Tom Cruise Finally Teaming With Quentin Tarantino? It’s Actually In The Works

By Brian Myers | Published

tom cruise golden globes

Film fanatics might finally see two giants of the industry, actor Tom Cruise and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, work together on what has been said to be the director’s final film. The production of The Movie Critic will bring the two Hollywood icons together, should Cruise be able to juggle it into his already hectic filming schedule with his upcoming film Mission: Impossible 8. If Cruise is able to swing it, he’d be appearing in the highly anticipated Tarantino swan song in a small part or as a cameo.

The Tarantino Film Tom Cruise Nearly Starred In

leonardo dicaprio brad pitt once upon a time in hollywood

Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino nearly worked together on a film several years ago. When Tarantino was casting for the 2019 epic Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he considered Cruise for the role of Cliff Booth.

The part ultimately went to Brad Pitt, who starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in what critics have regarded as one of the director’s greatest contributions to film. Though Cruise would probably have made for a memorable performance, it’s hard to argue that Pitt’s portrayal as an aging, rugged stuntman could have been played better by anyone else.

Tom Cruise’s Rise To Stardom

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Tom Cruise has already had a storied career in the film industry. His role as the ambitious high school senior Joel in the 1983 film Risky Business vaulted him to overnight stardom, enabling him to quickly land leading roles in All the Right Moves, Legend, and Top Gun. Cruise’s career has included nearly 50 films, many of them accrediting him with top billing.

Though he has yet to bring home an Academy Award like Quentin Tarantino, Tom Cruise has four nominations through 2024, including two for Best Actor (Born on the 4th of July and Jerry McGuire) and one for Best Supporting Actor (Magnolia). His fourth Oscar nomination was for Best Picture, which he shared with other creators for the 2023 film Top Gun: Maverick.

Quentin Tarantino Through The Years

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Similar to Tom Cruise, Quentin Tarantino has multiple on-screen credits to his name, but he’s best known for his work behind the camera and as a screenwriter. Breaking through to mass appeal with the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, Tarantino wasted no time bringing his ideas to life in the flurry of movies that followed. Jackie Brown and both Kill Bill films proved that Tarantino wasn’t a one-hit-wonder in filmmaking, and the blockbuster productions of Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained cemented his name as a Hollywood icon.

Quintin Tarantino’s Accolades

Quentin Tarantino has received multiple Oscar nods throughout his nearly four decades in the business. His Academy Award nominations for Best Director for Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Inglorious Basterds didn’t yield him a gold statue. But Tarantino did receive the prestigious award as a screenwriter for both Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained.

A Long-Awaited Brad Pitt/Tom Cruise Reunion?

tom cruise brad pitt interview with the vampire

Not much is known about Quentin Tarantino’s next endeavor. However, it’s rumored that Brad Pitt is being considered for the starring role. If Tom Cruise is able to at least make a cameo, it would mark the first time since the 1994 film Interview With the Vampire that he and Pitt have worked on the same production. No release date has been set for The Movie Critic.

The film that could potentially see Tom Cruise team with Tarantino is tentatively scheduled for release at some point in 2025.