Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway Courtesy of Paramount Tom Cruise said Tuesday that he is confident that Paramount will follow through on its promise to deliver 30 movies per year if it closes its deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing in an interview that Hollywood needs to create an “abundance” of opportunity to help ensure film survives and thrives.
Cruise was interviewed by Pat McAfee on his show Tuesday afternoon, where he was booked to discuss his newly-announced Days of Thunder sequel. McAfee asked about Paramount CEO David Ellison’s promise to make 30 movies per year.
“I think it’s awesome. You know, here’s the thing: they’re going to deliver 30 movies. It’s a community to me. It’s not an industry. The people in these studios are not just people in the studios, they’re my family,” Cruise told McAfee. “I know we’re going to get those 30 movies. I want us all to come together as a community to make help those 30 movies. It’s not just going to be Paramount doing it. Everyone’s going to need all the help of every artist to be able to do it.
“[If] we do well with those, those 30 movies are going to turn into 40 movies,” Cruise continued. “It’s not good enough that I just get to make this movie for me. I see so many talented people that I want them to have that opportunity, to make the films that they want and be able to … these artists, all these greats, they got to cut their teeth and learn in the same way that you get to act and you’re learning. You take it, and the next one, and the next one. Every single one of them, the Iñárritus, the Spielbergs, the Nolans, me, all the opportunities that I’ve had, I want that for every writer, every director, every producer, every artist. And the only way you do it is we have to create an abundance. It’s production begets production.”
Cruise also talked about Days of Thunder 2, which will also star Anne Hathaway and release in summer 2028.
“I’ve been thinking about Cole Trickle for a long time,” Cruise told McAfee. “I love the sport. You know, I grew up like just taking cars in the back streets, before I had my license and racing on country roads and looking at dirt tracks and I love NASCAR and I love racing and airplanes and motorcycles. We did Top Gun and I took this story to Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer to produce, and Tony Scott came on. After the first one, also I just been thinking about what, how can I do it? How can I seat the audience into another journey with this character?”
And yes, he says he will be driving the race cars in the film: “Here’s the thing: if I’m making a movie about airplanes, I’m flying them,” Cruise quipped. “I’m driving.”
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