tom cruise 2008 film

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Challengers Link to Challengers
• Abigail Link to Abigail
• Arcadian Link to Arcadian

New TV Tonight

• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• The Jinx: Season 2
• The Big Door Prize: Season 2
• Knuckles: Season 1
• Them: Season 2
• Velma: Season 2
• Secrets of the Octopus: Season 1
• Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Season 1
• We're Here: Season 4

Most Popular TV on RT

• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Baby Reindeer Link to Baby Reindeer
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

DC Animated Movies In Order: How to Watch 54 Original and Universe Films

The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100%

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024

Poll: Most Anticipated TV and Streaming Shows of May 2024

• Trending on RT
• Challengers
• Play Movie Trivia

Where to Watch

Rent Valkyrie on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Given the subject matter, Valkyrie could have been an outstanding historical thriller, but settles for being a mildly entertaining, but disposable yarn.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Bryan Singer

Col. Claus von Stauffenberg

Kenneth Branagh

Henning von Tresckow

Friedrich Olbricht

Tom Wilkinson

Friedrich Fromm

Carice van Houten

Nina von Stauffenberg

Movie Clips

More like this, movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the good german.

Now streaming on:

"Valkyrie" is a meticulous thriller based on a large-scale conspiracy within the German army to assassinate Hitler, leading to a failed bombing attempt on July 20, 1944. At the center of the plot was Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, played here by Tom Cruise as the moving force behind the attempted coup, which led to 700 arrests and 200 executions, including von Stauffenberg's. Because we know Hitler survived, the suspense is centered in the minds of the participants, who call up the Reserve Army and actually arrest SS officials before discovering that their bomb did not kill its target.

Considering they were planning high treason with the risk of certain death, the conspirators seem remarkably willing to speak almost openly of their contempt for Hitler. That may be because they were mostly career officers in the army's traditional hierarchy and hated Hitler as much for what he was doing to the army as for what he was doing to the country. Realizing after the invasion of Normandy that the war was certainly lost, they hoped to spare hundreds of thousands of military and civilian lives.

Von Stauffenberg was known to be "offended" by the Nazi treatment of Jews in the 1930s and considered the Kristallnacht a disgrace to Germany, which possibly disturbed him as much as the fate of its victims. In any event, little is said among the conspirators about the genocide then underway -- although, being alienated from the SS, perhaps they didn't know what was happening. Perhaps.

They repeatedly tell each other that even should they fail, at least the world would know that not all Germans supported Hitler. And so it does. And whatever their deepest motives, they gave their lives in trying to kill the monster. The film, directed by Bryan Singer (" The Usual Suspects "), works heroically to introduce us to the major figures in the plot, to tell them apart, to explain their roles and to suggest their differences. The two best supporting performances are by Kenneth Branagh , as a major-general who smuggles a bomb into Hitler's inner circle and then must smuggle it out again, and Tom Wilkinson , as a general who artfully plays both sides of the fence, treating the plot with benign neutrality while covering himself should it fail.

Tom Cruise is perfectly satisfactory, if not electrifying, in the leading role. I'm at a loss to explain the blizzard of negative advance buzz fired at him for the effrontery of playing a half-blind, one-armed Nazi hero. Two factors may be to blame: (a) Cruise has attracted so much publicity by some of his own behavior (using Oprah's couch as a trampoline) that anything he does sincerely seems fair game for mockery, and (b) movie publicity is now driven by gossip, scandal and the eagerness of fanboys and girls to attract attention by posing as critics of movies they've almost certainly not seen. Now that the movie is here, the buzz is irrelevant, but may do residual damage.

If I say that Cruise is not electrifying, I must add that with this character, in this story, he cannot and should not be. This is a film about veterans of officer rank, with all the reserve and probity that officers gather on the way up. They do not scream or hurry and do not care to be seen that way. They have learned not to panic under fire, and they have never been more under fire than now.

A key element of their plot is to use Hitler's "Valkyrie" plan against him. The reserves were held back to defend Berlin and Hitler in case of an Allied assault, so von Stauffenberg conceived the strategy of killing Hitler, ordering up the reserves to ensure stability and making its first order of business the immobilization of the SS. We see that the plan might well have worked. Indeed, it did -- until the news arrived that Hitler was still alive. So much did the Fuhrer command the fanatical loyalty of troops and civilians with an almost mystical grip, that merely his voice on the radio could defeat the plot, even with Germany clearly facing ruin.

The July 20 plot is an intriguing footnote to history, one of those "what if" scenarios. If it had succeeded, one of the hopes of the conspirators was said to be an alliance with the Allies against Russia. Given the political realities of the time, when Russia was seen as our ally, that would have been insane, but it shows the plotters continuing to dream of a reborn professional German army with roles for them. The question of the liberation of the death camps is a good one. Even the Allies did not bomb the rail lines leading to them. There were so very, very many people who did not know.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Apples Never Fall

Cristina escobar.

Monica Castillo

A Bit of Light

Peyton robinson.

Stress Positions

Peter sobczynski.

Arthur the King

You Can Call Me Bill

Clint worthington, film credits.

Valkyrie (2008)

Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language

121 minutes

Bill Nighy as Olbricht

Thomas Kretschmann as Remer

Terence Stamp as Beck

Tom Wilkinson as Fromm

Tom Cruise as Von Stauffenberg

Kenneth Branagh as Von Tresckow

Eddie Izzard as Fellgiebel

• Nathan Alexander
• Christopher McQuarrie

Directed by

• Bryan Singer

Latest blog posts

The Movies That Underwent Major Changes After Their Festival Premiere

Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives Is A Spinoff Stuck In Limbo

Preview of Tributes at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Pioneering Actor-Producer Terry Carter Dies

• Now Playing
• Airing Today
• Popular People
• Discussions
• Leaderboard
• Alternative Titles
• Cast & Crew
• Release Dates
• Translations
• Backdrops 15
• Content Issues 3

Now Streaming

Valkyrie (2008).

Login to use TMDB's new rating system.

Welcome to Vibes, TMDB's new rating system! For more information, visit the contribution bible .

• Play Trailer

Many saw evil. They dared to stop it.

Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer.

Bryan Singer

Nathan Alexander

Christopher McQuarrie

Top Billed Cast

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

Kenneth Branagh

Henning von Tresckow

Friedrich Olbricht

Terence Stamp

Ludwig Beck

Tom Wilkinson

Friedrich Fromm

Carice van Houten

Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg

Kenneth Cranham

Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel

Thomas Kretschmann

Otto Ernst Remer

Eddie Izzard

Erich Fellgiebel

Full Cast & Crew

• Discussions 4

A review by Wuchak

Written by wuchak on june 29, 2018.

Not all Germans supported that madman

RELEASED IN 2008 and directed by Bryan Singer, "Valkyrie" is a World War II crime thriller based on the true story of the last German plot to assassinate Hitler in the Summer of 1944, although it wasn't a crime, of course, but rather an act of heroism.

Tom Cruise resembles the protagonist, Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg, but he lacks his height. Despite this, Cruise is solid in the role and the story works up some quality suspense. Even though we know the plot will fail, you can't help but root for the dissenters' success. Almost 5000 Germans were sub... read the rest.

Read All Reviews

• Most Popular

Status Released

Original Language English

Budget $75,000,000.00

Revenue $200,276,000.00

• berlin, germany
• assassination
• husband wife relationship
• world war ii
• military officer
• german officer
• operation valkyrie

Content Score 

Yes! Looking good!

Looks like we're missing the following data in en-US or en-US ...

Top Contributors

67 TMDB-Bot

View Edit History

Popularity Trend

Login to edit

Keyboard Shortcuts

Login to report an issue

You need to be logged in to continue. Click here to login or here to sign up.

Can't find a movie or TV show? Login to create it.

On media pages

On tv season pages, on tv episode pages, on all image pages, on all edit pages, on discussion pages.

Want to rate or add this item to a list?

Not a member?

Sign up and join the community

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘valkyrie’: film review.

MGM has finally pulled back the curtains on its Tom Cruise historical thriller to reveal a coolly efficient, entertaining and straightforward tale about the last of 15 known assassination attempts against Adolf Hitler.

By Kirk Honeycutt

Kirk Honeycutt

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Email
• Show additional share options
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Pinit
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Print
• Share this article on Comment

After keeping “Valkyrie” under wraps for months and moving its release date four times, MGM has finally pulled back the curtains on its Tom Cruise historical thriller to reveal a coolly efficient, entertaining and straightforward tale about the last of 15 known assassination attempts against Adolf Hitler.

Related Stories

'deadwood': thr's 2004 review, 'family guy': thr's 1999 review.

How great the fascination among moviegoers is another question. Curiosity about seeing Cruise sporting an eye patch might ensure initial crowds when the film opens Christmas Day. But whatever its superficial resemblance to Cruise’s highly popular “Mission: Impossible” series, “Valkyrie” isn’t a crowd-pleaser of that order. The release should enjoy modest success, but if Cruise’s career is seen as momentarily stalled, “Valkyrie” is not the electric jolt he needs to jump-start it.

Cruise plays Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a central figure in the shrewdly planned July 20, 1944, assassination and coup attempt against the Nazi leader. A considerable number of people were involved, and the film understandably whittles these down to a manageable cast. (About 200 people were hanged and about 700 were arrested in connection to the plot.)

The film opens with Stauffenberg forswearing his allegiance to the Fuhrer because of the murderous outrages the German leader has committed, forever staining the honor of his country and its army. This is a key point, yet the movie hurries off to chronicle an earlier assassination attempt that misfires, Stauffenberg’s own severe injuries fighting in Tunisia, his recruitment by similar-minded officers and the bomb he plants at the Wolf’s Lair that fails to kill Hitler.

Cruise doesn’t actually star in this movie as he has in nearly all his previous films. He is the key player in an ensemble, but he — how to put this? — blends in. Frankly, the following offer up equal if not more compelling performances: Kenneth Branagh’s Maj.-Gen. Tresckow, an even stronger zealot; such ambiguous figures as Tom Wilkinson’s Gen. Fromm and Eddie Izzard’s Gen. Fellgiebel; Terence Stamp’s Gen. Beck, who resigns as early as 1938 to protest Hitler’s military aggression; and Bill Nighy’s Gen. Olbricht, who hesitates at a crucial moment.

The coup itself, following the assassination attempt that many believe has succeeded, makes for fascinating viewing and much what-if speculation that should continue long after the credits roll. All details are convincing and presumably well researched. The film has a documentary-like authenticity yet remains a sleek thriller filled with flawed heroes and catastrophic missteps.

Singer has crafted a fine film. One just wishes for greater details — and a different ending.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Aaron sorkin writing a potential ‘social network’ sequel: “i blame facebook for jan. 6”, cécile gaget leaves wild bunch, joins omar sy’s carrousel studios as ceo, janet jackson and drew barrymore reveal iconic movie roles they turned down, zendaya on why she has been “nervous” about ‘challengers’, hugh grant made an audition tape for tony the tiger role in ‘unfrosted’ that left jerry seinfeld “stunned”, ‘gabby’s dollhouse: the movie’ to get the big-screen treatment in 2025.

Valkyrie (2008) Stream and Watch Online

Watch 'Valkyrie' Online

Looking to feast your eyes on ' Valkyrie ' on your TV, phone, or tablet? Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the Bryan Singer-directed movie via subscription can be a challenge, so we here at Moviefone want to take the pressure off. We've listed a number of streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription alternatives - along with the availability of 'Valkyrie' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the various whats and wheres of how you can watch 'Valkyrie' right now, here are some specifics about the United Artists, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Achte Babelsberg Film drama flick. Released December 25th, 2008, 'Valkyrie' stars Tom Cruise , Kenneth Branagh , Bill Nighy , Terence Stamp The PG-13 movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 1 min, and received a user score of 69 (out of 100) on TMDb, which compiled reviews from 3,489 experienced users. Interested in knowing what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer." 'Valkyrie' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Epix, Hoopla, fuboTV, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, AMC on Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, and Pluto TV .

'Valkyrie' Release Dates

Movie recommendations.

Featured News

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Movie trailers.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Movie Review | 'Valkyrie'

Mission Imperative: Assassinate the Führer

By Manohla Dargis

• Dec. 24, 2008

There are no discernibly nasty Nazis in “Valkyrie,” though Hitler and Goebbels skulk about in a few scenes, shooting dark, ominous looks at the heroic German Army officer played by Tom Cruise. Perhaps they’re wondering what this Hollywood megastar is doing in their midst, a sentiment that you may come to share while watching Mr. Cruise — who gives a fine, typically energetic performance in a film that requires nothing more of him than a profile and vigor — strut about as one of history’s more enigmatic players.

That enigma was Claus von Stauffenberg, a count and a colonel who, though he lost one eye, an entire hand and several fingers while fighting on behalf of the Reich, made several attempts to assassinate Hitler and seize control of the government. At the core of Stauffenberg’s spectacularly ambitious plot was Valkyrie, Hitler’s plan for the mobilization of the home army that Stauffenberg hoped to hijack in order to quash the SS and its leaders. It didn’t work, of course, for complicated reasons, though also because by 1944, as William L. Shirer bluntly puts it in “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,” the conspirators were “terribly late.”

You don’t learn how belated the coup d’état was in “Valkyrie,” which might matter if this big-ticket production with Mr. Cruise in an eye patch and shiny, shiny boots had something to do with reality. But the director, Bryan Singer (of the “X-Men” franchise), and the writers, Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander, aren’t interested in delivering a history lesson: that’s why Ken Burns was born. Slick, facile entertainment is the name of the game here, as it is in all Mr. Singer’s films, including “Apt Pupil” (about a Nazi war criminal and the American boy next door who outs him) and “The Usual Suspects,” an intricately plotted story with men and guns, secrets and shadows that Mr. McQuarrie wrote. The secrets have already begun swirling by the time “Valkyrie” opens with Stauffenberg, stationed in North Africa, bitterly recording his opposition to Hitler in a diary right before losing various body parts to the war. After his convalescence he meets Maj. Gen. Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh), who, sometime earlier, tries to blow up Hitler with a bomb hidden in bottles of French liqueur. (Russian vodka might have been more effective.) Stauffenberg soon joins the conspiratorial party that includes other British class acts brandishing high military rank and speaking in lightly accented or unaccented English: Bill Nighy as Gen. Friedrich Olbricht, Tom Wilkinson as Gen. Friedrich Fromm, Terence Stamp as Gen. Ludwig Beck and Eddie Izzard as Gen. Erich Fellgiebel.

Most of the crucial rebellious officers are played by British actors, while some of the Nazi diehards are played by Germans, which wouldn’t be worth mentioning if this cacophony of accents weren’t so distracting. But, as with the casting of Mr. Cruise, whose German voice-over quickly eases into English, this international acting community invokes an earlier studio age, when Peter Lorre and Claude Rains delivered their lines in exotically flavored English and everyone pretended that Rick’s Cafe really was located in Casablanca and not on a back lot. If Mr. Cruise doesn’t work in “Valkyrie,” it’s partly because he’s too modern, too American and way too Tom Cruise to make sense in the role, but also because what passes for movie realism keeps changing, sometimes faster than even a star can change his brand.

Though Mr. Singer’s old-fashioned movie habits, his attention to the gloss, gleam and glamour of the image, can be agreeably pleasurable, he tends to gild every lily. Hitler (David Bamber) doesn’t need spooky music or low camera angles to be villainous: he just has to show up. Mr. Singer’s fondness for exaggeration can even undercut his strongest scenes, as when Stauffenberg visits Hitler to secure approval for the rewritten Valkyrie plan. If implemented, the plan will bring down the Führer who, for his part, seems intent on bringing down the house with leers and popping eyeballs. Mr. Singer appears to have taken cues here from “Black Book,” Paul Verhoeven’s World War II romp, but he’s too serious to make such vaudeville work.

Stauffenberg, who hated Hitler but worshipped the Reich, sacrificed himself on the dual altar of nationalism and militarism, which makes him a more ambiguous figure than the one drawn in “Valkyrie.” He’s a complex character, too complex for this film, which like many stories of this type, transforms World War II into a boy’s adventure with dashing heroes, miles of black leather and crane shots of German troops in lockstep formation that would make Leni Riefenstahl flutter. It’s a war that offers moral absolutes (Nazis are evil) and narratives (Nazis are evil and should die) that seem easier to grasp than any current conflict. Truly, World War II has become the moviemaker’s gift that keeps on giving, whether you want it to or not.

“ Valkyrie” is rated PG-13. (Parents strongly cautioned.) Bombs, guns and executions, though little blood.

Opens on Thursday nationwide.

Directed by Bryan Singer; written by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander; director of photography, Newton Thomas Sigel; edited by John Ottman; music by Mr. Ottman; production designers, Lilly Kilvert and Patrick Lumb; produced by Mr. Singer, Mr. McQuarrie and Gilbert Adler; released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and United Artists. Running time: 2 hours.

WITH: Tom Cruise (Col. Claus von Stauffenberg), Kenneth Branagh (Maj. Gen. Henning von Tresckow), Bill Nighy (Gen. Friedrich Olbricht), Tom Wilkinson (Gen. Friedrich Fromm), Carice van Houten (Nina von Stauffenberg), Thomas Kretschmann (Maj. Otto Ernst Remer), Terence Stamp (Gen. Ludwig Beck), Eddie Izzard (Gen. Erich Fellgiebel), Kevin R. McNally (Dr. Carl Goerdeler), Jamie Parker (Lieut. Werner von Haeften), Christian Berkel (Col. Mertz von Quirnheim), David Bamber (Adolf Hitler), Tom Hollander (Col. Heinz Brandt), David Schofield (Erwin von Witzleben), Kenneth Cranham (Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel) and Halina Reijn (Margarethe von Oven).

Customers also watched

Tom Cruise’s 16 Best Performances: From ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ to ‘Magnolia’

By Clayton Davis

Clayton Davis

Senior Awards Editor

• Emma Stone, Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder Submit Multiple Emmy Bids With Drama Series ‘The Curse’ (EXCLUSIVE) 2 days ago
• ‘The Walking Dead’ Emmy Plans: Spinoff ‘The Ones Who Live’ Submits for Limited Series, Danai Gurira Up for Both Acting and Writing 4 days ago
• Oscar Rules Updated for 2025 Awards: Original Score Shortlist Increased, Drive-In Theater Eligibility Removed and More 4 days ago

With six decades around the sun, Tom Cruise still feels the need for speed and has crafted himself into one of the most successful and undeniably talented movie stars of his generation.

Variety is ranking his 15 best film performances to celebrate the actor’s 60th birthday.

With a breakthrough that started in the coming-of-age film “Risky Business” (1983), the Syracuse, N.Y.-born actor became a darling of Hollywood and consumer audiences around the world. As Joseph Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” still goes strong, making more than half a billion dollars domestically, Cruise has continued to etch himself into the cultural zeitgeist, crossing multiple generations.

Also a producer, Cruise has continued to elevate the entertainment medium with the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1995. With five very successful sequels and two more on the way, he continues to push the boundaries for himself as a fearless stuntman and an advocate for the silver screen.

A career that only the most daring actors and creatives can dream of, Cruise has worked alongside two best actor winners — Paul Newman (“The Color of Money”) and Dustin Hoffman (“Rain Man”) — and has earned himself three Oscar nominations in “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989), “Jerry Maguire” (1996) and “Magnolia” (1999). But it hasn’t been about the accolades for Cruise. In May 2021, he returned his three Golden Globe Awards after the expose on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lack of diversity, specifically no Black members.

Cruise’s films have grossed over $10 billion dollars worldwide and there are no signs of slowing down. Will he ever win a coveted Oscar? That remains to be seen, but the narrative is there if the Academy rewards an upcoming project.

Read Variety’s list of Tom Cruise’s best performances below:

Honorable mentions : “Far and Away” (1992); “The Last Samurai” (2003); “Rock of Ages” (2012)

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Role: Major William Cage

Director: Doug Liman Writers: Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: Getting the device from Brigham

Kicking ass, taking names, then rinse and repeat. A military major goes through a “Groundhog Day” loop but it’s Cruise that ensures it’s not a gimmick, slithering into each scene with charm, raw magnetism and wonderful chemistry with an awards-worthy Emily Blunt. The science-fiction drama has been all too undervalued. Doug Liman’s thriller shows more than special effects and explosions. It also presents capable and talented stars at the helm, which makes all the difference.

Risky Business (1983)

Role: Joel Goodson

Director: Paul Brickman Writer: Paul Brickman Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: Dancing to “Old Time Rock & Roll”

All it took was a button-down shirt, briefs and a Bob Seger track to make Tom Cruise one of the defining movie stars of his generation. In Paul Brickman’s directorial debut, Cruise’s turn in the teen comedy was as culturally massive as it was monetarily successful. With lots of praise also going to his co-star Rebecca DeMornay, this is just as enjoyable as any film that ranks in the listing.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Role : Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell

Director : Joseph Kosinski

Writers : Peter Craig, Justin Marks, Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie (based on characters created by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.)

Distributor : Paramount Pictures

The scene that proves it : “Maverick’s Test Run”

Cruise’s 80s high-flying sequel feels like it saved the movies. His return to “Maverick,” his beloved character has showmanship, charisma and the ability to shoot down planes with the enemy’s plane. Having great chemistry with his co-stars, particularly Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly, Cruise is only getting better as he gets older.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Role: Lestat de Lioncourt

Director: Neil Jordan Writer: Anne Rice (based on “Interview with the Vampire” by Anne Rice) Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: “Claudia, you’ve been a very, naughty little girl.”

As the sinister and entrancing Lestat, Cruise hypnotized the audience with his soft-spoken flirtations with the living while persuading them to join the undead. Alongside memorable turns from Brad Pitt and a young Kirsten Dunst, Neil Jordan’s horror adaptation of the Anne Rice novel is still a popular selection.

The Firm (1993)

Role: Mitch McDeere

Director: Sydney Pollack Writers: David Rabe, Robert Towne, David Rayfiel (based on “The Firm” by John Grisham) Distributor: Paramount Pictures

The scene that proves it: “Did you ever think I would make a six-figure salary?”

Sydney Pollack’s invigorating legal thriller boasts an all-star cast and a dynamic Cruise as lawyer Mitch McDeere. While also featuring my personal favorite Tom Cruise signature run as he chases down his movie wife Jeanne Tripplehorn, the adaptation of the John Grisham novel was a box office success and even pulled in an acting nom for his co-star Holly Hunter.

Mission: Impossible (1995)

Role: Ethan Hunt

Director: Brian De Palma Writers: David Koepp, Robert Towne, Steven Zaillian (based on “Mission: Impossible” by Bruce Geller) Distributor: Paramount Pictures

The scene that proves it: “You’ve never seen me upset.”

The spy thriller from Brian De Palma still holds up almost 30 years later. Likewise, the action franchise that’s still going (with two more films on the way) keeps on delivering, thanks to Tom Cruise.

The cinematic remake of the classic television series has spawned multiple territories, generating massive revenue and showing Cruise’s defining action star beats, jaw-dropping stunts and magical smiles that have a way with the ladies as Ethan Hunt.

Keep dropping from those ceilings, Tom.

Rain Man (1988)

Role: Charlie Babbitt

Director: Barry Levinson Writers: Barry Morrow, Ronald Bass Distributor: MGM/UA

The scene that proves it: “You’re the Rain Man?”

The best picture winner of his arsenal, alongside an Oscar-winning turn from Dustin Hoffman, the film stands as one that hindsight has allowed us to rediscover as one of the bright spots of his filmography. If only Oscar were willing to recognize two leading actors as they did earlier that decade with “Amadeus.” Cruise would have made a fine addition.

Collateral (2004)

Role: Vincent

Director: Michael Mann Writer: Stuart Beattie Distributor: DreamWorks Pictures

The scene that proves it: Searching in the club.

At best a co-lead to Jamie Foxx (who was nominated for best supporting actor in one of the most recent cases of category fraud), Cruise’s silver fox Vincent in Michael Mann’s thriller is an underrated delivery. He sends chills down the spine, moving like a shark through a club and listening to his prey with a mischievous grin. He keeps us at the edge of our seats, before finally allowing us to exhale by the end of the credits.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Role: Bill Harford

Director: Stanley Kubrick Writers: Stanley Kubrick, Frederic Raphael (based on “Traumnovelle” by Arthur Schnitzler) Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: Listening to the story about Cape Cod.

Under the thumb of Stanley Kubrick and his final outing with his then-wife, Nicole Kidman, Cruise dives into the erotic drama that feels among the actor’s bravest character outings. Marking the last directorial outing of Kubrick, you can feel the ripple of his legacy hanging on the words of each of Cruise and Kidman’s interactions or in the defined stare as one pours their heart out to another.

Top Gun (1986)

Director : Tony Scott

Writers : Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr. (based on “Top Guns” by Ehud Yonay

The scene that proves it : Tossing Goose’s dog tags.

Cruise feels the need… the need for speed in Tony Scott’s pulse-pounding action flick — a cemented classic in the 1980s. His undeniable charisma led to the following post-release and now has the global cinematic world taking in its sequel “Maverick” to more than half a billion dollars. There’s always been something about Maverick tossing Goose’s (Anthony Edwards) dog tags overboard following his death that always struck a chord.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Role: Les Grossman

Director: Ben Stiller Writers: Justin Theroux, Ben Stiller, Etan Cohen Distributor: Paramount Pictures / DreamWorks Pictures

The scene that proves it: “G5”

It’s a transformation of epic proportions in Ben Stiller’s classic comedy. While Robert Downey Jr. received the lion’s share of praise, earning an Oscar nom for supporting actor, Cruise could only muster a Golden Globe nom for his turn as Hollywood producer Les Grossman. Screaming one-liners and a dance finale that still makes the world chuckle, it stands as his single best comedic outing.

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Role: Jerry Maguire

Director: Cameron Crowe Writer: Cameron Crowe Distributor: Sony Pictures

The scene that proves it: “You complete me.”

Writer and director Cameron Crowe pulled a movie star performance out of Tom Cruise for his sports agent dramedy. As the titular character, he lights up the screen with his Oscar-winning co-star Cuba Gooding Jr. and the Oscar-snubbed Renée Zellweger in a finale that had people quoting it for decades. And let’s not forget “Show me the money” and its stapled place in movie history.

A Few Good Men (1992)

Role: Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee

Director: Rob Reiner Writer: Aaron Sorkin (based on “A Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin) Distributor: Columbia Pictures

The scene that proves it: “I want the truth…”

Cruise is entitled to answers in Rob Reiner’s courtroom drama, maneuvering prominent personalities and moments alongside Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore and Kevin Pollack. Although nominated for best picture, Cruise’s work was passed over in lead actor. His defender of marines standing trial, under the words of Aaron Sorkin and one of his finest writing efforts, Cruise soars to new heights.

Minority Report (2002)

Role: John Anderton

Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Scott Frank, Jon Cohen (based on “The Minority Report” by Philip K. Dick) Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)

The scene that proves it: Listening to Abigail about Sean’s life.

It’s a quiet and commanding standout in Cruise’s filmography when looking back on Cruise’s work in Steven Spielberg’s futuristic drama. However, as John Anderton, a police officer trying to clear his name for a murder he has yet to commit, it’s Cruise’s precise choice of listening to Abigail (played by a magnificent Samantha Morton) that breaks the heart in two.

Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Role: Ron Kovic

Director: Oliver Stone Writers: Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic (based on “Born on the Fourth of July” by Kovic) Distributor: Universal Pictures

The scene that proves it: “I love America.”

Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone introduced what Cruise could achieve beyond sliding floors and jet planes. His Vietnam veteran spans years, with each chapter feeling authentic and layered. The film was nominated for best picture and earned Cruise his first Oscar nom for best actor.

Magnolia (1999)

Role: Frank T.J. Mackey

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson Distributor: New Line Cinema

The scene that proves it: “I hate you.”

Pouring in every ounce of himself, Cruise’s Oscar-nominated performance is (currently) the last time he’s been recognized by the Academy, and it stands as his finest hour in Paul Thomas Anderson’s mosaic drama. Full of life, energy and heartache, he invites the viewer on the journey, fearless in his interpretation and perfect in his execution.

More From Our Brands

Los bitchos return with glittery disco rocker (and tour dates), inside the race to build ev charging networks in the u.s., nfl rookie signing bonuses up 4% for biggest gain since 2020, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, this is us podcast: where you can find it, verify it's you, please log in.

Streaming in:

We checked for updates on 246 streaming services on April 26, 2024 at 1:11:27 PM. Something wrong? Let us know!

Valkyrie streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "Valkyrie" streaming on fuboTV, MGM Plus Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, Hoopla, MGM Plus, FilmBox+ or for free with ads on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Pluto TV. It is also possible to rent "Valkyrie" on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Spectrum On Demand online and to download it on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, AMC on Demand.

Where does Valkyrie rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 1:21:04 PM, 04/26/2024

Valkyrie is 4119 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 1594 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than The Titan but less popular than Munchies.

Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer.

Videos: Trailers, Teasers, Featurettes

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Production country

People who liked valkyrie also liked.

Popular movies coming soon

Similar Movies you can watch for free

«Let me solve it for you»

2008 World War II drama starring Tom Cruise

Today's crossword puzzle clue is a general knowledge one: 2008 World War II drama starring Tom Cruise . We will try to find the right answer to this particular crossword clue. Here are the possible solutions for "2008 World War II drama starring Tom Cruise" clue. It was last seen in British general knowledge crossword. We have 1 possible answer in our database.

Possible answer:

Did you find this helpful, look for more clues & answers, this may also interest you.

• Greek order of architecture
• Superior French wine
• Numbered by tens
• Pilot's device for a swift exit
• Bird which can be house or sand
• Peru’s capital
• Drives forward
• Picturesque cascade in a river
• Hero of Dickens' Great Expectations
• Got narrower
• Focus of a cocktail class?
• What an albuterol inhaler might treat
• Org. advocating for pet adoption
• Story explaining the Golden Fleece's origin?
• Person hoping not to fail
• Say 'Your leathery wings are really creepy,' say?
• Danish astronomer Tycho
• Cold treat made with egg yolks
• Olympic speed-skater who hosted the Game Show Network's 'Minute to Win It' in the early 2010s

Crossword Clues

• Colleague of Amy and Ketanji
• They have numbers in NYC
• High-riser of the Southwest
• Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver who hosted the NBC game show 'To Tell the Truth' in the early 1990s; Alex Trebek eventually replaced him
• Where Beethoven and Brahms are buried
• Vinyl collectible with an oversized head
• 'Uptown Girl' singer Billy
• U.S. city famed for its trees
• Roughly 0.4% of the total in an adult human body?
• Tennis great who hosted the game show 'The Chair' in the early 2000s

We provide the likeliest answers for every crossword clue. Undoubtedly, there may be other solutions for 2008 World War II drama starring Tom Cruise . If you discover one of these, please send it to us, and we'll add it to our database of clues and answers, so others can benefit from your research.

Dan Word © All rights reserved.

“He invited us to watch the movie”: Tom Cruise’s Arguably Boldest Role in His Life Required Permission from a Fast and Furious Star to Make it Happen

T om Cruise’s status as a bonafide action star means most of his roles require a certain boldness from the actor. However, Cruise’s performance in the 2008 satirical comedy film Tropic Thunder is arguably his boldest role precisely because it goes against his star persona. In the film, Cruise plays the role of a goofy studio executive Les Grossman.

One of the funniest scenes in the film depicts Grossman dancing to a hip tune. However, for Cruise to execute this scene, it required the permission of a Fast & Furious star. Given the popularity of Cruise’s role, particularly his dance routine in the film, viewers must be curious to learn why the action star required the permission of another star, and here is everything you need to know.

Tom Cruise’s Tropic Thunder Role Required Permission From Fast & Furious Star Ludacris

Tom Cruise ’s performance as studio executive Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder is one of the actor’s most understated roles as it goes against his image as an action star. However, Cruise delivers a memorable performance winning over viewers with the idiosyncrasies of a character who is despicable on paper.

One of the best examples of Cruise making the character likable is his dance routine to the tune of the song Get Back by Fast & Furious star Ludacris. However, to use the song in the film’s closing sequence, director Ben Stiller personally sought Ludacris’ permission.

During an appearance on the First We Feast YouTube channel’s Hot Ones show, Ludacris revealed the following:

“Not only did he seek approval, respectfully, he invited us to watch the movie before it came out and it was literally just me, him, and my management and we watched the whole movie.”

“The right man for the right role”: Keanu Reeves Replaces Tom Cruise in The Mummy Fanmade Trailer and It Certainly Looks Promising

Ludacris added that he was moved by Stiller’s gesture to screen the film for him. As a result, it is safe to say that one of the most iconic and hilarious scenes from the film featuring Cruise’s Grossman showing off his dance moves would not have materialized without Ludacris’ blessing.

How Tom Cruise Came Up With His Hilarious Tropic Thunder Role

During a separate interview with Esquire , director Ben Stiller opened up about how the character of Les Grossman came to be. Stiller revealed that Cruise came up with the character himself as he felt the plot needed a studio executive as the primary antagonist. He said:

“Tom Cruise had the idea to play Les Grossman in the movie. That part did not exist. He said, well, there’s no studio executive and that would be really fun to be that guy.”

Stiller also credited Cruise with coming up with the character’s looks and dance moves which are among the character’s most memorable traits. In a separate interview , Cruise himself confirmed that it was his idea to add a studio executive character to the script.

“That was what Katie wanted”: Upsetting Report on Tom Cruise’s Relationship With Daughter Suri Cruise Will Break Your Heart

In 2022, it was revealed that Cruise and frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie were reportedly working on a spin-off that would bring back the Les Grossman character. However, since then there have been no updates regarding the project. Cruise is currently busy with the eighth installment in his Mission: Impossible franchise so it will be interesting to see if he revisits one of his boldest roles in the future.

Tropic Thunder is streaming on Peacock.

• Copy from this list
• Report this list

Tom Cruise Movies List

• Instant Watch Options
• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Endless Love (1981)

R | 116 min | Drama, Romance

Parental disapproval of a passionate romance between two teenagers leads to arguments, circumstance, insanity and tragedy.

Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Stars: Brooke Shields , Martin Hewitt , Shirley Knight , Don Murray

Votes: 9,575 | Gross: $31.18M

2. Taps (I) (1981)

PG | 126 min | Drama

Military cadets take extreme measures to ensure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.

Director: Harold Becker | Stars: George C. Scott , Timothy Hutton , Ronny Cox , Sean Penn

Votes: 20,089 | Gross: $35.86M

3. The Outsiders (1983)

PG | 91 min | Crime, Drama

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.

Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: C. Thomas Howell , Matt Dillon , Ralph Macchio , Patrick Swayze

Votes: 97,483 | Gross: $25.60M

4. Losin' It (1982)

R | 100 min | Comedy, Drama

Set in 1965, four rowdy teenage guys travel to Tijuana, Mexico for a night of partying when they are joined by a heartbroken housewife who is in town seeking a quick divorce.

Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jackie Earle Haley , John Stockwell , John P. Navin Jr.

Votes: 5,226 | Gross: $1.25M

5. All the Right Moves (1983)

R | 91 min | Drama, Romance, Sport

An ambitious young football star is trapped in a dying mill town--unless his gridiron skills can win him a way out.

Director: Michael Chapman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Lea Thompson , Craig T. Nelson , Charles Cioffi

Votes: 20,393 | Gross: $17.23M

6. Risky Business (1983)

R | 99 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.

Director: Paul Brickman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Rebecca De Mornay , Joe Pantoliano , Richard Masur

Votes: 99,795 | Gross: $63.50M

7. Legend (1985)

PG | 94 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Mia Sara , Tim Curry , David Bennent

Votes: 72,446 | Gross: $15.50M

8. Top Gun (1986)

PG | 109 min | Action, Drama

As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Tim Robbins , Kelly McGillis , Val Kilmer

Votes: 502,397 | Gross: $179.80M

9. The Color of Money (1986)

R | 119 min | Drama, Sport

Fast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Paul Newman , Tom Cruise , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Helen Shaver

Votes: 93,239 | Gross: $52.29M

10. Cocktail (1988)

R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A talented New York City bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.

Director: Roger Donaldson | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bryan Brown , Elisabeth Shue , Lisa Banes

Votes: 91,825 | Gross: $78.22M

11. Rain Man (1988)

R | 133 min | Drama

After a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.

Director: Barry Levinson | Stars: Dustin Hoffman , Tom Cruise , Valeria Golino , Gerald R. Molen

Votes: 546,436 | Gross: $178.80M

12. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

R | 145 min | Biography, Drama, War

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.

Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bryan Larkin , Raymond J. Barry , Caroline Kava

Votes: 115,901 | Gross: $70.00M

13. Days of Thunder (1990)

PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Drama, Sport

A young hot-shot stock car driver gets his chance to compete at the top level.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Robert Duvall , Randy Quaid

Votes: 96,375 | Gross: $82.67M

14. A Few Good Men (1992)

R | 138 min | Drama, Thriller

Military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.

Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jack Nicholson , Demi Moore , Kevin Bacon

Votes: 287,232 | Gross: $141.34M

15. The Firm (1993)

R | 154 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller

A young lawyer joins a prestigious law firm only to discover that it has a sinister dark side.

Director: Sydney Pollack | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jeanne Tripplehorn , Gene Hackman , Hal Holbrook

Votes: 147,654 | Gross: $158.35M

16. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

R | 123 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror

A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.

Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Brad Pitt , Tom Cruise , Antonio Banderas , Kirsten Dunst

Votes: 347,337 | Gross: $105.26M

17. Mission: Impossible (1996)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

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

Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jon Voight , Emmanuelle Béart , Henry Czerny

Votes: 470,168 | Gross: $180.98M

18. Jerry Maguire (1996)

R | 139 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.

Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Renée Zellweger , Kelly Preston

Votes: 286,952 | Gross: $153.95M

19. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

R | 159 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller

A Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.

Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Todd Field , Sydney Pollack

Votes: 374,963 | Gross: $55.69M

20. Magnolia (1999)

R | 188 min | Drama

An epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jason Robards , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman

Votes: 328,389 | Gross: $22.46M

21. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera".

Director: John Woo | Stars: Tom Cruise , Dougray Scott , Thandiwe Newton , Ving Rhames

Votes: 377,598 | Gross: $215.41M

22. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)

Not Rated | 142 min | Documentary, Biography

The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise .

Director: Jan Harlan | Stars: Katharina Kubrick , Malcolm McDowell , Stanley Kubrick , Barbara Kroner

Votes: 12,203

23. Vanilla Sky (2001)

R | 136 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

A self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.

Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise , Penélope Cruz , Cameron Diaz , Kurt Russell

Votes: 285,624 | Gross: $100.61M

24. Space Station 3D (2002)

Not Rated | 47 min | Documentary

From outer space countries don't exist.

Director: Toni Myers | Stars: Tom Cruise , James Arnold , Michael J. Bloomfield , Robert D. Cabana

Votes: 1,749 | Gross: $93.37M

25. Minority Report (2002)

PG-13 | 145 min | Action, Crime, Mystery

John works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Cruise , Colin Farrell , Samantha Morton , Max von Sydow

Votes: 584,190 | Gross: $132.07M

26. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

PG-13 | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

Upon learning that his father has been kidnapped, Austin Powers must travel to 1975 and defeat the aptly named villain Goldmember, who is working with Dr. Evil.

Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Mike Myers , Beyoncé , Seth Green , Michael York

Votes: 222,853 | Gross: $213.31M

27. The Last Samurai (2003)

R | 154 min | Action, Drama

Nathan Algren, a US army veteran, is hired by the Japanese emperor to train his army in the modern warfare techniques. Nathan finds himself trapped in a struggle between two eras and two worlds.

Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Tom Cruise , Ken Watanabe , Billy Connolly , William Atherton

Votes: 470,908 | Gross: $111.11M

28. Collateral (2004)

R | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in Los Angeles.

Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jamie Foxx , Jada Pinkett Smith , Mark Ruffalo

Votes: 432,988 | Gross: $101.01M

29. War of the Worlds (2005)

PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

An alien invasion threatens the future of humanity. The catastrophic nightmare is depicted through the eyes of one American family fighting for survival.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Cruise , Dakota Fanning , Tim Robbins , Miranda Otto

Votes: 475,075 | Gross: $234.28M

30. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.

Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Tom Cruise , Michelle Monaghan , Ving Rhames , Philip Seymour Hoffman

Votes: 390,636 | Gross: $134.03M

31. Lions for Lambs (2007)

R | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

Injuries sustained by two Army rangers behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist and a professor.

Director: Robert Redford | Stars: Tom Cruise , Meryl Streep , Robert Redford , Michael Peña

Votes: 52,693 | Gross: $15.00M

32. Valkyrie (2008)

PG-13 | 121 min | Drama, History, Thriller

A dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II.

Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bill Nighy , Carice van Houten , Kenneth Branagh

Votes: 259,192 | Gross: $83.08M

33. Tropic Thunder (2008)

R | 107 min | Action, Comedy, War

Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

Director: Ben Stiller | Stars: Ben Stiller , Jack Black , Robert Downey Jr. , Jeff Kahn

Votes: 447,876 | Gross: $110.52M

34. Knight and Day (2010)

PG-13 | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A young woman gets mixed up with a disgraced spy who is trying to clear his name.

Director: James Mangold | Stars: Tom Cruise , Cameron Diaz , Peter Sarsgaard , Jordi Mollà

Votes: 210,291 | Gross: $76.42M

35. Takers (2010)

PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A group of bank robbers find their multi-million dollar plan interrupted by a hard-boiled detective.

Director: John Luessenhop | Stars: Chris Brown , Hayden Christensen , Matt Dillon , Michael Ealy

Votes: 65,776 | Gross: $57.74M

36. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg , Paula Patton

Votes: 528,322 | Gross: $209.40M

List Activity

Tell your friends, other lists by ratul-majumder0.

Recently Viewed

The Tom Cruise Role That Was Written With Tom Hanks in Mind

A tale of two Toms.

The Big Picture

• Tom Cruise showed a surprisingly seasoned and thoughtful approach to his film choices in the 1990s, working with prestigious directors on risky projects.
• Cameron Crowe originally wrote the role of Jerry Maguire with Tom Hanks in mind, but Hanks declined, giving Cruise the opportunity to showcase vulnerability in his performance.
• Cruise's comedic vulnerability in films like Risky Business and All the Right Moves proved that he could handle romantic roles, and Jerry Maguire showcased his ability to deliver surprising and powerful moments in a rom-com setting.

Tom Cruise is most closely associated with the action genre these days due to the success of Top Gun and Mission: Impossible , but in the 1990s, it seemed like he made it a goal to work with nearly every great filmmaker on a prestige project. Between Sydney Pollack ’s The Firm , Rob Reiner ’s A Few Good Men , Neil Jordan ’s Interview with the Vampire , and Stanley Kubrick ’s Eyes Wide Shut , Cruise showed a surprising amount of discretion in the risky projects that he joined. Ironically, the role that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor was Cameron Crowe ’s Jerry Maguire , which was a mainstream success and audience favorite. The film gave Cruise some of the most endearing, iconic, and hilarious moments of his entire filmography, but it wasn’t a role that was originally written with him in mind.

Jerry Maguire

Cameron crowe wrote ‘jerry maguire’ for tom hanks.

Crowe is among the foremost directors of romantic comedies, as his films tend to go beyond simply being crowd-pleasers to say something powerful about the nature of love, and what it means to be in a relationship. While he had proven his competence within the genre with the 1989 coming-of-age dramedy Say Anything and the ensemble project Singles , Jerry Maguire was arguably his most ambitious project to date. It was the type of film that relied upon an established movie star to show vulnerability, and Crowe had his sights set on which A-Lister he wanted in the role of the titular sports agent.

In 2017, Crowe told NBC Sports that the role “was originally written with Tom Hanks in mind,” and that he “had this wonderful conversation with Tom Hanks, and people were waiting in the next room for the answer.” Crowe found that he was “high on the Tom Hanks personality charisma.” However, Hanks was busy working on his directorial effort That Thing You Do! , and could not commit to Crowe’s project. Hanks would later joke that he “would like to think, however, that Tom Cruise owes me one dollar, and I’m still waiting for the check.”

Cruise was very complimentary of Hanks , stating that “as a fan of his, I would have been very interested to see what he would have done with that character.” However, Cruise was keen to note that he put significant effort into ensuring that the role could become his own. Cruise said that he “spent nine months with Cameron going back and forth developing” the characterization of Jerry. While the work that Cruise puts into the physical stunts within his action films is evident to anyone that watches them, the efforts he took to develop such a complex character were more subtle.

'Jerry Maguire' Lets Tom Cruise Get Vulnerable

On paper, Hanks seemed like a more obvious choice for the role. While he had a newfound prestige thanks to his back-to-back Academy Award wins for Best Actor in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump , he was still at his core a comedic actor that had shown his aptitude within the rom-com genre. Romantic comedies were huge in the ‘90s, but his collaborations with Meg Ryan in the films Joe Versus the Volcano , You’ve Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle were among the best. However, Hanks’ refusal gave Cruise the chance to give an uncharacteristically vulnerable performance that pushed him as an actor.

Tom Cruise Inspired Christian Bale's Performance in 'American Psycho'

Tom Cruise tends to take on drama roles and isn't generally associated with comedy, but he’s proven on more than one occasion that he’s much funnier than some of his fans might expect. Outside his iconic cameos in Tropic Thunder and Austin Powers in Goldmember , Cruise showed a comedic vulnerability in his early films Risky Business and All the Right Moves . In both films, he plays a teenager who bites off more than they can chew, and they end up making a lot of ill-advised decisions for the sake of what they perceive to be true love. These films showed that Cruise was willing to make himself the butt of a joke, and didn’t have the ego that he’s sometimes associated with. However, these skills were set aside in the immediate aftermath as Cruise focused on films with a more serious edge to them .

'Jerry Maguire' Is Proof That Tom Cruise Should Do More Romantic Movies

That level of vulnerability is something Hanks has utilized throughout his career, and a reason why his romantic comedies with Ryan are so endearing to this day. It makes perfect sense why he would have been someone that Crowe had in mind, but casting Cruise forced the Mission: Impossible star to show that same romantic vulnerability that had been absent in his filmography since the late 1980s. It was a choice that ended up making Jerry Maguire more surprising. Audiences would expect to see Hanks pouring out his heart to Renée Zellweger about how he feels, but seeing Cruise do it came as a shock, making the “you complete me” moment even more powerful.

When Jerry sets forth with his ambitious mission statement regarding his intentions for his company, it feels like his breakthrough will be accepted automatically, so it’s hilarious when his speech is met with a collective shrug from his co-workers. However, seeing Cruise descend into madness as Jerry digs himself deeper by ranting (and even stealing a fish) results in one of the funniest moments in the entire film. These sorts of physical gags are something that Hanks has done all the time, but Cruise had to show a wacky side of his personality that he hadn’t accessed since his adolescent roles.

Cruise continues to push the boundaries of his physicality as recently as 2023's Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , and he’ll be doing the same thing for the next installment. However, Cruise is also 61 years old, and can’t be doing action films forever. Perhaps choosing to go back to the romantic comedy genre for the first time since Jerry Maguire would be the best choice for Cruise to prove that, even after all these years, he’s still one of the greatest movie stars in the world.

Jerry Maguire is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.

Rent on Prime Video