tom cruise genius movie

• The Best Movies About Geniuses
• Mind-Bending Movie Endings That Change Everything
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• Memory Manipulation
• Trust No One
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• Psychological Thrillers
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The 50+ Best Movies About Geniuses

Exploring the world of best movies about geniuses offers a unique and captivating experience. This list showcases a diverse array of films that delve into the lives of individuals with extraordinary intellect and creativity. From the historical insights of Young Einstein to the profound narrative of A Beautiful Mind , these movies about geniuses provide a window into the varied experiences and contributions of exceptionally smart characters.

Among the featured films are titles like Good Will Hunting , portraying a genius janitor with an incredible mind, and Rain Man , a movie about a genius man with super memory. These films, along with others such as The Time Machine , October Sky , and August Rush , highlight the different facets of being super intelligent in various fields.

What makes this list particularly engaging is its crowd-ranked format, inviting movie buffs to vote and add their favorite genius movies. Whether it's a genius kid movie that inspires you or a story about a smart person overcoming challenges, this list offers a comprehensive look at cinema's portrayal of brilliant minds.

Your participation is key in shaping this collection. Cast your vote for the film you think best represents the theme of genius, or suggest a title that captures the essence of a beautiful and smart movie.

Good Will Hunting

A young janitor at MIT with a gift for mathematics navigates the challenges of life, love, and therapy under the guidance of an unconventional mentor. This Oscar-winning drama captivated audiences worldwide with its compelling story, brilliant performances from Matt Damon and Robin Williams, and its authentic portrayal of personal growth.

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The Imitation Game

A brilliant mathematician leads a team of cryptanalysts in a race against time to crack an unbreakable Nazi code during World War II, while battling personal demons and secrecy. This gripping historical drama received widespread acclaim for its engrossing storytelling and outstanding performances, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the enigmatic genius at its center.

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A Beautiful Mind

A brilliant but tormented mathematician embarks on a harrowing journey of self-discovery while struggling with schizophrenia, ultimately making groundbreaking contributions to the field. This poignant and inspiring biographical drama garnered numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, thanks to its powerful portrayal of resilience and the human spirit.

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A selfish yuppie discovers he has an autistic savant brother, embarking on a cross-country journey that transforms their lives and relationship forever. This heartwarming, Oscar-winning film captured audiences with its blend of drama, comedy, and powerful performances from Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.

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The Man Who Knew Infinity

A young Indian mathematician's extraordinary journey from obscurity to fame unfolds as he forms a unique bond with his Cambridge professor, forever changing the world of mathematics. This critically acclaimed biographical drama celebrates the life and genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan.

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Sherlock Holmes

A brilliant detective and his loyal companion face off against a nefarious villain in a thrilling game of wits, action, and intrigue set in Victorian London. This modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories won a Golden Globe for Robert Downey Jr.'s performance.

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The Theory of Everything

A brilliant physicist's extraordinary life and love story unfolds as he defies all odds, overcoming a debilitating disease while making groundbreaking contributions to science. This inspiring biopic earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award for its Eddie Redmayne's transformative performance.

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A struggling writer discovers a mysterious pill that allows him to access 100% of his brain's potential, propelling him into a world of wealth and power beyond his wildest dreams. This thrilling sci-fi drama marks one of Bradley Cooper's first roles as a leading man.

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A jealous composer seeks to destroy the life of a musical prodigy, only to be consumed by his own obsession and madness. This critically acclaimed biographical drama won eight Academy Awards in 1985, including Best Picture, establishing itself as a cinematic masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences today.

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The Martian

A resourceful astronaut, presumed dead and left behind on Mars, must find a way to signal Earth that he is alive while struggling to survive in the harsh environment. Based on Andy Weir's 2011 novel, this sci-fi adventure film received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. 

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August Rush

A young musical prodigy uses his extraordinary talent to navigate the streets of New York City in a quest to find his birth parents, ultimately discovering that love and music are universal languages. This heartwarming film features powerful performances, enchanting soundtrack, and inspiring message about the power of art and human connection.

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Searching for Bobby Fischer

A young chess prodigy struggles to balance his extraordinary talent and the desire for a normal childhood, while being caught in the middle of a battle between two fiercely competitive chess teachers. This classic drama  based on a true story  showcases the world of competitive chess and its impact on the lives of those involved.

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A single man raising his child prodigy niece is drawn into a custody battle with his mother, leading to an emotional and heartfelt journey of love, family, and sacrifice. This compelling drama showcases exceptional performances from its talented cast and has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide.

The Social Network

A brilliant but socially awkward college student creates a revolutionary social media platform, only to find himself embroiled in legal battles and personal betrayals. This critically acclaimed drama offers insight into the rise of Facebook and its enigmatic founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

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Hidden Figures

A team of brilliant African-American women provide NASA with critical mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions, breaking barriers in both gender and race. This inspiring true story became a box-office hit, earning three Oscar nominations and widespread acclaim for its talented ensemble cast and timely portrayal of underrepresented heroes.

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The Accountant

A seemingly ordinary math savant with a hidden talent for lethal combat becomes entangled in a dangerous web of secrets and lies as he uncovers the truth behind his clients' criminal activities. This action-packed thriller keeps audiences on the edge of their seats with its unique blend of suspense, complex characters, and surprising twists, quickly becoming a fan favorite among moviegoers.

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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, faces off against his intellectual equal and arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse across Europe. This thrilling sequel delivers intense action sequences and witty banter between the iconic duo of Holmes and Watson, solidifying its place as a fan-favorite among modern adaptations.

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A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor dons a high-tech suit of armor to fight evil, launching an iconic superhero franchise. The film's groundbreaking visual effects and charismatic lead performance by Robert Downey Jr. propelled it to become a box office success, solidifying the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe .

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A Brilliant Young Mind

A mathematically gifted teenager finds new confidence and friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad. This heartwarming, critically acclaimed film explores themes of autism, friendship, and overcoming personal challenges.

October Sky

A coal miner's son defies the odds and his father's expectations to pursue his dream of launching rockets with the help of a dedicated teacher and a group of friends. This inspiring, true story about determination and passion became an instant classic, resonating with audiences worldwide.

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Ender's Game

A brilliant young strategist is recruited into a space-bound military school to prepare for an impending alien invasion, in this thrilling sci-fi adventure that tests the limits of humanity's survival instincts. Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Orson Scott Card, the film has garnered a dedicated fanbase who are drawn to its complex characters and thought-provoking themes.

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A woman accidentally caught in a dark deal turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. This action-packed sci-fi thriller became an international hit, entertaining audiences with its mind-bending concept and exhilarating visuals.

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A brilliant inventor navigates the trials of his personal and professional life while revolutionizing the world with his groundbreaking electrical innovations. This biographical drama has garnered attention for its unique visual style and compelling portrayal of a misunderstood genius.

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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

A quirky inventor accidentally shrinks his children and the neighbor's kids, sending them on a wild adventure through their now-gigantic backyard. Released in 1989, this family-friendly sci-fi comedy became an instant classic and spawned multiple sequels, proving that size really does matter when it comes to big-screen entertainment.

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A dedicated ballerina becomes obsessed with perfection as she lands the lead role in a production of "Swan Lake," blurring the lines between reality and her own dark fantasies. This psychological thriller enthralled audiences with its intense performances, stunning visuals, and haunting exploration of ambition gone awry.

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Enola Holmes

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Weird Science

Two high-school outcasts use their computer skills to create the ultimate dream woman, leading to a whirlwind of hilarious and chaotic adventures. This 1985 cult classic is beloved for its blend of teen comedy and science fiction, capturing the essence of '80s pop culture.

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Phantom Thread

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The Untold Truth Of Rain Man

In 1988, a movie with a confusingly weather-related title topped the box office, shone at the Academy Awards, and introduced a previously unaware public to a developmental disorder called autism — or rather, to one version of it. 

Rain Man starts with scheming car salesman Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learning that he has an older brother with autism, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), to whom their late father left most of his fortune. Charlie decides to become Ray's legal guardian as a cash grab, and he effectively kidnaps him from the institution he's been living in for decades. Driving back to LA from Ohio, Charlie realizes that Ray is both more brilliant and more developmentally challenged than he realized. His impatience runs straight into Ray's reliance on routine as a source of stability, and Charlie is eventually forced to think about the needs and demands of someone other than himself.

The movie was so successful that the title has become a byword for someone who struggles socially but has genius-level mathematical and memory abilities. But the untold truth of  Rain Man  is that what you see on the screen is nowhere near the full story. 

Rain Man drew on multiple real people for inspiration

Believe it or not, the script for Rain Man  – and especially the character Ray — was inspired by multiple real people.

The plot point that sees Charlie kidnap Ray from the institution and petition to become his guardian was taken from something original screenwriter Barry Morrow actually did. Without the avaricious motivation. Morrow became the legal guardian of his friend , Bill Sackter, to prevent him from being sent back to the institution he'd lived in for most of his life. Before Rain Man , Morrow told this story in the TV movie Bill , starring Mickey Rooney as Sackter.

Morrow also partly based Ray on Kim Peek, a man he'd met in 1984 who was a mega-savant with skills similar to Ray, as well as similar disabilities. Unlike Ray, Peek — who died in 2009 , aged 58 — was not autistic. However, he did have an incredible memory. By the time he died, Peek had memorized around 12,000 books. He could read two different pages at the same time, with one eye on each page. He could also remember the day of any date, as well as any zip code, map or travel route across the US. Peek also had mental disabilities that affected his physical coordination, and he needed help to get dressed and brush his hair and teeth. Plus, he couldn't understand metaphors or do basic reasoning.

When Morrow won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Rain Man , he gave Peek the statuette. Peek generously let people hold it at public appearances.

Rain Man went through multiple writers and directors

According to Rolling Stone , Rain Man went through three directors and six writers before finding the dream team of screenwriter Ronald Bass and director Barry Levinson.

Barry Morrow came up with the story, based on his relationships with Kim Peek and Bill Sackter, and he wrote the first script for MGM. The studio eventually handed it to Ronald Bass , who only had three minor screenwriting credits to his name but would later write The Joy Luck Club , Dangerous Minds , and My Best Friend's Wedding . As for Levinson, he was an established screenwriter by the time he came to Rain Man . He'd even been nominated for two writing Oscars — one for the Al Pacino-starring And Justice for All  and another for  Diner , which he'd also directed. He'd also just directed the Vietnam War comedy  Good Morning, Vietnam .

Looking at the script, Levinson felt that there was too much action, which detracted from the heart of the story — the relationship between the brothers. One draft even had Ray building a motorcycle from scratch to escape a motorcycle gang. So Levinson and Bass worked together to create a draft that put the focus back on the Babbitts. As Levinson told Rolling Stone , "If I can make the relationship work with these two guys on the road, then that's enough for me." Unfortunately, a writers' strike meant the script wasn't finished by the time filming started. But Morrow and Bass still won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Rain Man , while Levinson picked up Best Director.

A lot of famous filmmakers turned down the project

While Rain Man was going through its drafting phase, multiple well-known actors and directors signed on and dropped out. Potential directors included Tootsie and Out of Africa director Sydney Pollack (who'd later direct Cruise in The Firm and act opposite him in Eyes Wide Shut ) and Martin Brest , famous for Oscar-winner  Scent of a Woman  and infamous for writing and directing Gigli , a favorite of the Razzies .

The most famous director attached and then detached from Rain Man was Steven Spielberg. In a 1990 interview, Spielberg explained that he'd spent five months working on Rain Man with Cruise, Hoffman, and screenwriter Ronald Bass. But he had to leave the project to fulfill a promise to George Lucas that involved making Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . Spielberg said that he regretted departing from Rain Man , especially when the awards started rolling in. "Maybe I should have forgotten my entire friendship with George Lucas," he laughed .

On the acting side, Mel Gibson turned down the part of Ray, and Mickey Rourke turned down Charlie . Rourke had also previously turned down another part that ultimately went to Cruise — Maverick in Top Gun . One interesting combination we never got to see involved Bill Murray playing Ray and Hoffman playing Charlie, but Murray declined the role .

Dustin Hoffman considered quitting

Dustin Hoffman threw himself into researching the role of Ray. He read books by autistic author Temple Grandin and non-autistic scientist Dr. Oliver Sacks, who wrote about a pair of twins, John and Michael, who both had autism and extraordinary mathematical abilities. The scene in Rain Man in which Ray is able to tell immediately how many matchsticks have spilled onto the floor is based on something the twins actually did .

Hoffman also studied a documentary about Joseph Sullivan , an autistic mathematical savant with an incredible memory, whose mother worked as a consultant on Rain Man . In fact, Sullivan met Hoffman on set. Hoffman also estimated that 90% of Ray's dialogue and many of his mannerisms came from an autistic man named Peter Guthrie. Peter's brother, Kevin, sent Hoffman tapes of their conversations.

Despite all his research, two weeks into filming, Hoffman felt that he wasn't doing Ray justice. "It was the worst work I had ever done," he told the AP . At one point, he suggested the production replace him with Richard Dreyfuss. But it was while filming the scene in which Ray talks about his underwear — from Kmart at 400 Oak Street in Cincinnati — that Hoffman had what he felt was an epiphany into his character. He explained to the AP, "I suddenly realized ... he is nowhere if he's not in the now. ... I know something about obsession, and I'm comfortable being obsessive. The rest of it just took care of itself."

Tom Cruise was seen as an odd casting choice

Tom Cruise was cast early on in Rain Man 's long pre-production lifespan. But he was seen as an odd choice for a dramatic movie in which the emotional arc rested largely on his shoulders.

As Barry Levinson explained to The New York Times , Ray doesn't change because he's most comfortable with routine. Charlie is the one who goes on an emotional (as well as literal) journey, from self-centered wheeler-dealer to a caretaker who tries his best to understand Ray. Up until Rain Man , Cruise had been seen as a good-looking action or romantic lead. His three biggest movies had been Cocktail , in which he played a rebellious cocktail bar owner,  Risky Business , where he played a rebellious teenager, and  Top Gun , in which he played the Maverick . None of the roles had an abundance of emotional depth.

Cruise agreed Charlie was "a challenge," but that was the appeal. He told the AP , "It was different. ... It was the best role that I've had in my career to date." And his co-star was confident in him. Hoffman and Cruise improvised with each other, including playing each other's characters, and Hoffman said of Cruise to The New York Times , "We were linked into each other — which allowed us to be rough with each other. There's an emotionality between us that's very difficult to act — that permitted moments to happen between us."

Rain Man put a big city on the Hollywood map

When the Rain Man team was looking for somewhere to serve as Wallbrook (the institution where Charlie finds Ray), the producers got in touch with Cincinnati-based location scout Lori Holladay, who recommended Kentucky's St. Anne's Convent, a spot Holladay remembered from growing up in the area. In 1988, the convent was home to nuns belonging to the Congregation of Divine Providence, but in 2012, it was sold to the Diocese of Covington, which now rents it out as a retreat. The crew added a fake pond for a scene between Ray and Charlie that's shown in publicity stills but didn't make it to the film.

The film's funeral was also filmed in Kentucky, at Evergreen Cemetery. And the restaurant scene involving spilled toothpicks was filmed at Pompilio's restaurant in Newport, KY. As of 2019, the restaurant still had the table Hoffman and Cruise sat at. Then-owner Frank Mazzei told WCPO of the superstars, "They were very nice to work with. ... They particularly liked our lasagna."

The city of Cincinnati claimed a few pivotal locations, too. The Dixie Terminal served as a bank, and Ray, Charlie and Susanna (Valeria Golino) drove across the Roebling Bridge. Kristen Schlotman, executive director of Film Cincinnati, credits Rain Man with sparking interest in filming in the city, with the town's credits including The Killing of a Sacred Deer , The Ides of March , and Carol .

Oklahoma is very proud of Rain Man

As most of Rain Man is a road trip, the producers had to find somewhere that Ray and Charlie could travel through. According to Mary Nell Clark (via Tulsa World ) , then-executive director of the Oklahoma Film Office, Oklahoma earned the honor thanks to its "old gas pumps, breathtaking landscapes, the rustic look."

The scene in which Ray stands in the middle of an intersection blocking traffic was shot in Guthrie, OK. The man driving the pickup truck who shouts at Ray was local oil producer Jack Cope , whose wife had bought him a spot in the movie at a charity auction. Cope improvised his lines opposite Hoffman.

Another local who stole a scene was Byron Cavnar, who played the man in the psychiatrist's waiting room. Byron and his wife, Elmeta, were supposed to sit quietly. But Byron started chatting to Hoffman about the Pony Express, and Levinson silently turned the cameras on.

Other Oklahoma locations include the farmhouse where the brothers watch The People's Court with the Dougherty family, all of whom received credits. And the tiny gas station where Charlie and Ray stop to make a call from a phone booth — with gassy consequences — was filmed in Cogar, OK, which had never even had a movie theater. Even the motel that's supposed to be in Amarillo, Texas, was actually in Oklahoma. To this day, Rain Man holds a special place in Oklahoma's collective heart, as it's the only Best Picture Oscar-winner to have been shot in the state.

The phone booth fart scene was too real for Tom Cruise

Rain Man may be the only Best Picture winner to have a fart joke ... but Tom Cruise wasn't laughing. 

When Ray and Charlie are crammed in a phone booth in remote Oklahoma, Ray lets one rip, accompanied by the phrase, "Uh oh, fart." Still on the phone, Charlie asks in disbelief, "Did you fart, Ray? ... How can you stand that?" He then tries to crack the door open. But as with many of the lines that made the final cut, that moment wasn't in the script. Cruise told The Graham Norton Show that Hoffman really farted in the tiny phone booth and that he was "grossed out" by his co-star. Cruise stayed in character enough to call Hoffman by his respective character's name, but he really was trying to open the door. "I tried to get out of the booth, and everything I said to him was real," Cruise added.

For his part, Hoffman has no regrets. He's said that the scene is one of his favorites from Rain Man , telling interviewer Rajeev Masand that Levinson encouraged them to improvise, so when Cruise went with the gaff (well, guff), Hoffman kept the scene going, too. "And it's one of the high moments of my life. I have done Shakespeare, and I have done plays by Arthur Miller, but nothing can touch the fart scene," he said.

The car was the star

Sure, Hoffman and Cruise were the ones with their names on the poster. But the third star of Rain Man was the Sequoia Cream 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible that both drove (pun intended) Charlie and his father apart and brought him and Ray together. Not only did spending hours on the road force the two brothers to get to know each other, but it was their father's decision to leave Charlie the car and Ray everything else that pushed Charlie to seek his sibling out (and ultimately kidnap him for the inheritance).

However, the car was even rarer than Charlie claims. He tells Susanna that Buick only made 8,000 production models of the 1949 Roadmaster convertible, but according to auction site Hemmings , it was only 2,911. And two went on to star in Rain Man . One was used for the green screen shots, and the other was used for driving scenes.

In 2012, one of the two cars sold for $170,500 at auction. Levinson bought the other car after production wrapped. It later appeared on docuseries Chasing Classic Cars , and Levinson loaned it to host Wayne Carini for a fundraising effort in aid of an autism charity, as Carini's daughter Kimberly is autistic.

Rain Man wasn't expected to be a hit

This side of the 1989 Academy Awards, it's hard to imagine anyone thinking that Rain Man wouldn't be a hit. But before, during, and right after filming, that was anything but a certainty.

For starters, Rain Man had been in limbo for years when it was finally ready to shoot. And when Barry Levinson came on board, he had only eight weeks to prepare for filming, including turning the script around. Added to that particular pressure, there was a writers' strike on the horizon. Ronald Bass wrote as much as he could before it started, but the script wasn't finished when the company town's writers downed their tools. This also meant there couldn't be any rewrites during production.

On the bright side, no possibility of rewrites meant no studio executives lingering around and interfering. So Levinson and his cast and crew hit the road and made the rest up as they went. They also mostly shot chronologically , which allowed Levinson to add details and scenes that reflected the developing relationship between the characters.

As a result, the team working on the project was sold. Producer Mark Johnson said that crew members throughout were telling him that Rain Man was going to win Oscars. Still, Johnson wasn't convinced, even after he'd watched early cuts. "I'm just hoping it goes through the gate," he told Grantland of that tricky time.

Rain Man was adapted for the stage

Forget imitation. The sincerest form of flattery in the world of movies is a stage adaptation. And in 2008, Rain Man was given a theatrical reworking  by playwright Dan Gordon, opening in London's West End that September.

Josh Hartnett of Pearl Harbor fame played Charlie, and British actor Adam Godley starred as Ray. Godley was an established stage actor, but his most recognizable screen roles to that point were as a teacher in Love Actually  and Elliott Schwartz in Breaking Bad . More recently, he played a nefarious spiritual adviser in The Great , and he voices Pogo in The Umbrella Academy . 

As for the play itself, it received mixed reviews, but it did well enough to earn a touring run with a new cast in summer 2018 , which was extended into 2019 .

Autism advocates have mixed feelings about Rain Man

One thing autism advocates tend to agree on is that before Rain Man , the vast majority of non-autistic people had no idea what autism was and didn't care. The movie addresses this by showing people's confusion when meeting Ray. Rain Man 's success not only made moviegoers aware of autism, it also  led to an increase in funding for medical research. Ray helped audiences put a face to a vague medical term in a way that often needs to happen for people to take an interest in something they have no personal experience with.

However, Rain Man 's popularity became a double-edged sword. As Professor Katherine Loveland  wrote on ABC , "It's very important to recognize that people with autism are not all alike. In fact, they can vary widely across a spectrum of disorder." Only approximately one in ten people with autism has savant-style skills like Ray, but the success of the movie means that many non-autistic people immediately assume that anyone they meet who's autistic must also be a genius . In addition, as The A.V. Club pointed out , Charlie only warms to Ray when he realizes he has these superior mathematical talents that he can use to his advantage. Rain Man helped raise awareness of a very narrow version of autism, but there are so many other stories to tell.

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‘genie’ writer richard curtis says he got tom cruise’s permission to include joke in movie.

Melissa McCarthy's character in the film develops a crush on the actor after seeing him in a 'Mission: Impossible' movie.

By Carly Thomas

Carly Thomas

Associate Editor

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Richard Curtis said he made sure to run his Tom Cruise joke in the new holiday fairytale comedy Genie by the action star.

In the film, Melissa McCarthy ‘s character genie Flora develops a major crush on Cruise after going to a movie theater for the first time and seeing him in a Mission: Impossible film. This leads her to cover her bedroom walls with posters of the actor, as well as get a sweatshirt featuring Cruise’s face as a Christmas present from her new friend Bernard (Paapa Essiedu).

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“I mean, we asked him through his people,” Curtis explained. “I’m lucky enough to know Tom a bit. He’s always been very sweet to me. And we worked on a film for a while, which didn’t happen.”

After the Oscar-nominated writer learned that Top Gun: Maverick actor gave him the go-ahead, he said in response, “I don’t know whether it’s a favor to me and Melissa or whether someone in the mail room said, ‘This sounds okay.’ But it means that after all these years, I’ve at last made a Tom Cruise movie.”

Curtis noted that he was also “so thrilled” to be able to include a three-second clip of Mission: Impossible in the flick.

Genie follows Bernard, a workaholic man who enlists the help of magical genie Flora to help win his family back before Christmas.

As for several other jokes throughout the Sam Boyd-directed movie, the Notting Hill writer said McCarthy actually came up with some of them herself.

“When Melissa would think of a new funny joke, then she would do it, and that’d be great,” Curtis said. “But then, of course, you’ve gotta do it four more times. You’ve got to make sure you got it right. You’ve got to make sure you get it at the right speed from the right angle. So it’s always a mixture between kind of mischief and very conscientious behavior on movies.”

He added, “In my movies, you want it to be emotionally true at the same time as being silly. So [Melissa] went between being impish and just being a really proper, serious actor.”

Genie   is currently streaming on Peacock.

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Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group And Tom Cruise To Jointly Develop And Produce Original And Franchise Theatrical Films Starring Cruise Beginning In 2024 Under Newly Formed Strategic Partnership

January 9, 2024 ·

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca & Pam Abdy and Tom Cruise today announced they will jointly develop and produce original and franchise theatrical films starring Cruise in 2024 under a new strategic partnership between Cruise and Warner Bros. Discovery. Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank.

The partnership marks a return to Warner Bros. for Cruise, whose storied filmography with the studio includes  Edge of Tomorrow, Rock of Ages, The Last Samurai, Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with the Vampire, Risky Business ,  The Outsiders , and New Line’s Magnolia .

Said De Luca and Abdy, “We are thrilled to be working with Tom, an absolute legend in the film industry. Our vision, from day one, has been to rebuild this iconic studio to the heights of its glory days, and, in fact, when we first sat down with David Zaslav to talk about joining the Warner Bros. Discovery team, he said to us, ‘We are on a mission to bring Warner Bros. back – we have the best resources, storytelling IP, and talent in the business – and we need to bring Tom Cruise back to Warner Bros!’ Today, that becomes a reality and we are one step closer to achieving our ambition. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Tom back to Warner Bros. and look forward to bringing more of his genius to life on screen in the years ahead.”

Said Cruise, “I have great respect and admiration for David, Pam, Mike, and the entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery and their commitment to movies, movie fans, and the theatrical experience.  I look forward to making great movies together!”

Tom Cruise is a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. Having achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer, and philanthropist in a career spanning over five decades, Cruise is a three-time Oscar ®  nominee whose films have earned nearly $13 billion in worldwide box office—an incomparable accomplishment. 

Fueled by a lifetime goal to entertain audiences around the world, Cruise has worked over the last 40 years to produce and star in movies that stand the test of time.  As a result, he has played a leading role in numerous legendary films such  as Top Gun, Jerry Maguire, Risky Business, Minority Report, Interview with the Vampire, A Few Good Men, The Firm, Rain Man, Collateral, The Last Samurai, Edge of Tomorrow, Born on the Fourth of July, The Color of Money , and the  Mission: Impossible  series, among many others. Dialogue and scenes from Cruise’s films are part of the very fabric of global culture and are regularly referred to and quoted by four generations of worldwide fans daily. 

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Tom Cruise Gets His First Criterion Collection Movie Set for 4K UHD Release

Not a single film with Tom Cruise has been in the lauded Criterion Collection, until now.

• Tom Cruise's Risky Business joins the prestigious Criterion Collection, marking a pivotal moment in his career.
• The film is praised for blending tender romance with a sharp critique of capitalism, even if it's goofy fun on the surface.
• Criterion's release includes a 4K UHD restoration, special features, and interviews, making it a must-have for film and Cruise enthusiasts.

Tom Cruise has been one of the biggest Hollywood stars for four decades, and has starred in almost 50 movies, but until today, none of them have been represented in the most prestigious film collection in the world — the Criterion Collection . The home media distributor collects the greatest or most culturally important films of all time and immaculately restores them and curates magnificent special features. And now, Cruise's 1983 film Risky Business will be the 1,227th movie added to the collection.

The Criterion Collection announced its inclusion today, April 15, with the film being released in 4K UHD (and Blu-ray) on July 23. Their summary of the film, famous for its underwear lip-sync scene, reads as follows:

" A sly piece of pop subversion, this irresistible satire of Reagan-era materialism features Tom Cruise in his star-is-born breakthrough as a Chicago suburban prepster whose college-bound life spirals out of control when his parents go out of town for the week and an enterprising call girl (Rebecca De Mornay) invites him to walk on the wild side. While Cruise boogying in his briefs yielded one of the most iconic pop-cultural moments of the 1980s, it is the film’s unexpected mix of tender romance (enhanced by a moody synth score by Tangerine Dream) and sharp-witted capitalist critique that remains fresh and daring."

Risky Business

Risky business special features and other july releases for criterion.

It's an interesting choice for the Criterion Collection, with many other Cruise films being considered superior ( Collateral, Eyes Wide Shut, The Color of Money, Magnolia ). Of course, there are licensing issues to be considered, but there are certainly good reasons for the inclusion of Risky Business . It's the film that truly announced Cruise as a cinematic presence, while also playfully deconstructing the typical sex comedies that were so popular at the time ( Porky's, Revenge of the Nerds ). The special features are as follows.

• New 4K digital restorations of the director’s cut and the original theatrical release, supervised and approved by director Paul Brickman and producer Jon Avnet, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Audio commentary for the original theatrical release featuring Brickman, Avnet, and actor Tom Cruise
• New interviews with Avnet and casting director Nancy Klopper
• New conversation between editor Richard Chew and film historian Bobbie O’Steen
• The Dream Is Always the Same: The Story of “Risky Business,” a program featuring interviews with Brickman, Avnet, cast members, and others
• Screen tests with Cruise and actor Rebecca De Mornay
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Why Tom Cruise Won't Return as Jack Reacher

Risky Business joins several other films for Criterion's July releases. There's a 4K UHD restoration of the all-time classic, Le Samouraï , perhaps the coolest film ever made. Farewell, My Concubine is getting a release after its beautiful restoration in 2023. Black God, White Devil will get a release, finally bringing the brilliant Brazilian Western to the masses. Wim Wenders' astonishing 2023 film Perfect Days will get a home media release from Criterion, as well. Perhaps the best inclusion of them all, however, is Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid , Sam Peckinpah's underrated, melancholic Western masterpiece with a score from Bob Dylan. You can pre-order Risky Business below:

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1999, Drama, 3h 8m

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Critics Consensus

An eruption of feeling that's as overwhelming as it is overwrought, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia reaches a fevered crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble. Read critic reviews

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Magnolia   photos.

On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but one story.

Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Sexuality|Violence)

Genre: Drama

Original Language: English

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Producer: Paul Thomas Anderson , JoAnne Sellar

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 7, 2000  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA): $22.5M

Runtime: 3h 8m

Distributor: New Line Cinema

Production Co: Ghoulardi Film Company, New Line Cinema, Magnolia Project

Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Jason Robards

Earl Partridge

Julianne Moore

Linda Partridge

Frank T.J. Mackey

Philip Seymour Hoffman

John C. Reilly

Jim Kurring

Melora Walters

Claudia Wilson Gator

Jeremy Blackman

Stanley Spector

Michael Bowen

Rick Spector

William H. Macy

Donnie Smith

Philip Baker Hall

Jimmy Gator

Melinda Dillon

Emmanuel Johnson

Michael Murphy

Alan Kligman

Luis Guzmán

April Grace

Orlando Jones

Burt Ramsey, Prologue Narrator

Henry Gibson

Thurston Howell

Felicity Huffman

Alfred Molina

Solomon Solomon

Paul Thomas Anderson

Michael De Luca

Executive Producer

Lynn Harris

Daniel Lupi

Co-Producer

JoAnne Sellar

Dylan Tichenor

Film Editing

Cassandra Kulukundis

Robert Elswit

Cinematographer

Fiona Apple

William Arnold

Production Design

Mark Bridges

Shepherd Frankel

Art Director

David Nakabayashi

Chris Spellman

Set Decoration

Costume Design

Elaine L. Offers

Makeup Artist

News & Interviews for Magnolia

Rank Tom Cruise’s 10 Best Movies

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Critic Reviews for Magnolia

Audience reviews for magnolia.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson always fascinates me with his observations on people, relationships and his filmmaking skills.

Between 3 and 3.5. So much of this film is faux -- faux wisdom, faux emotionalism, faux neuroticism. What seems real and authentic is mired by the overfocus on it. It is elevated by good performances and a focus on neurosis and guilt. But there is no real catharsis to be found, just unendearingly damaged characters who are self-absorbed and completely neurotic. The style, which can only be described as chaotic and scattered, as if the film itself is on speed, leaves much to be desired. It almost gave me a headache. In the end, I was disappointed -- not my kind of thing I guess. It doesn't hang together in the end. With that said, there is talent, on some level, operating here.

Magnolia is a very good film by director Paul Thomas Anderson. However I don't believe it is his best like so many critics have pointed out. Anderson would hone his craft in his future work, but with Magnolia we get to see a director creating something unique. Anderson has always been one of the finer directors who are able to craft quality films with great casts of talented actors. Magnolia is a sweeping movie that intertwines the lives of different people into a powerful story. I really loved the film, but I just don't feel that it is Thomas Anderson's best. He would later make the far superior Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood. But Magnolia is a fine film that should appeal to viewers looking for a well directed picture that tells a good story. Is it the sweeping masterpiece that viewers have claimed it to be? No, it isn't, but it is worth seeing, and Paul Thomas Anderson's direction is wonderful and he tells an interesting story that is dark and intense. A theme that seems to pop out constantly throughout the film is finding happiness and hope. Magnolia draws its strength from its captivating performances from the cast, and each brings something wonderful to the screen. Although not perfect, Magnolia is a well executed picture that tells a solid story. This is a must see film for fans of the director, and it is a well paced film that you soon won't forget. The cast is what makes this one overcome its shortcomings, and the best actors here that have impressed me are Julianne Moore, John C. Reilley and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I liked Tom Cruise, but I simply thought he was a bit overdoing it in his performance. Magnolia is worth seeing, but like I previously stated, Anderson would later mature as a director with more interesting films that really pushed the envelope even further.

This is a wildly great, if lengthy film of films directed by the great Paul Thomas Anderson. Clocking in at 3 hours and 8 minutes, you would expect there to be plenty of scenes that should have been cut; but no, many could have been cut but none of them should have been. The premise is pretty much a bunch of extremely dramatic stories thrown into one film, and they are all very interesting. The stories are only made better by the incredible performances driving them: it is excruciatingly rare for a film to have this many universally amazing performances. The best of them all would have to be Tom Cruise as an eccentric motivational speaker, who slowly unravels into the most broken of men in a single two-minute scene between him and his father. This is by far the best performance I've ever seen Cruise pull off. The film is overflowing with meaning and metaphor, and I think it would be impossible to fully understand and take everything in the first time around; after all, it's a three-hour film. Magnolia demands repeated viewings and is propelled by a hugely successful set of performances, a nice soundtrack, original writing, and genuinely interesting stories.

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• 64 wins & 119 nominations total

Photos 1992

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• Post-production
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• Team Member

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• Jack Reacher

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• In-development projects at IMDbPro

Personal details

• Tomu Kurûzu
• 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
• July 3 , 1962
• Syracuse, New York, USA
• Spouses Katie Holmes November 18, 2006 - August 20, 2012 (divorced, 1 child)
• Children Isabella Jane Cruise
• Parents Thomas Mapother III
• Relatives William Mapother (Cousin)
• Other works Played Nathan Detroit in a high school production of "Guys and Dolls"
• 12 Print Biographies
• 9 Portrayals
• 32 Interviews
• 145 Articles
• 21 Pictorials
• 764 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia His acting idol is Paul Newman . Much to the delight of Cruise, they became good friends during work on The Color of Money (1986) . Newman got him into racing, and Cruise ultimately raced on his team.
• Quotes The thing about filmmaking is I give it everything, that's why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It's not that hard. Sign your own checks, be responsible.
• Trademarks Often plays romantic leading men with an edge
• Salaries Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two ( 2025 ) $13,000,000 + % of back end
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Screen Rant

Tom cruise has only made 2 sequels outside the mission: impossible movies in 42 years.

In 42 years, Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has only made sequels to two films outside of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Here's why.

• Despite generally avoiding sequels, Tom Cruise made two successful ones outside of the Mission: Impossible franchise: Top Gun and Jack Reacher.
• Top Gun: Maverick's box office success proved that Cruise can still dominate the blockbuster genre with the right story and cast.
• Recent films like Oblivion and The Mummy reboot weren't successful enough for sequels, except for a potential sequel to Edge of Tomorrow. Cruise prioritizes artistic integrity and pushing the story beyond mere regurgitation.

Outside the Mission: Impossible movies , Tom Cruise has only made two sequels in 42 years. Like Harrison Ford with Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Sylvester Stallone with Rocky and Rambo, or Keanu Reeves with John Wick and Neo, Cruise has two characters he's returned to in a career that has been going strong since the '80s. While Ethan Hunt, the protagonist of the highly successful Mission: Impossible franchise, remains a steadfast role he'll be likely to play until he's no longer physically able, these other roles show a deviation from that longstanding series that he keeps returning to every couple of years. The Hollywood star generally doesn't like to revisit films once he feels like the story has been told. However, the Mission: Impossible movies changed Cruise's mind about sequels . Eager to maintain his artistic integrity in the early days of his career, he worried that sequels signaled an end to credibility, but the success of playing Hunt didn't mean that the films would become clones of one another or that he'd be taken seriously as an actor. Because of that, he decided to revisit other roles he'd played, one with minimal fanfare, the other which signaled a career resurgence, paving the way for Tom Cruise movies that still need sequels .

Tom Cruise's Only Sequels Outside Of M:I Since The '80s Are Jack Reacher & Top Gun

When Mission: Impossible was released in 1996, a movie based on a television series wasn't guaranteed to be a hit, and sequels were rarely an improvement on their predecessors, which is The Empire Strikes Back and The Godfather: Part II were such surprises. Nevertheless, the films inspired Cruise to make a sequel to Top Gun (1986) and Jack Reacher (2012). While Jack Reacher: Never Go Back was moderately successful in 2016, 2022's Top Gun: Maverick was a huge box office hit and proved that with the right story, cast, and visual effects, Cruise could be king of the blockbuster again.The Jack Reacher films weren't as successful as the Top Gun movies for a few reasons; they were based on a book series that came with its own inherent expectations, Cruise didn't fit the description of the protagonist at all, and they didn't have the same reverence and nostalgia. The Top Gun films revolved around a character that came to define Cruise as much as he defined Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, whereas there were other Hollywood stars who could have played Jack Reacher besides Tom Cruise and been as good or better, as the Reacher television series is demonstrating.

Why Tom Cruise's Recent Movies Haven't Received Sequels

Recent Tom Cruise films, like Oblivion from 2013, or The Mummy reboot and American Made , which both came out in 2017, didn't prove successful enough for Cruise to star in any sequels. One film that might get a sequel is Edge of Tomorrow with Emily Blunt, which focused on Cruise's soldier having to relive the same day trying to stop an alien invasion. So far, however, production hasn't started on that while Cruise has been tied down filming Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 2 , which is expected to come out sometime in 2024.One of the ways Cruise maintains his artistic integrity is by working with different directions, and making sure that the story is pushed beyond simply being a regurgitation of the original movie. Clearly, he's content working within the Mission: Impossible sandbox where he has the most creative freedom as well as the most success. However, there are several other very good Tom Cruise films from the '80s, '90s, and '00s that deserve not only a second look, but the chance to be the recipient of some serious world-building.

Tom Cruise Proved the Doubters Wrong with His 'Born on the Fourth of July’ Performance

The 1989 Oliver Stone movie showed that Tom Cruise was more than just a movie star, he had legitimate acting chops.

The Big Picture

• Movie stars and actors are distinct in Hollywood, with actors seen as more artistically valuable than mere popcorn entertainment.
• Tom Cruise defied skepticism by taking on a challenging, dramatic role in "Born on the Fourth of July" to showcase his versatility.
• Cruise's dedication to embodying Ron Kovic's story reflects his commitment to artistic excellence over commercial success.

Generally speaking, in movie language, there is a clear divide between movie stars and actors. For the crowd that valorizes the dramatic chops and artistry of the actor, this is a badge of honor. Movie stars have the glamor and privilege, but they are usually regarded as lesser performers. In essence, movie stars provide popcorn entertainment, while actors expand one's cultural taste. Movie stars, as successful entrepreneurs in their own right , want to keep succeeding. This drive eventually calls for them to take on parts that showcase their dramatic chops , which will inevitably inspire doubters. In 1989, when Tom Cruise , the preeminent movie star of the time, decided to play a real-life Vietnam War veteran inflicted by combat wounds in Oliver Stone 's Born on the Fourth of July , the skepticism of audiences, and even his director, was forever silenced . Cruise earned his first of three Academy Award nominations for his work in Born on the Fourth of July .

Born on the Fourth of July

The biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country for which he fought.

'Born on the Fourth of July' Was a Sought-After Project in Hollywood

In the late 1980s, Tom Cruise was the biggest movie star in the world, and not much has changed in 2024. Perhaps Cruise's prominence speaks to Hollywood's waning farm system for developing young stars, but Cruise's sustainability is a miracle. He has elevated his status as the premiere spokesperson for movies as an art form and the theatrical experience. Before he was the symbol for movies themselves, Cruise was a sharp wunderkind foaming with charisma who made his name from a breakout role in Risky Business and soared to superstardom with the release of the 1986 aviation extravaganza, Top Gun . The actor could have cruised (no pun intended) off the success of the Tony Scott film and only made spectacle-driven blockbusters in its aftermath, but if Cruise's recent triumphs in restoring the theatrical experience have proven anything, it's that he is driven to take risks .

Ron Kovic , a Vietnam War veteran who was wounded in combat and paralyzed from the chest down and subsequently turned to anti-war activism, had an enticing story for any movie studio. Upon publishing his autobiography, Born on the Fourth of July in 1976, Hollywood, with the war now officially in the past, had their eyes set on a big screen adaptation. After years of ignoring the international quagmire that divided the nation, the industry was ready to reflect on this turbulent period . Kovic's arc and noisy appearance at the 1976 Democratic National Convention caught the attention of Al Pacino , who read his autobiography, met with Kovic himself, and negotiated a deal for the film rights with his manager, producer Martin Bregman . Because of his Vietnam background , Bregman hired Oliver Stone, an unknown writer attempting to get his autobiographical script about the war off the ground, which would eventually become the Best Picture-winning Platoon .

Following a decade stuck in development hell, with Pacino and Bregman exiting the project, Stone, who would write the script with the real-life subject , had Kovic's story to himself. From the get-go, Born on the Fourth of July was coveted as a prestigious endeavor-- a film that could nab a studio a plethora of Academy Awards . It's no surprise that this project started with Al Pacino, the dictionary definition of a prestigious dramatic actor, in mind as the lead. A sweeping story about the Vietnam War that encompasses America's relationship pre-war, during the war, and post-war, calls for a lead with gravitas. As depicted in the film, Kovic, due to his tragic circumstances, was a man prone to volatile outbursts, which was a trait congruous to Pacino's screen persona .

Tom Cruise's Ability to Play Ron Kovic in 'Born on the Fourth of July' Was Doubted

Stone's agent, Paula Wagner , also represented Tom Cruise, who arranged for a meeting about a collaboration on Born on the Fourth of July . Cruise, who recently starred in the Best Picture-winning Rain Man , held some esteem as a credible dramatic star, but for Stone, there was one notable film starring Cruise that he just couldn't shake . It wasn't just that Cruise was a "movie star," a term of derision in this context, but his breakout hit, Top Gun , was the antithesis of Born on the Fourth of July . If Top Gun inspired young people to enlist in the military, Kovic's story implored its viewers to reconsider their American patriotism. Stone's rationale against casting Cruise was that his presence would give the story an unwarranted Hollywood shine . Stone has never pulled punches on his thoughts on the unabashed jingoism of Top Gun , once referring to it as a "fascist film."

Eventually, Stone channeled his pessimism into a positive read on Cruise's likeness. "I saw this kid who has everything," Stone told the Los Angeles Times in 1989 , referring to Cruise's public image. "And I wondered what would happen if tragedy strikes, if fortune denies him... What would happen to Tom Cruise if something goes wrong?" he pondered. Kovic also initially shared the director's skepticism, but after meeting with the star, he was moved by Cruise's palpable sympathy. Recognizing Cruise's star persona and linking it with Kovic's evolution from an idyllic, John F. Kennedy -coded teen willing to do anything for his country to a dispirited war veteran coldly betrayed by his country is an artistic stroke of genius by Stone . Cruise's best performances in this era, such as in A Few Good Men and Jerry Maguire , frame him as a talented, but vain figure who needs an obstacle to set him straight. In Born , Cruise's narrative stakes are raised due to the nonfictional nature of the film. Supported by Cruise, who has never been so vulnerable, heartbreaking, and unflinching , watching Cruise rebound from harrowing events is not pleasant. Kovic is frequently painted as unlikeable, and the moments of triumph are not delivered to the viewer on a silver platter.

Tom Cruise Proves His Dramatic Chops in the Oliver Stone Film

Cruise, who spent days in veterans’ hospitals and familiarized himself with riding in a wheelchair with Kovic until the chair became an extension of his body, put his heart and soul onto the screen in Stone's film , and his performance speaks for itself. He seamlessly conveys Kovic in three different phases and, in turn, gives three uniquely nuanced performances as a hopeful teenager, a bewildered combat soldier, and a demoralized veteran working through his physical and psychological woes and his charged political activism. Cruise overcoming skepticism emanating from Stone and Kovic is paralleled in the film during Kovic's rehabilitation. Cruise's Kovic, the wide-eyed kid from Long Island who was suckered into enlisting in this untenable war, is no match for the grueling obstacles on his way to recovery . Cruise in Born is as much of a psychological showcase as it is a feat of physical exertion. Appeasing Stone's vision, there is nothing glamorous about Cruise's emotional collapse . When Kovic reforms himself as an enlightened anti-war activist, the film does not push a hopeful conclusion. In the end, the audience walks away frustrated over a young man's heart and soul being ripped away by the atrocities of war.

In the LA Times story, Oliver Stone ascribes Tom Cruise's brilliance to his pursuit of artistic excellence. "He could always do Top Gun II , and they’d [audiences] come out in droves. If he confined himself to those roles, though, his soul risked dying. This film gave him an enormous amount of self-respect," Stone said. Certain movie stars of today are risk-averse, comfortable being merely personified corporate brands. While he may exclusively work in the action genre today, Cruise strived for something more during his prime. Born on the Fourth of July was not the kind of film that a glossy movie star is expected to tackle , but Cruise never saw a challenge he couldn't accept, even in the face of doubters.

Born on the Fourth of July is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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