megastar.

1. Jerry Maguire (1996) Box office says: $154 million Lest we forget: Super sports agent Jerry Maguire has the carpet ripped out from beneath him when he’s let go by his firm, after voicing how he thinks the business should be less about money and more about people. The only ones who stick by him are secretary Dorothy Boyd ( Renee Zellweger , in her major-movie debut) and past-his-prime wide receiver Rod Tidwell ( Cuba Gooding Jr ., who won an Oscar for his role). As Maguire’s world is flipped upside down, he naturally learns to appreciate what and who he’s got. Why it’s on our list: Maguire was well-received–even by the independent crowd–thanks in no small part to writer-director Cameron Crowe . Cruise turns the tables once again, playing a guy terribly vulnerable but kind of an a**hole at the same time. Audiences appreciated his performance, as did Academy voters who honored him with a Best Actor nomination. Maximum exploitation of Cruise’s looks? His looks are exploited to their fullest effect after being strategically and effectively downplayed. Maguire’s abandonment by his girlfriend and clients alike could’ve left us thinking, what happened to Cruise ‘s charisma? But by the end of the movie, hearts go aflutter for the man like never before (“You…complete me.”)

[PAGEBREAK]

Steven Spielberg’s Top Five

5. Jurassic Park (1993) Box office says: $357 million Lest we forget: Based on Michael Crichton’s bestseller, Jurassic Park is a modern-day theme park complete with long-extinct dinosaurs who have been brought back to life through the miracles of cloning. What fun! A group of scientists–plus the grandchildren of the park’s creator–are the first to test the park’s splendor. But of course, things go horribly wrong when the dinosaurs take over and kill everyone, as they are wont to do. Why it’s on our list: The special effects rock, as does the film’s concept. The dinosaurs look so real, and the scenes so intricate, that viewers feel like they are there. And by employing characters actors–including Sam Neill , Jeff Goldblum , Laura Dern and (fittingly) Richard Attenborough –instead of A-listers, we can keep our eyes on the dinos and watch the engrossing, fun and oftentimes horrifying story unfold. How much of a vanguard was it? Jurassic Park is one of those cinematic benchmarks in great special effects, seamlessly integrated dinosaur and actor. Only Spielberg had the guts, at the time, to tackle something so evocative and titillating on the page yet logistically implausible to bring to life on screen when nobody else would’ve dared to try.

4. Schindler’s List (1993) Box office says: $96.1 million Lest we forget: The Oscar winner eloquently shows the horrors of the Holocaust through the eyes of a bold sympathizer, Oskar Schindler ( Liam Neeson ), who demanded mercy and took matters into his own hands to save as many as he could. No one can forget where this film came from. Why it’s on our list: Shot almost entirely in black and white, Schindler’s List has the harrowing feel of newly found documentary footage from the time. But the moral to this true story, along with its beautifully dark and sullen cinematography, completely engrosses you. Coupled with the fact there is some of the finest acting performances ever–from Neeson , B en Kingsley , and Ralph Fiennes , to name a few. An absolute masterpiece, even by Spielberg standards. How much of a vanguard was it? When it was released, the film had a tremendous effect on all who even spoke of it, let alone saw it. And quite a few saw it. In fact, for a three-hour movie so compelling and a subject matter so atrocious, to gross that much money makes it a vanguard in itself. But Spielberg wouldn’t accept a penny of it for his labor of love–and pain.

3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Box office says: $435 million Lest we forget: Ah, the surprisingly heart-warming tale of the world’s most loveable alien ever. Surely you remember: Boy Elliot ( Henry Thomas ) meets E.T. They are equally frightened of each other but grow to love each other. The bad scientists try to dissect E.T. but Elliot saves him. Then E.T. must return “home.” Also stars the precociously adorable Drew Barrymore . Why it’s on our list: E.T. is simply magical. It touches everyone, with an unsurpassed child-like wonderment. And it was made on a relatively small budget, without a lot of elaborate special effects. It also has one of the most memorable on-screen images of all: Elliott and E.T. on the bike, with the moon as the backdrop. How much of a vanguard was it? Spielberg managed to do more with less with E.T. He made it during a time when storytelling meant more to him than, perhaps, gimmickry. That isn’t to suggest that people mind his kind of gimmickry. E.T. is also one of the top-grossing films of all time, even though it was released more than 20 years ago. Spielberg ‘s neo-E.T. War of the Worlds will be met with a different fan reaction, but it might scare up just as much money.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Box office says: $242 million Lest we forget: Raiders marks our first encounter with championed archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones ( Harrison Ford ). Set prior to WWII, “Indy,” as he is affectionately known, is hired by the United States to locate the sacred Ark of the Covenant before Hitler’s henchmen can get their hands on it. Not an easy task, especially when he’s cheating death on a daily basis. Why it’s on our list: The movie’s tagline said it all: “The creators of Jaws and Star Wars now bring you the ultimate hero in the ultimate adventure.” This was quite a bold and ambitious prediction. Not only did Spielberg and co-writer George Lucas –whose Star Wars was still most the rage at this point–live up their tagline, they made it seem like an understatement. How much of a vanguard was it? Sure, Spielberg had made his stamp before this, but Raiders earned him the backing from the big studios that has never evaporated. Spielberg also established a friendship, as well as a healthy competition, with his collaborator and equally iconic (and wealthy!) Lucas –a relationship that continues to thrive to this day.

1. Jaws (1975) Box office says: $260 million Lest we forget: Based on Peter Benchley’s gripping novel, the little “shark movie” strikes fear in all who dared to brave the open waters. On Amity Island, a great white shark is making minced meat of the locals. To keep the tourist season alive, it’s up to three men ( Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss ) to go out and catch them a shark–that is, before the shark gets them. Why it’s on our list: This may seem a curious pick for No. 1 given Spielberg ‘s prolific output, but Jaws has since become a near cultural phenomenon, an institution, really. At the time, the film was recognized for its sheer genius and ingenuity (even if the mechanical shark didn’t work all that often) that resonates even today. With every occasional shark attack there is, the Jaws theme can be heard, off in the distance. How much of a vanguard was it? This was the vanguard in Spielberg ‘s career. First of all, it was a major boon for the movie industry, establishing the very first summertime blockbuster. It also created a whole new sub-genre of horror, one in a different vein from the reigning master, Hitchcock . And for as scary as hell as it was, it was also a classic buddy flick. Simply put, Jaws

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The Outsiders Scene That Made Tom Cruise Physically Ill

Tom Cruise smiling

At this point in his legendary career, there's almost nothing that Tom Cruise hasn't done onscreen. That statement extends far beyond just delivering solid character work. In fact, Cruise's reputation for doing his own stunt work in films precedes him these days. That reputation is well earned, as Cruise has personally participated in high-speed chases, flown jets and helicopters, dangled from skyscrapers, repelled down buildings, leaped between buildings, and more, in service of big screen spectacle over the years. And if everything goes to plan, he'll even punch a ticket to actual space before all is said and done.

During a 2021 interview on " The Graham Norton Show ," the seemingly ageless Cruise claimed in no uncertain terms he still gets a sincere kick out of doing his own stunt work in his films, and admitted he's even been told by some directors to stop smiling during the death-defying scenes. While Cruise has willingly sacrificed his body in service of such spectacle over the years, it seems one scene from his early career hit "The Outsiders" pushed the famed cinematic daredevil to the absolute limits. And the "Top Gun: Maverick" superstar was clearly not smiling by the time the shot was in the can. 

Cruise apparently went into sugar shock shooting a scene for The Outsiders

If you've followed Tom Cruise's illustrious career since the early days, you know he worked with some of cinema's biggest names prior to his "Top Gun" breakout. And during the same interview with " The Graham Norton Show ," Cruise regaled the talk show host and his fellow guests with a couple of hilarious tales, one of which involved an unfortunate culinary decision he made for Francis Ford Coppola's stylish 1983 ensemble drama " The Outsiders ."

That decision found Cruise caught in a tricky digestive loop in a scene where he and several of the film's esteemed cast members hash out a family problem. The talky scene finds Cruise's Steve Randle contributing to the conversation while chomping down on chocolate cake. According to Cruise, the decision to actually eat cake in the scene was innocent enough. "I was working with Coppola," he said, "and I was like, 'You know what, I'm going to eat chocolate cake in the scene ... it's part of the character, I'm going to eat chocolate cake.'"

The choice soon came back to haunt Cruise as the scene took longer than anticipated to shoot. "We ended up shooting this scene for three days," he told Norton, "and we did like 100 takes of me eating chocolate cake, and I had to keep eating it." Cruise continued by adding the first few takes were pretty enjoyable. But by the end of day three, he'd had more than enough, claiming, "I was in sugar shock, I was vomiting." Culinary regrets aside, the cake scene stands as proof that even early in his career Cruise would do anything necessary to make a moment memorable.

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Steven spielberg overheard telling tom cruise he “saved hollywood’s a**” with ‘top gun: maverick’.

"Seriously, 'Maverick' might have saved the entire theatrical industry," the filmmaker said to the 'Top Gun' sequel actor-producer.

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

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Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick

Steven Spielberg was overheard giving a massive compliment to Tom Cruise at the 2023 Academy Luncheon on Monday.

The iconic filmmaker told Cruise in his ear in what was seemingly intended as a private exchange that last year’s blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick might have single-handedly saved theatrical moviegoing.

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Steven Spielberg tells Tom Cruise that “you saved Hollywood’s ass and you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” pic.twitter.com/nPWR5BqiUV — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 14, 2023

During the pandemic, Cruise adamantly pushed for studio Paramount to hold Maverick for theatrical release and resist the temptation to release the film to a streaming service.

Spielberg and Cruise have a long relationship, which includes working together on 2002’s Minority Report and 2005’s War of the Worlds .

Maverick ended up with the highest-grossing domestic box office of 2022, bringing in $718 million. Combined with foreign receipts, the sequel totaled $1.5 billion.

The 2021 blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home has also been widely credited with helping revive moviegoing post-pandemic. But Maverick was seen as busting through the usual superhero movie dominance, plus bringing older moviegoers back to the theaters.

Maverick has six Oscar nominations, including best picture. Spielberg’s acclaimed biographical drama The Fabelmans is up for seven Oscars, including best picture and best director.

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It's official (according to Steven Spielberg): Tom Cruise saved cinema

tom cruise as steve

By Lucy Ford

It's official  Tom Cruise saved cinema

If ever there was a time to canonise some sort of living Patron Saint of Hollywood, Tom Cruise probably deserves a shot at the running. 

The movie business hasn't exactly had an easy few years. As we were stuck at home, cinemas shuttered, budgets got slashed, water cooler moments all but disappeared and VOD became the movie-watching experience de rigueur. The town was in a tizzy. ‘How will we ever get bums back in seats?’ Of course, there were some outliers. Marvel , for instance, never stopped making money, especially thanks to Spider-man: No Way Home . But then, swooping in on the wing of a plane , Tom Cruise appeared and solidified the blockbuster's place in the 2020s with Top Gun: Maverick .

This may sound hyperbolic, but at least Steven Spielberg agrees with us.

The pair were caught on camera at the annual Oscars luncheon, where they're both nominated for Best Picture ( Spielberg nabbing it for his semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans ). In a video captured at the event, Spielberg is seen gushing to a blushing Cruise “You saved Hollywood’s ass and you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously, Top Gun: Maverick might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” It's a pretty glorious moment, especially when you consider the pair's history working together on films like Minority Report and War of the Worlds, two titans of the box office at their release. 

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Steven Spielberg knows a thing or two about boosting theatrical releases. Jaws , of course, is still one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, and you can throw in the Jurassic Park and the Indiana Jones franchises in for good measure too. And when it comes to Cruise, he's not wrong. 

Grossing over a billion dollars at the global box office and railing against the short window between cinema release and on-demand viewing, with Top Gun: Maverick , Cruise ensured a place on the big screen for films that aren't tethered to 30 other films packed with lore before it. Sure, Top Gun: Maverick isn't an original film, it's drenched in nostalgia for its 1986 predecessor which told the story of young fighter pilots. The movie more or less cuts and pastes that concept into a new mould, with Cruise leading a gaggle of young bucks, including the son ( Miles Teller ) of his late best friend Goose. But its existence as a sequel at this point is kind of overshadowed by the sheer feat it pulled that could rival any F/A-18. 

It's hard to call anything a bonafide, decades-spanning A-list celebrity does a ‘Cinderella Story’, but Top Gun: Maverick bucked not only a post-pandemic movie-going trend but reopened a window to a former golden age of blockbuster experiences. Considering, ahead of its release, many were sure Cruise's resistance to sending it to streaming right away was some kind of folly of ego, its continuing box office success is something like a fairytale.

So there you have it, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Steven Spielberg, we now pronounce Tom Cruise the saviour of the film industry. 

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Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg bring about end to 20-year-long feud; here's what led to the rift

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg seem to have buried the hatchet at the Oscars luncheon earlier this month. The Fabelmans director complimented Cruise on his blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick.

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg bring about end to 20-year-long feud; here's what led to the rift

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg seem to have ended their almost 20-year-long feud. The Top Gun Maverick star had not been on speaking terms with Spielberg since at least 2005, when their movie War of the Worlds released. However, Cruise and The Fabelmans director seem to have buried the hatchet at the Oscars lunch earlier this month. At the luncheon, which was attended by celebrities like Austin Butler, Angela Bassett, Guillermo del Toro and Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg hugged and interacted like old friends. The Schindler’s List director also complimented Cruise on his movie Top Gun: Maverick and how it brought people back to the theatres after the coronavirus lockdowns.

“You saved Hollywood’s a***, and you might have saved theatrical distribution,” Spielberg told Cruise, as per a Daily Mail report. As the two seem to have ended their decades-long feud, let’s take a look at what went down between Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg:

Why did Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg fall out?

As per reports, Cruise and Spielberg’s relationship deteriorated during the promotions of their film War of the Worlds . Cruise, who went on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show in 2005 to promote the sci-fi actioner, jumped on the couch and ended up proclaiming his love for then girlfriend Katie Holmes. The Mission Impossible star kept talking about Holmes instead of his upcoming film. At one point, Cruise told Oprah, ““Yes, we’re talking about War of the Worlds,” leaving her surprised.

Spielberg believed that the Jerry Maguire star’s antics on the show led to War of the Worlds losing $30 million in box office takings. The movie was still a hit and grossed over $600 million.

Another bone of contention between the two were Cruise’s comments on Brooke Shields. The actor, who is against psychiatric therapy due to his beliefs in Scientology, slammed Shields for taking antidepressants to tackle her postpartum depression. Spielberg was incensed by the incident and tried to make Cruise change his way of thinking.

As per a Daily Mail report, Spielberg tried to talk to Tom Cruise about a doctor who prescribed psychiatric drugs like Ritalin, but the conversation worsened their bond. The doctor, who was Spielberg’s friend, saw his office being picketed by Scientologists soon after the director’s conversation with Cruise.

This led to the rift between Cruise and Spielberg further widening. The two did not work together after the War of the Worlds. Whether the thawing of the relationship will lead to Cruise and Spielberg working again is yet to be seen.

Tom Cruise has earned his fourth Academy Award nomination with his recent hit Top Gun: Maverick . The sequel to the 1986 hit Top Gun grossed about $1.5 billion at the box-office. The film has been nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year at the Oscars. Spielberg’s latest movie The Fabelmans has also been nominated for the top honours at the Academy Awards this year.

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Steven Spielberg Revealed Tom Cruise's True Greatness As A Dad, Even Taking The Calls Of His Kids Mid-Scene

Not only is Tom Cruise the busiest man in Hollywood, but he'll also find the time to be a great dad.

At the age of 60, Tom Cruise continues to show no signs of slowing down. His films continue to dominate at the box office, while the actor is a workhorse on set, both in front and in back of the camera.

Give his success professionally and his net worth over $600 million, most would assume that his life as a dad might've been a bit of a struggle, particularly in terms of time.

However, as we'll reveal in the following, that hasn't been the case with his kids Isabella and Connor. We're going to take a look at Tom's thoughts on fatherhood, while reliving Steve Spielberg's experience alongside Tom Cruise during Minority Report . According to the director, Tom made sure to be a great dad and one that would resolve disputes, even if it was mid-scene.

Tom Cruise Revealed His Entire Life He Wanted To Be A Father And Always Wanted To Make Time For His Kids

Tom Cruise smiling walking in the rain

Yes, Tom Cruise is an A-list actor with such a demanding schedule. Tom doesn't just act in films nowadays, he also plays a crucial role behind the scenes as well.

However, despite his involvement professionally, Tom is very much a family man at heart. Not only did he reveal that he wanted to be a dad his entire life, but he also mentioned that it was a priority of his to always be there for the kids , no matter how busy his schedule got.

“My whole life I always wanted to be a father," Cruse revealed.

He continues, “I always said to myself that my children would be able to depend on me and I would always be there for them and love them—that I’d never make a promise to my kids that I couldn’t keep. I’m not one of those people who believe you can spoil a child with too much love. You can never give a child too much love. There’s just no way.”

RELATED - How Connor Cruise Lives Out Of The Spotlight, Despite Being Tom Cruise's Son

Well, according to his former director Steven Spielberg, Cruise was backing up those words in a major during their time together back in 2002.

Steven Spielberg Revealed Tom Cruise Was Answering Disputes From His Children Mid-Scene During Minority Report

Steven Spielberg smiling

With Steven Spielberg in back of the camera, and Tom Cruise as John Anderton, Minority Report was yet another huge hit back in 2002. The Sci-fi/action brought in $358 million at the box office, while receiving strong reviews.

Not only did Tom thrive in the film, but according to Steve Spielberg, he was also being an active father on-set . The director recalls Cruise taking calls just before a scene was about to be shot. He made it clear, he wanted to be there for his kids at all times.

Spielberg recalls with Ranker, "There were times that I was about ready to say “Action,” and the phone rang. If it was Tom’s kids, everything stopped for that. Just when he was preparing for probably the hardest scene he has in the whole movie, the phone rang. Anybody else would have looked up with anger in their eyes, but he immediately broke character and walked off and took the call..."

RELATED - Matt Lauer Brought Up His Controversial Interview With Tom Cruise On The Today Show With Katie Holmes, But The Actress Had The Perfect Response To It

Spielberg would go on to reveal that the problems were usually minor, but that Cruise always came to their rescue.

"Connor or Isabella had stuck an eraser in their eye or something like that. It was not serious, but Dad came to the rescue. I thought it was amazing. I have been known to say [when talking about his own kids], “I’ll call them back after the shot.”

Despite how much time has past, it seems like Tom maintains a strong relationship with both Connor and Isabella.

Tom Cruise's Kids Continue To Show Support For Their Dad's Career, Posting About Top Gun: Maverick On Social Media

Tom and Connor Cruise

The connection between Tom and his kids continues to be very strong. Both Connor and Isabella are part of Scientology, while they have been spotted alongside their dad in recent years.

RELATED - Tom Cruise's Take On Hollywood Seems To Be The Reason Mark Wahlberg Won't Work With Him

According to Hello Magazine , they also both support Tom's acting career , posting the Top Gun: Maverick trailer on their social media accounts prior to its release. It is also believed that kids are much closer to Tom than Nicole, again, given what the media has said in the past.

Tom has also shown the love back on multiple instances, the actor paid for Isabella's wedding entirely, though he did not attend the ceremony given that it would've cast too big of a spotlight on him, as opposed to his daughter on her big day.

Of course, Tom also has Suri Cruise from his relationship to Katie Holmes. That seems to be an entirely different ordeal as since their split, it seems like Tom hasn't seen his daughter all that much if the rumors are to be believed. Katie and Suri shipped off the New York following the split, starting a different life.

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Oscar statuettes

Oscars 2024

Oscars 2024: the complete list of winners.

Headshot of Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

An Oscars statuette.

The 96th Academy Awards aired Sunday night on ABC. Below is the full list of 2024 Academy Award nominees, with winners marked in bold.

Oscars 2024: A night of 'Oppenheimer,' quiet protest, and Ryan Gosling just being Ken

6 takeaways from the 2024 Oscars

Best picture

'Oppenheimer' looks at the building of the bomb, and its lingering fallout

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'oppenheimer' looks at the building of the bomb, and its lingering fallout.

WINNER: Oppenheimer, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers American Fiction , Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers Anatomy of a Fall , Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion, Producers Barbie , David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, Producers The Holdovers , Mark Johnson, Producer Killers of the Flower Moon , Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, Producers Maestro, Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers Past Lives , David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, Producers Poor Things , Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, Producers The Zone of Interest , James Wilson, Producer

'Like it or not, we live in Oppenheimer's world,' says director Christopher Nolan

Movie Interviews

'like it or not, we live in oppenheimer's world,' says director christopher nolan.

WINNER: Oppenheimer , Christopher Nolan Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet Killers of the Flower Moon , Martin Scorsese Poor Things , Yorgos Lanthimos The Zone of Interest , Jonathan Glazer

Actress in a leading role

How 'Poor Things' actor Emma Stone turns her anxiety into a 'superpower'

How 'Poor Things' actor Emma Stone turns her anxiety into a 'superpower'

WINNER: Emma Stone , Poor Things Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone , Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Actor in a leading role

WINNER: Cillian Murphy , Oppenheimer Bradley Cooper, Maestro Colman Domingo , Rustin Paul Giamatti , The Holdovers Jeffrey Wright , American Fiction

Actress in a supporting role

Da'Vine Joy Randolph wins best supporting actress for 'The Holdovers'

Da'Vine Joy Randolph wins best supporting actress for 'The Holdovers'

Da'Vine Joy Randolph on 'The Holdovers' and becoming a matriarch

It's Been a Minute

Da'vine joy randolph on 'the holdovers' and becoming a matriarch.

WINNER: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple America Ferrera, Barbie Jodie Foster, Nyad

Actor in a supporting role

WINNER: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Ryan Gosling, Barbie Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Writing (original screenplay)

If you love courtroom dramas, this Oscar-nominated film is not to be missed

If you love courtroom dramas, this Oscar-nominated film is not to be missed

WINNER: Anatomy of a Fall ; Screenplay - Justine Triet and Arthur Harari The Holdovers ; Written by David Hemingson Maestro ; Written by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer May December ; Screenplay by Samy Burch, story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik Past Lives ; Written by Celine Song

Writing (adapted screenplay)

Every era has its own 'American Fiction,' but is there anything new to say?

Every era has its own 'American Fiction,' but is there anything new to say?

WINNER: American Fiction; Written for the screen by Cord Jefferson

Barbie ; Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach Oppenheimer ; Written for the screen by Christopher Nolan Poor Things ; Screenplay by Tony McNamara The Zone of Interest ; Written by Jonathan Glazer

International feature film

In 'The Zone of Interest' evil lies just over the garden wall

In 'The Zone of Interest' evil lies just over the garden wall

WINNER: The Zone of Interest , United Kingdom Io Capitano , Italy Perfect Days , Japan Society of the Snow , Spain The Teachers' Lounge , Germany

Documentary feature film

'We need to record everything': This team stayed behind in a Ukrainian war zone

'We need to record everything': This team stayed behind in a Ukrainian war zone

WINNER: 20 Days in Mariupol ; Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath Bobi Wine : The People's President; Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek The Eternal Memory ; Maite Alberdi Four Daughters ; Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha To Kill a Tiger ; Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim

Animated feature film

In 'The Boy and the Heron,' Hayao Miyazaki looks back

In 'The Boy and the Heron,' Hayao Miyazaki looks back

WINNER: The Boy and the Heron ; Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki Elemental ; Peter Sohn and Denise Ream Nimona ; Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary Robot Dreams ; Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ; Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal

Cinematography

The craft that went into the 13 Oscar nods for 'Oppenheimer'

WINNER: Oppenheimer , Hoyte van Hoytema El Conde , Edward Lachman Killers of the Flower Moon , Rodrigo Prieto Maestro , Matthew Libatique Poor Things , Robbie Ryan

Film editing

The pioneering women behind the invisible art of film editing

The pioneering women behind the invisible art of film editing

WINNER: Oppenheimer , Jennifer Lame Anatomy of a Fall , Laurent Sénéchal The Holdovers , Kevin Tent Killers of the Flower Moon , Thelma Schoonmaker Poor Things , Yorgos Mavropsaridis

Production design

Oscars, take note: 'Poor Things' built its weird, unforgettable world from scratch

Oscars, take note: 'Poor Things' built its weird, unforgettable world from scratch

WINNER: Poor Things , Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek Barbie , Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer Killers of the Flower Moon , Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis Napoleon , Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff Oppenheimer, Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman

Music (original song)

The 2024 Oscars' best original song nominees, cruelly ranked

The 2024 Oscars' best original song nominees, cruelly ranked

WINNER: "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie ; Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell "The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot ; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie ; Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt "It Never Went Away" from American Symphony ; Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson "Wahzhazhe" from Killers of the Flower Moon ; Music and Lyric by Scott George

Music (original score)

Composer Ludwig Göransson On 'Oppenheimer'

WINNER: Oppenheimer , Ludwig Göransson American Fiction , Laura Karpman Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , John Williams Killers of the Flower Moon , Robbie Robertson Poor Things , Jerskin Fendrix

'The Zone of Interest' focuses not on the sights, but on the sounds of the Holocaust

WINNER: The Zone of Interest ; Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn The Creator; Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic Maestro ; Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One ; Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor Oppenheimer ; Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O'Connell

Visual effects

Movie Reviews

'godzilla minus one' is a period piece about the decades-old story.

WINNER: Godzilla Minus One ; Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima The Creato r; Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ; Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One; Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould Napoleon ; Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould

Costume design

WINNER: Poor Things , Holly Waddington Barbie , Jacqueline Durran Killers of the Flower Moon , Jacqueline West Napoleon , Janty Yates and Dave Crossman Oppenheimer , Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup and hairstyling

WINNER: Poor Things ; Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston Golda ; Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashra Kelly-Blue Maestro ; Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell Oppenheimer ; Luisa Abel Society of the Snow ; Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé

Animated short film

WINNER: War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, Dave Mullins and Brad Booker Letter to a Pig, Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter Ninety-Five Senses , Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess Our Uniform , Yegane Moghaddam Pachyderme , Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius

Live action short film

WINNER: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar , Wes Anderson and Steven Rales The After , Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham Invincible , Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron Knight of Fortune , Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk Red, White and Blue , Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane

Documentary short film

'The Last Repair Shop' spotlights the shop that keeps LA's music students playing

WINNER: The Last Repair Shop , Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers The ABCS of Book Banning , Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic The Barber of Little Rock , John Hoffman and Christine Turner Island in Between , S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien Nai Nai & Wài Pó , Sean Wang and Sam Davis

  • 96th academy awards
  • oscars 2024

'Mission: Impossible' Should’ve Never Killed This Character — and Tom Cruise Tried to Bring Them Back

This Mission: Impossible character deserved more than a single appearance.

The Big Picture

  • Emilio Estevez's character Jack Harmon in Mission: Impossible was killed off early, leaving fans wanting more.
  • Tom Cruise regrets killing off Jack Harmon and considered bringing him back for future movies.
  • The Mission: Impossible series has a history of forgetting about its IMF characters, leaving fan-favorite roles behind.

For nearly thirty years now, Tom Cruise has been wowing audiences everywhere with death-defacing stunts as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series of action films. Based on the original television series from the 1960s, Mission: Impossible was relaunched as a film series in 1996, and we've been thrilled ever since. But every once in a while, a character appears in the Cruise-led series that never returns. Sometimes they're written off, and sometimes they are killed, and in the case of Emilio Estevez 's Jack Harmon, we've never quite forgiven the franchise for killing him off in the very first movie.

Mission: Impossible

An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Emilio Estevez Played a Break-out Character in the First 'Mission: Impossible'

When the first Mission: Impossible starts , Ethan Hunt (Cruise) works as an agent directed by his friend and mentor Jim Phelps (played by Jon Voight , who takes over the role from Peter Graves in the original series) with the Impossible Mission Force (IMF). But when Ethan's team is suddenly killed all around him, our favorite IMF agent is forced to clear his name and uncover the web of conspiracy that threatens to trap him. But one member of Ethan's original team stands out above the rest, one who died way too soon. Estevez's Jack Harmon is the team's resident tech guru and controls the elevators during their fateful mission in Prague . Sadly, it's the only field action the character ever gets.

We don't get to see too much of Estevez in Mission: Impossible . His character is killed in the very first act and the actor isn't even credited on-screen (either in the opening or in the end credits) for his part in the film. While Estevez doesn't get any billing for his work here, Jack's companionship with his IMF team, and Ethan in particular, helps establish the tight-knit bond between the largest IMF unit we've ever seen in the film series . The way the actors play it, these guys are a sort of make-shift family, and it's arguably the happiest we ever see Ethan Hunt until he meets Julia Meade ( Michelle Monaghan ) a few movies later. While Simon Pegg 's Benji Dunn took over the role of "the tech guy" in future installments, Estevez's Jack was the first man behind the computer screen. He and Ethan are clearly close, and Jack's sudden and brutal elevator death affects the IMF agent deeply.

Along with Jack, agents Sarah Davies ( Kristin Scott Thomas ) and Hannah Williams ( Ingeborga Dapkunaite ) are killed on the same Prague mission. As it turns out, their team leader, Jim Phelps, and his wife Claire ( Emmanuelle Béart ), are the ones behind the betrayal, and though Ethan survived to take the fall, he too was eventually supposed to die. Thankfully, with the help of Luther Stickell ( Ving Rhames ), Ethan clears his name and the rest is history, but his team is still dead, and that means no sequel for Jack Harmon. Sadly, Emilio Esteves never returned to Mission: Impossible , which is a tragedy since the actor was pretty popular at the time, with movie series like The Mighty Ducks and Young Guns ––the latter of which ironically killed Tom Cruise in a brief cameo role.

Tom Cruise Regrets Killing Jack Harmon in the First 'Mission: Impossible'

According to Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise personally asked him to take on the role of Jack Harmon in the first Mission: Impossible . "The way Tom had explained it, he said, “Look, I’d love for you to come and join the cast. The whole opening number where everybody gets wiped out, it’s going to be a lot of well-known people and all of them are going to go uncredited and it’s really going to set up the level of peril for Ethan," the actor told Uproxx in 2023. He also noted that he didn't even think twice about joining the cast, and jumped aboard as soon as possible. Estevez and Cruise had become friends years earlier while filming The Outsiders , though the two haven't appeared on-screen together since the 1996 Mission: Impossible .

Estevez later recounted a conversation he had with Cruise a year after Mission: Impossible came out. "'Man, we made such a mistake killing you off,'" Cruise reportedly told him, a sentiment we can't help but agree with ourselves. " He and [ Mission: Impossible 2 director] John Woo were trying to figure out a way to bring me back for part two, but it just didn’t make sense ," Estevez explained. "I thought you could have because with all the masks, right?" Now all we can think about is how fun it would've been to watch Estevez play Cruise's Ethan Hunt in Jack Harmon makeup––assuming the identity of a dead man would definitely be a smart move, Ethan––but sadly we never got that. Though, Cruise does get to play a disguised Sean Ambrose ( Dougray Scott ) in the sequel, pretending to be Ethan Hunt to frame the IMF agent.

With the advent of the artificial intelligence known as the Entity as Ethan's latest opponent, it seems like the odds of Estevez returning to the franchise may be less impossible than before. Henry Czerny already returned as Eugene Kittridge, who hadn't been seen since the 1996 film, in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning , and it seems like other familiar faces aren't out of the picture quite yet. Since A.I. can use deep fakes and make Ethan see things that aren't there , perhaps using images of his dead teammates against him would be a powerful motivator for Ethan Hunt's latest adventure. But, speculating aside, Estevez's Jack is a character who has been missed since his untimely death , and before the death of Ilsa Faust ( Rebecca Ferguson ) in Dead Reckoning , he was no doubt the biggest IMF fatality.

'Mission: Impossible' Has a Problem With Forgetting About Its IMF Characters

Throughout the Mission: Impossible franchise, we've seen plenty of cast members come and go . Sure, Benji Dunn and Luther Stickell keep coming back for more (and we love them for it), but aside from Ethan's most trusted allies, the only other members of Ethan's IMF team to return for seconds are Ilsa Faust and William Brandt ( Jeremy Renner ), who hasn't been seen since Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation . Thandiwe Newton 's Nyah Nordoff-Hall from Mission: Impossible 2 , Maggie Q 's Zhen Le and Jonathan Rhys Meyers ' Declan Gormle from Mission: Impossible III , and Paula Patton 's June Carter from Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol have all been forgotten about by subsequent sequels. And they're not the only ones, Anthony Hopkins and Lawrence Fishburne have yet to return as government higher-ups and IMF directors of years past themselves.

The IMF must have a high turnover rate or something, because Estevez's Jack Harmon clearly isn't the only agent to refuse a future mission. While Estevez has an excuse (being killed off will do that), the other surviving characters haven't found their way back to Ethan Hunt's core team for some reason, which is a crying shame. But since Tom Cruise shows no signs of slowing down, it's always possible that some of these seemingly forgotten IMF stars will make their way back into the world of international espionage . In fact, we hope they all choose to accept a final mission sometime down the line.

Mission: Impossible is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

Hollywood Reporter

‘It Happened in Hollywood' Podcast: Why Tom Cruise Photoshopped Himself Into a Picture of David Fincher and Cameron Crowe

Filmmaker Ed Zwick - whose new memoir Hits, Flops and Other Illusions has just come out - joined The Hollywood Reporter ‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast for the show's season five premiere.

Zwick has directed some of Hollywood's biggest stars in films like 1989's Glory (starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick), 1994's Legends of the Fall (with Brad Pitt) and 2006's Blood Diamond (with Leonardo DiCaprio).

But it was in teaming up with Tom Cruise that Zwick felt the full force of what it meant to be making a movie with arguably the most powerful movie star on the planet. No expense was spared for the period epic set in Japan - and as Zwick reveals, Cruise was heavily courted by other A-list directors while he made his film.

"We'd been in Japan for a couple of weeks - we shot at a beautiful monastery for about two weeks," Zwick recalls. "Then, we came back to Warner Brothers, and we built this whole stage. And you know, word gets around when the interesting things are happening. People were going to look at this old Hollywood recreation of the [19th century Tokyo] street.

"And at one point, I happen to turn around. And it's almost like a joke - you know, there's Cameron Crowe. There is Steven Spielberg. There's David Fincher. And I'm sitting in my [director] chair, and they're like, all behind me. It's like, ‘Oh - hey. I didn't want to feel too self-conscious about this. But whoa ," he continues.

The men "had all come to see Tom, for various reasons, because Cameron had made a couple of movies with him. I think Fincher was going to and then didn't, and Spielberg later did - he made War of the Worlds with him [in 2005]," says Zwick.

"The great part of the story is that the unit photographer saw us all together and said, ‘Hey, can I just take your picture?' So there's a picture of all of us - except Tom had been called away to do something. And then he heard about the picture later, and he saw it. And he said, ‘I want to be in that picture!' So we shot Tom, and then photoshopped him into the picture."

Listen to that anecdote and many others on the latest episode of It Happened in Hollywood below - and subscribe today for weekly tales from the Hollywood trenches.

Feb. 15, 11 am PST Updated to note that Steven Spielberg was on set at the time, but did not appear in the photo with Zwick.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

  • 'Top Gun 3' in the Works at Paramount
  • What Tom Cruise's New Deal Really Means
  • Tom Cruise Sets Up Shop at Warner Bros. With New Movie Partnership

‘It Happened in Hollywood' Podcast: Why Tom Cruise Photoshopped Himself Into a Picture of David Fincher and Cameron Crowe

IMAGES

  1. Amen_MollyRingwald80s

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  2. Random Outsiders Stuff🐟😌

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  3. Pin on Young Tom Cruise back in 1984

    tom cruise as steve

  4. OhMy80's (‘Steve Randle’ / Tom Cruise / The Outsiders)

    tom cruise as steve

  5. Pin by Hannah Fraser on Fictional Worlds

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  6. Pin on The outsiders

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VIDEO

  1. Tom's Cruise Walkthrough

  2. Why Tom Cruise Refused to play Tony Stark 😂

COMMENTS

  1. The Outsiders (1983)

    You and Ponyboy, if the fuzz show, you beat it out of there. Hey, we'll get jailed, but you two will get the boys home, you know what I'm sayin'? Steve : Ain't nobody gonna call the fuzz in this neighborhood! Cause they know better! [laughs] Darrel Curtis : [trying to get their attention again] All the- Hey, hey!

  2. The Outsiders (1983)

    The Outsiders: Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. With C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze. In a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.

  3. THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Outsiders,' 38 years later

    A young unknown by the name of Tom Cruise played Steve Randle, another greaser. ... Michelle Meyrink and Tom Cruise in 1982. Fotos International/Getty Images The 21-year-old's first film was "The ...

  4. The Outsiders (1983)

    Marnie Moore. ... Foley Artist and Crew: The Complete Novel, American Zoetrope and ZAP. Margie O'Malley. ... Foley Artist and Crew: The Complete Novel. Frank Rinella. ... foley artist: The Complete Novel.

  5. 'The Outsiders' Cast and Characters (And What They're Doing Now)

    Tom Cruise stars as Steve Randle, a Greaser who, although cocky and rude at times, cares deeply for his friends, especially SodaPop, who he works with at the gas station. Cruise is arguably the ...

  6. 'The Outsiders' Cast: Where Are They Now?

    Tom Cruise (Steve Randle) A three-time Oscar winner, Cruise is one of the hottest actors in Hollywood, with iconic roles in Top Gun, Risky Business, Jerry Maguire, The Mummy and more. Apart from ...

  7. Without Limits

    Without Limits is a 1998 American biographical sports film.It is written and directed by Robert Towne and follows the relationship between record-breaking distance runner Steve Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman, who later co-founded Nike, Inc. Billy Crudup plays Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland plays Bowerman. It also stars Monica Potter, Jeremy Sisto, Judith Ivey, Matthew Lillard and ...

  8. 'The Outsiders'

    The movie adaptation of S.E. Hinton's 1963 novel The Outsiders stars Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, and an all-star ensemble. The film was critically acclaimed, and became a cult classic.

  9. 'Top Gun: Maverick': Behind the Scenes of the Long-Awaited Sequel

    Go Behind the Scenes of 'Top Gun: Maverick' With Tom Cruise (Exclusive) Steve Lawrence, Steve & Eydie Singer, Dead at 88 Gary Sinise on How He Navigated His Wife and Son's Cancer Journeys at ...

  10. Oklahoma film 'The Outsiders' 40 years later: Where is the cast now?

    0:00. 1:07. "The Outsiders" served as a kickstart for several future A-list actors, including C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise. It had its theatrical release on March 24, 1983, and was directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and is based on ...

  11. Steven Spielberg Tells Tom Cruise He "Saved Hollywood's A* ...

    Steven Spielberg is seemingly crediting Tom Cruise for "saving Hollywood" with the theatrical release of Top Gun: Maverick.. The Fabelmans director caught up with Cruise at the Oscar nominees ...

  12. Steven Spielberg Says Tom Cruise Saved Hollywood With Top Gun ...

    The Oscars air March 12 on ABC. steven spielberg telling tom cruise to his face, "you saved hollywood's ass. and, you might have saved theatrical distribution. seriously. MAVERICK might have ...

  13. Steven Spielberg Tells Tom Cruise 'Top Gun: Maverick' 'Saved ...

    Steven Spielberg proclaims to Tom Cruise he 'saved Hollywood' with 'Top Gun: Maverick'. Jason Guerrasio. Feb 14, 2023, 3:45 PM PST. (L-R) Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg at the 2023 Oscars ...

  14. Steven Spielberg Tells Tom Cruise 'Top Gun: Maverick' Saved ...

    Steven Spielberg thinks theaters are soaring, thanks to " Top Gun: Maverick .". The "Fabelmans" writer-director appears to have told Tom Cruise at the Academy Awards nominees luncheon that ...

  15. Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg Top Five Films

    The Cruise/Spielberg Factor. 1. Jaws (1975) Box office says: $260 million Lest we forget: Based on Peter Benchley's gripping novel, the little "shark movie" strikes fear in all who dared to ...

  16. The Outsiders Scene That Made Tom Cruise Physically Ill

    Tom Cruise is well-known for doing his own stunts, but an early attempt at realism during the filming of a scene in "The Outsiders" made the actor ill. ... The talky scene finds Cruise's Steve ...

  17. Tom Cruise

    Tom Cruise. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and producer. Regarded as a Hollywood icon, [1] [2] [3] he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for four Academy Awards. His films have grossed over $4 billion in North America and ...

  18. Watch Spielberg Tell Tom Cruise That 'Top Gun: Maverick' Saved Hollywood

    February 14, 2023 2:33pm. 'Top Gun: Maverick' Courtesy of Paramount Pictures. Steven Spielberg was overheard giving a massive compliment to Tom Cruise at the 2023 Academy Luncheon on Monday. The ...

  19. Tropic Thunder

    Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller, who wrote the screenplay with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen.The film stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson as a group of prima donna actors making a Vietnam War film. When their frustrated director (Steve Coogan) drops them in the middle of a jungle and dies in an ...

  20. It's official (according to Steven Spielberg): Tom Cruise saved cinema

    It's official (according to Steven Spielberg): Tom Cruise saved cinema. The man made ET. What he says goes. By Lucy Ford. 15 February 2023. If ever there was a time to canonise some sort of living ...

  21. Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg bring about end to 20-year ...

    Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg seem to have ended their almost 20-year-long feud. The Top Gun Maverick star had not been on speaking terms with Spielberg since at least 2005, when their movie War of the Worlds released. However, Cruise and The Fabelmans director seem to have buried the hatchet at the Oscars lunch earlier this month. At the luncheon, which was attended by celebrities like ...

  22. Steven Spielberg Revealed Tom Cruise's True Greatness As A ...

    We're going to take a look at Tom's thoughts on fatherhood, while reliving Steve Spielberg's experience alongside Tom Cruise during Minority Report. According to the director, Tom made sure to be a great dad and one that would resolve disputes, even if it was mid-scene.

  23. The Story Behind Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg's 20-Year Feud

    The Story Behind Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg's 20-Year Feud. The actor and director worked together and then fell out. Here's why. In the early 2000s, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg's first collaboration, Minority Report, was a hit, so the actor and director teamed up again a few years later for 2005's War of the Worlds.

  24. Oscars 2024: The complete list of winners : NPR

    WINNER: The Zone of Interest; Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn The Creator; Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic Maestro; Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason ...

  25. Tom Cruise Tried to Bring Back This Dead 'Mission ...

    For nearly thirty years now, Tom Cruise has been wowing audiences everywhere with death-defacing stunts as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series of action films. Based on the original ...

  26. 'It Happened in Hollywood' Podcast: Why Tom Cruise Photoshopped ...

    Filmmaker Ed Zwick - whose new memoir Hits, Flops and Other Illusions has just come out - joined The Hollywood Reporter's It Happened in Hollywood podcast for the show's season five premiere.