tom cruise living in space

Art Meets Science

Tom Cruise Might Become the First Civilian to Spacewalk at the ISS

Universal is game to send Cruise into space for a proposed action film, but plans aren’t official yet

Daily Correspondent

Astronauts spend years undergoing rigorous training before they make their first trip into space. And before becoming astronauts, they usually already have years of experience in related fields, such as engineering, geology, aeronautics, physics, medicine and biology; many have doctorates or have seen military combat.

But for actor Tom Cruise , a trip to space might just be another day at the office. Cruise hopes to shoot scenes for an as-yet-untitled action film at the International Space Station (ISS) in the near future. If he succeeds, he’d become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station,” according to Donna Langley , chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.

In a lengthy interview with the BBC ’s Katie Razzall, Langley reveals a few more details about the proposed movie, which is “still an aspiration at this stage,” per the BBC.

“Tom Cruise is taking us to space, he’s taking the world to space,” Langley tells the BBC. “That’s the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom.”

Cruise and director Doug Liman , who worked together on the 2014 movie Edge of Tomorrow , pitched the idea for the new film to Langley on a Zoom call during the pandemic. Though she didn’t share too many specific details about the plot, the general gist is that the storyline “actually takes place on earth, and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.”

Cruise is already known for doing many of his own stunts, including some potentially dangerous ones , so it comes as no surprise that he’s willing to take a rocket to the space station for the sake of cinema. As Daniel Kreps writes for Rolling Stone , it’s unclear whether Cruise would actually go inside the ISS or just walk around outside of the orbiting laboratory.

NASA, for its part, seems willing to collaborate on the movie. Though he has since deleted the tweet, former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote in May 2020 that the agency is looking forward to working with Cruise. “We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make NASA’s ambitious plans a reality,” he wrote. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, which is working with NASA on a number of projects, replied that the project “should be a lot of fun!” As Deadline ’s Mike Fleming Jr. reported at the time, Musk, Cruise and NASA were all reportedly working together to make the film a reality.

Despite his lack of official astronaut training, Cruise does have some cinematic experience with space and aviation. In 2013, he played a futuristic drone technician who must defend Earth against alien invaders in Oblivion . He also narrated the 2002 Imax documentary Space Station 3D . One of his most popular air-and-space-related films, of course, is Top Gun , the 1986 flick about Navy fighter pilots. Cruise also recently starred in the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick .

Since the space station’s launch nearly 24 years ago in 1998, ISS crewmembers have made just 253 spacewalks —in other words, they’re not something NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), Roscosmos or any of the other major space station partners take lightly. Spacewalks are inherently dangerous and, as such, NASA has a whole slew of rules and guidelines around them. As Paola Rosa-Aquino writes for Space.com , they’re also expensive and time-consuming—whenever possible, crewmembers try to use robotic arms to work outside the ISS.

Sometimes, though, astronauts (and Russian cosmonauts) have to go on spacewalks as a last resort. They typically have very specific reasons for leaving the space station, such as performing maintenance or installing new equipment. NASA calls these adventures “extravehicular activities.”

Wearing highly specialized suits outfitted with life support gear, crewmembers depart the space station through a special set of airlock doors. They remain attached to the space station via tethers, and they usually spend five to eight hours in space while completing their objectives.

Astronauts must complete special training before they undertake spacewalks. They spend a lot of time at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, they practice spacewalks in a  6.2-million-gallon pool  in which they neither sink nor float. For every hour a crewmember will spend on an ISS spacewalk, they must spend seven hours in the pool, per NASA . They also train via virtual reality technologies that simulate extravehicular activities.

If Cruise ever does make it into orbit, there is another thing he’ll have to keep in mind: remembering to focus in the face of the vast cosmos. And that’s not necessarily an easy feat, as NASA astronaut Mike Fincke told CNN ’s Ashley Strickland last year.

“It’s really truly breathtaking,” he told the publication. “The only thing between you and the rest of the universe, seeing the whole cosmos of creation, is the glass faceplate of your visor on your helmet, and it’s just awe-inspiring.”

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.

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A talk with Tom Cruise as the astronauts cruise around the planet.

By Kenneth Chang

• Sept. 17, 2021

Maverick has called space.

The Inspiration4 crew has talked to the actor Tom Cruise: Maverick was the call sign of his fighter pilot character in the 1986 movie “Top Gun.”

Rook, Nova, Hanks, and Leo spoke to @TomCruise sharing their experience from space. Maverick, you can be our wingman anytime. pic.twitter.com/5YTfyRZhrd — Inspiration4 (@inspiration4x) September 17, 2021

Like the Top Gun character, the four astronauts orbiting Earth have their own call signs. Jared Isaacman, the billionaire underwriting the mission, has flown fighter jets and already had a call sign: Rook, short for rookie. As part of the training for flying to orbit, Mr. Isaacman took his crewmates up in the air for fighter jet flights so they could experience high-G forces during sharp turns.

The other three crew members chose their own call signs. Hayley Arceneaux is Nova, Sian Proctor is Leo and Christopher Sembroski is Hanks.

Mr. Cruise also has space dreams. In May 2020, Jim Bridenstine, then the administrator of NASA, confirmed that the space agency had talked with Mr. Cruise about shooting a film on the International Space Station.

Since then, there has been no update about the progress of the movie or when Mr. Cruise may blast off. But he will return to the cockpit in a sequel called “Top Gun: Maverick,” now expected to be released in May 2022.

But if he does go, he will probably not be the first actor shooting a movie in space. A Russian actress and a director are scheduled to visit the space station next month to make a movie named “Challenge,” about a surgeon sent to orbit to save the life of a Russian astronaut.

Kenneth Chang has been at The Times since 2000, writing about physics, geology, chemistry, and the planets. Before becoming a science writer, he was a graduate student whose research involved the control of chaos. More about Kenneth Chang

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Tom Cruise ‘Working Diligently’ on His Next Movie Shot in Space: ‘We’ll See Where We Go’

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Tom Cruise is still preparing to boldly go where no actor has gone before.

He and his “Edge of Tomorrow” director Doug Liman are set to film a movie in space and make Cruise the first civilian to perform a spacewalk. Universal is backing the film, which has a budget of around $200 million.

When asked about his space-set movie at the “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” premiere in New York on Monday, Cruise said he didn’t have a production start date set, but, “We’ve been working on it diligently and we’ll see where we go.”

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The latest “Mission: Impossible” film, which opens in theaters Wednesday, pits Cruise’s IMF agent Ethan Hunt against a mysterious villain from his past, and reunites him with allies Benji Dunn ( Simon Pegg ), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).

But the greatest draw of any “Mission: Impossible” movie is, of course, the stunts, and “Dead Reckoning Part One” doesn’t disappoint. In the film, Cruise drives a motorcycle off a massive cliff and parachutes safely down to the ground. When asked about that morning on set, Cruise said it was just a “usual day.”

“I keep things pretty calm, nothing unusual. The usual day for me,” he told Variety . “We wake up, and I remember that morning McQuarrie and I came to set, and normally we’re talking about story and the characters, just keep it real casual — as casual as possible. We know what’s happening. I remember getting there in the morning and the ramp was ice. You can see in the EPK as I’m jumping out of the helicopter to test the wind down there, they’re cleaning the ramp of ice. You just go through it nice and easy, no changes.”

“I’m very driven, I am ambitious, I care deeply about my job, but I don’t have cinema itself on my shoulders,” Pegg told Variety . “I feel like Tom, particularly during the making of this movie, felt like that. I felt like he was facing an existential crisis in the form of the pandemic, and he just wouldn’t be cared by it. I don’t know if I have it in me to do what he does, I literally don’t. There’s a reason why he’s the only one who does this stuff. There isn’t an actor working who does what he does.”

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Tom Cruise Might Actually Go to Space for Upcoming Film

• By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

Over two years after it was first reported that Tom Cruise might shoot a film aboard the International Space Station, it appears that the actor is inching closer to becoming “the first civilian to do a spacewalk.”

Back in May 2020, NASA confirmed that they were in talks with Cruise and SpaceX on some sort of film project that was unrelated to the actor’s Mission: Impossible films. “We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality,” NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote at the time.

With Top Gun: Maverick released and the next M: I installments on the way, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Donna Langley told the BBC that sending Cruise to space is among the studio’s mission, and shared more details about the project.

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Rather than relying on boring old CGI technology like every other space movie, Cruise — known for doing his own increasingly death-defying stunts — will actually rocket up to the ISS and become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station”; it’s unclear whether he’ll stroll around outside the station, as Langley said, or if he’ll actually enter the ISS, as NASA previously stated.

However, the movie is still in the dream phase and hasn’t begun production yet. Cruise does have some previous ISS experience having narrated, via Earth, the 2002 IMAX documentary Space Station 3D .

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Will Tom Cruise perform a spacewalk while shooting film on space station?

Cruise reteams with "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman for a possible trip into space

Anyone who has ever seen Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise hanging off jet airplanes, scaling skyscrapers, or zooming through traffic on a motorcycle in countless action blockbusters knows he's truly a man without fear. 

But his signature daredevil DNA doing his own insane stunts might be put to the test for one of his next film projects as he experiences a zero-gravity spacewalk that could jangle his steadfast nerves in unimaginable ways.

Donna Langley, Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, wants to send international leading man Tom Cruise up into Earth orbit for a space-based action thriller that was originally pitched to her back in 2020 by Cruise and director Doug Liman.  

Per the BBC , the basic story outline begins on terra firma , with the " Top Gun: Maverick " star then ascending into the heavens via a rocket to the International Space Station where the down-on-his-luck character's arc requires him to complete a dangerous spacewalk to save the planet. 

Video: Tom Cruise talks space with NASA astronaut Victor Glover

According to a BBC News interview, this movie is still in the development stages but if it does get a green light by Universal, Cruise will add the distinction of being "the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station" to his storied career.

Cruise, who narrated the 2002 IMAX documentary "Space Station 3D," has ventured into the realm of science fiction several times in his lifetime, the most notable titles being director Cameron Crowe’s "Vanilla Sky," "Minority Report" and "War of the Worlds" for director Steven Spielberg, "Oblivion," directed by "Top Gun: Maverick's" Joseph Kosinski, and "Edge of Tomorrow" on which he worked with Liman, the same filmmaker who boldly proposed sending Cruise up into space.

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Although delivering Cruise beyond the bounds of gravity outside the space station is a risky proposition that would require some pricey insurance bonds put up by Universal, Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA (who worked together on private spaceflights to the International Space Station on Axiom Space's Ax-1 mission earlier this year) seem to be onboard the ambitious idea so we'll keep you informed on any new developments as they're announced.

Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook .  

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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Tom Cruise Is Making a Movie in Space With SpaceX and NASA

Greetings, earthlings. Welcome to another edition of The Monitor , WIRED’s entertainment news roundup. This time around we have news about a Labyrinth sequel (nearly 35 years later, but we’ll take it), a new pandemic-ready movie that was shot on an iPhone, and Tom Cruise's plans to film in space. Here, let us explain.

As you might recall, a few weeks ago we told you about some rumors flying around Hollywood suggesting that Tom Cruise wanted to shoot a movie in space with the help of NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX . Turns out, there was something to them after all. Per a report on Deadline , director Doug Liman, who directed Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow , is on board to helm a new action film that will enlist the help of NASA and SpaceX for at least some of the filming.

Little is known about the plot, but Deadline’s report notes that Liman wrote the first draft of the script and Cruise is a producer on the film. Given the current pandemic and the training Cruise and others will likely have to go through, there’s no telling exactly when the film could start production, but it looks like this one might actually happen. Let’s see if we can get #SendTomCruiseToSpace trending.

Speaking of surprising news, Labyrinth is getting a sequel. Deadline is reporting that Scott Derrickson will direct the follow-up to the 1986 Jim Henson classic. The movie, which has the backing of the Jim Henson Company, will be written by Maggie Levin, who wrote and directed the “My Valentine” installment of Hulu’s Into the Dark . Derrickson recently stepped away from the sequel to his Marvel film Doctor Strange over creative differences.

If there’s one movie that encompasses Right Now, it might be IWeirDo . The rom-com and debut feature from Taiwan’s Liao Ming-Yi was filmed entirely using an iPhone XS and features two soulmates—a girl who is a germophobe and a guy who is almost constantly washing his hands. Oh, also you’ll be able to watch its premiere online due to the coronavirus . The film is opening the Far East Film Festival , which typically takes place in Udine, Italy, but this year is happening online as that country continues to deal with Covid-19. The festival will take place June 26 to July 4, and IWeirDo will premiere on Italian site MyMovies .

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Tom Cruise Says They've "Been Working On" New Universal Movie That'll Literally Send Him to Space

His mission, should he choose to accept it, would make all kinds of history.

Is Tom Cruise still on track to tackle his most ambitious stunt yet by becoming the  first-ever civilian to perform a spacewalk  with a movie that will literally send him into orbit?

"We’ve been working on it diligently and we’ll see where we go," the actor told Variety while on the press circuit for the latest Mission: Impossible film, going on to say that there is no official start date yet for the currently-untitled movie.

Doug Liman (who previously worked with Cruise on Edge of Tomorrow and American Made ) is on board to direct the reported $200 million feature for Universal Pictures. When news first broke in March 2020, it was reported that both NASA and SpaceX would have a hand in the tricky shoot aboard the International Space Station. The vast majority of principal photography, however, will take place on solid ground .

RELATED:  Tom Cruise Goes Full Barbenheimer, Plans to See Oppenheimer & Barbie Opening Weekend

“Things come out of our mouths like, we’re going to shoot this scene on Earth, or this scene won’t be shot on Earth,” Liman said in early 2021 . "That just gets uttered casually and often during prep meetings. That’s not lost on me, and I don’t think it’s lost on Tom. I think the reason that Tom is such a superstar is, as much as we’re talking about making a movie not on Earth, I think Tom very much has both of his feet planted on the ground. And more than anyone I’ve ever worked with, he appreciates the extraordinary opportunity he has to go make movies.”

Before he can blast off into the upper atmosphere, though, Cruise needs to finish filming  Dead Reckoning Part Two  (slated to open next June), for which he and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie will begin location scouting once the Part One press tour concludes.

"We finish this tour, and on our way back to the U.K. we stop to scout along the way," McQuarrie said to Variety . "We hit the ground running as soon as we get back. I get two days of vacation between here and Tokyo and I’m back on."

Cruise returns to the big screen today (July 12) in  Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One . The seventh installment in the long-running espionage franchise finds Ethan Hunt and his fellow IMF agents battling a rogue artificial intelligence known simply as "The Entity." According to early box office projections , the film could open to $250 globally in its first five days. 

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Want more blockbuster thrills in the meantime? Jaws, Jurassic Park, The Da Vinci Code, The Hunger Games, Fast Five, Jurassic World, Knock at the Cabin, Cocaine Bear, Renfield, and more are now streaming  on Peacock !

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Tom cruise gives careful update on his outer space movie.

Box-office sensation and daredevil Tom Cruise gives a careful update about the status of his space movie three years after it was first announced.

Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise offers a careful update about his ambitious plans for a new film which would see him launched into space. First announced in May 2020, the untitled project is set to reunite Cruise with his Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman and reportedly involves using Elon Musk’s SpaceX program to allow him to shoot scenes set aboard the International Space Station. While Cruise’s journey into space was originally planned for October 2021, it has since been pushed back allowing the Russian-made film The Challenge to become the first time a professional actor has been filmed in space.

Variety spoke with Cruise about the out-of-this-world project during his red-carpet appearance at the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One New York premiere.

Suggesting that he still does not know when the project will finally see him shot into outer space, he revealed that both he and Liman have been diligently working on their plans stating " I don't know yet. We've been working on it diligently, and we'll see where we go. "

How Going Into Space Is The Next Natural Step For Tom Cruise

With a career spanning over four decades, Tom Cruise has consistently proven himself an audience drawcard with few equals. Between strapping himself into the cockpit of a $70 million Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet to climbing the world’s tallest building, Cruise has regularly put himself into increasingly risky situations in order to deliver some of cinema’s most memorable moments. Moreover, Cruise’s insistence on providing audiences with real-life stuntwork over digital wizardry has also continued to deliver healthy box-office returns at a time when other big-budget blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are struggling.

With Cruise constantly upping the ante and challenging himself to perform even bigger and better stunts, it was only a matter of time before he set his sights on space. Having already used nearly every conceivable Earth-bound aircraft, the only next logical step available to the daredevil actor would be to climb into a rocket and leave the planet behind entirely. While it is now too late for Tom Cruise to make the first film in space , what is already known about Cruise's plans would suggest that he is set on becoming the first civilian to perform a spacewalk at the International Space Station.

Related: Tom Cruise's Huge Space Movie Plan Can Complete A Wild Career Trend

While Cruise’s latest update does not provide much of an indication of when audiences can expect to see his extra-planetary escapades for themselves, it seems the star is still keen to see his plans eventuate. With his latest action-packed efforts in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One already drawing considerable praise, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact Tom Cruise 's most ambitious film will have when it finally arrives from beyond our world’s atmosphere.

Source: Variety

Tom Cruise Reveals Tentative Progress on His Ambitious Space Film Project

Tom Cruise shares an update on his planned outer space film in partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The audacious Hollywood legend, Tom Cruise , known for his box-office hits and nerve-wracking stunts, has recently provided a cautious yet intriguing update about his previously announced space movie. This announcement came three years after his project's initial reveal, piquing the curiosity of fans and industry insiders alike.The original news came out in May 2020 about an unprecedented endeavor to film in space. Teaming up with his Edge of Tomorrow director, Doug Liman, the ambitious film planned to leverage Elon Musk's SpaceX program for scenes shot on the International Space Station (ISS).While the film's initial space launch was planned for October 2021, delays pushed it back, resulting in Russia's The Challenge becoming the first film to professionally shoot an actor in space.Cruise, during his red-carpet appearance for the New York premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , spoke to Variety about this high-stakes project. While he admitted that the final timeline for shooting in space is still uncertain, he confirmed his commitment and active engagement in the process. Cruise noted,

"I don't know yet. We've been working on it diligently, and we'll see where we go."

For over forty years, Cruise has shown an unstoppable drive to push action and realism in films. Whether flying a pricey Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet or climbing the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, Cruise isn't afraid to face danger.

Tweet shared by @Variety

RELATED: Mission: Impossible 7 Clip Goes Behind the Scenes of Tom Cruise's Speedflying Stunt

A Potential Revolution for Hollywood Cinema – Outer Space Filming

Cruise’s pursuit of authenticity, opting for real stunts over CGI, has consistently resonated with audiences, keeping the box-office registers ringing even as some other big-budget blockbusters struggle. Given his impressive stunt record, Cruise's aspiration to film in space appears to be a natural progression. The world watched as he harnessed almost every conceivable Earth-bound vehicle for his breathtaking scenes.

Now, space – the final frontier – has grabbed the relentless actor's attention. Cruise may have missed the opportunity to make the first movie in space, but the existing details hint that he aims to become the first civilian to perform a spacewalk on the ISS.

The latest update from Cruise might not offer a clear timeline for his space venture, but it certainly confirms his unwavering interest. His most recent action thriller, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , is already receiving high praise. It leaves fans and critics wondering about the impact this off-world project could have on cinema when it finally breaks through the Earth's atmosphere.

Without a doubt, Cruise's boldest project to date could usher in a revolutionary period for Hollywood cinema. This new project would cement his status as a transformative figure in the industry. Cruise has been consistently fearless in his exploration of uncharted territories.

Mission Possible: How Tom Cruise's plan to film in space fits NASA's trajectory

As nasa looks to inspire, a film set on the international space station is the next logical step.

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As two American astronauts get set to lift off into history on the first privately built rocket ship on Saturday, Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is preparing his own launch into the record books. 

The 57-year-old action star is preparing for a feature length film to be shot on location in the International Space Station and directed by Edge of Tomorrow filmmaker Doug Liman. NASA and SpaceX will be collaborating on the venture. 

NASA is excited to work with <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomCruise</a> on a film aboard the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a>’s ambitious plans a reality. <a href="https://t.co/CaPwfXtfUv">pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv</a> &mdash; @JimBridenstine

For an actor known for performing his own stunts, space represents the final frontier of Cruise's career, said film critic Jason Gorber.

"His entire brand is for him as an action hero to bring us along for the journey," he said. "We need to see him struggling. We need to see him running with his hands pointed."

Indeed, as Cruise has gotten older he's focused less on the acting feats that brought him to Hollywood's attention and more on daring widescreen stunts.  

For Mission: Impossible -  Rogue Nation Cruise hung off the side of an Airbus cargo plane as it lumbered into the sky. In his most recent film, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Cruise broke an ankle while filming a rooftop chase scene. In the footage, Cruise can be seen hitting the side of the building, pulling himself up and hobbling forward to finish the shot . 

In a world where computer graphics make such self-sacrifice unnecessary, Gorber said we crave reality even more.

He said the actor's approach is, "'I'm going to put myself in danger for your entertainment,' and we get a visceral thrill from that." 

Boldly filming in zero-G

Up until now, the closest Hollywood has come to portraying the effects of space would be the 1995 film Apollo 13 . For the movie starring Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon, director Ron Howard shot scenes of zero gravity by filming short excerpts in NASA's KC-135 aircraft. By flying in a parabolic arc, the Boeing jet creates the feeling of weightlessness 25 seconds at time. In the end the cast and crew of Apollo 13 logged 612 zero-G flights .

WATCH | Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon try a test flight aboard the "vomit comet":

While shooting in space seems the apogee of Cruise's ambitions, it's also a sign of an increasing level of openness from NASA itself. In recent years there's been a new wave of films about space exploration made with administration's co-operation, such as  The Martian , the Apollo 11 documentary and the Ryan Gosling film First Man .

In 2017 alone, NASA was involved in a record 143 documentaries, 25 feature films and 41 TV programs according to NASA's  Houston We Have a Podcast . Now with new missions to Mars and the moon in the works, NASA is actively looking for ways to capture the public's attention. 

Where space itself is the special effect

While putting a movie star in orbit may help NASA, it also fits the current trajectory of big budget blockbusters. As smaller films move to streaming services, the big screen has become the realm of so-called "event" films, the kind of movies that simply have to be seen in a theatre. 

"We live in strange times where the entire theatrical experience is undergoing enormous stress," Gorber said. "But one thing that brings people in is spectacle. What better spectacle would there be than Tom Cruise floating in the International Space Station?"

According to reports, there's already a first draft of a screenplay for the space film, but no major studio attached. Even if Cruise finds the financing and books a seat on a SpaceX flight, making a movie in space will be an entirely different kind of mission, said video game entrepreneur Richard Garriott. 

He would know. Garriott paid millions to spend 12 days on the ISS, where he created his own short film, The Apogee of Fear . 

First there's the environment. Garriott points out space stations are filled with buzzing and humming equipment built to keep humans alive. "Quiet on the set" does not apply. 

Then there's the issue of orbital dynamics. While working with the astronauts who appeared in his film, Garriott quickly learned the futility of blocking out a scene. 

"If you decide you want to move a foot to the left, you start moving to the left and you keep going to the left because of Newton's laws and mechanics," he said. "Setting up and completing shots is considerably more difficult in zero gravity."

WATCH | Apogee of Fear, the first narrative film shot in space: 

But as a son of a NASA astronaut and artist, Garriott is excited about the opportunities. He said private companies such as SpaceX have already dropped the cost of access space tenfold. "As the flight frequency becomes greater it also becomes safer and cheaper. so people can start looking to space to live, work and even create art."

While the idea of escaping the bonds of Earth to sell popcorn might sully the grander mission for some, self-professed space geek Gorber isn't bothered.

"We have always lived vicariously through the adventures of others," he said. "So to have Cruise go up, he's not only doing it for our entertainment, but he's doing it for us, in a true sort of sense."

With both Cruise and director Liman currently committed to other projects, it will be years before the project gets off the ground. 

In the meantime, as one of few private citizens who's experienced the awe and isolation of circling 400 kilometres above the Earth, Garriott hopes the eventual film will show viewers the challenges and pleasures of the experience, "And therefore increase their own aspirations to explore."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior entertainment reporter

Eli Glasner is the senior entertainment reporter and screentime columnist for CBC News. Covering culture has taken him from the northern tip of Moosonee Ontario to the Oscars and beyond.  You can reach him at [email protected].

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With files from Zulekha Nathoo

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Producers on a Tom Cruise film set in space are planning to launch the world's first movie studio connected to the International Space Station

• UK-based Space Entertainment Enterprise signed a deal to launch the first entertainment studio in space.
• The ISS module is intended for creatives who want to film in low-orbit, micro-gravity environments.
• The studio is tied to a highly-anticipated Tom Cruise-led project, which is working with SpaceX and NASA to shoot on the ISS.

The film industry is quite literally reaching new heights, with the forthcoming launch of the world's first entertainment studio and multi-purpose arena in space.

Elena and Dmitry Lesnevsky, producers on an upcoming Tom Cruise movie set in space, announced on Thursday that they signed a deal to build a fully operational movie studio connected to the International Space Station. The 20-foot-wide studio, dubbed Space Entertainment Enterprise-1 (SEE-1), is slated to launch December 2024 and will be the world's first functional entertainment and content studio in space.

SEE-1 will be developed in partnership with Huston-based space infrastructure developer, Axiom Space, the company behind the world's first commercial space station, Axiom Station. Once it's ready for launch, the studio will dock with Axiom Station, which is currently attached to the ISS.

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According to Axiom, the module will be able to support production, broadcast, and live-streaming for film, television, music, and sports projects.

"Adding a dedicated entertainment venue to Axiom Station's commercial capabilities in the form of SEE-1 will expand the station's utility as a platform for a global user base and highlight the range of opportunities the new space economy offers," Axiom president and CEO Michael Suffredini said in a statement.

The Levenskys' U.K. studio confirmed to CNBC it is currently in production on the Tom Cruise-led film, though it is not clear whether Cruise will wait for the debut of the SEE-1 studio to shoot. 

NASA previously granted Axiom a $140 million contract to attach its habitable module to the International Space Station. The company will eventually detach Axiom Station before the ISS retires, at which point it will become a free-flying space station.

The Lesnevskys plans on producing their own content from the SEE-1 module, but also said they plan to open up the habitable space station for use by other entertainment companies.

While the Cruise-led space movie currently remains untitled, the project is not tied to the actor's blockbuster "Mission Impossible" franchise, Deadline reported . The budget for the film is estimated to be a whopping $200 million, according to IMDB Pro .

Cruise, whose projects are known for pushing the limits in production and stunt filming capabilities , announced in 2020 he was working with Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA to shoot the first narrative feature onboard the ISS.

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Film studio to be launched in space in 2024.

The SEE-1 studio module, to be attached to a new commercial space station, comes from the company co-producing Tom Cruise's upcoming space movie.

By Alex Ritman

Alex Ritman

U.K. Correspondent

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Shooting scenes in space in front of a greenscreen may soon become a thing of the past.

Space Entertainment Enterprise (SEE) — the company co-producing Tom Cruise’s upcoming space movie with Doug Liman — has revealed plans to launch a TV and film studio, alongside a streaming content studio and sports arena, in space, scheduled for a late 2024 opening.

Named SEE-1, the microgravity film, TV, sport and entertainment production and broadcast module — a world first — would be fitted to the Axiom Station, a commercial space station being built by Axiom Space that would attach to the current International Space Station before orbiting on its own.

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Plans for the module include hosting film, TV, music and sports events, as well as artists, producers and creatives who want to produce content in the low-orbit microgravity environment, while also enabling the development, production, recording, broadcasting and live-streaming of content. SEE also intends to produce its own content and events in the module as well as make them available to third parties.

SEE is co-founded by Elena and Dmitry Lesnevsky, who are co-producing Cruise’s first ever Hollywood motion picture filmed in outer space. Its partners, consultants and advisors include former HBO, Endemol and Viacom execs, alongside NYC-based investment bank GH Partners. The company is currently in discussions with investors and commercial partners on the project with a further fundraising round planned shortly.

“SEE-1 is an incredible opportunity for humanity to move into a different realm and start an exciting new chapter in space,” said Dmitry and Elena Lesnevsky. “It will provide a unique, and accessible home for boundless entertainment possibilities in a venue packed with innovative infrastructure which will unleash a new world of creativity. With worldwide leader Axiom Space building this cutting-edge, revolutionary facility, SEE-1 will provide not only the first, but also the supreme quality space structure enabling the expansion of the two trillion-dollar global entertainment industry into low-Earth orbit.”

SEE-1 is scheduled to become operational in December 2024, early in Axiom Station’s on-orbit assembly. When the station’s initial configuration is completed and it is ready to separate from the ISS in 2028, the studio module is set to comprise one-fifth of its total volume.

“From Jules Verne to Star Trek , science fiction entertainment has inspired millions of people around the world to dream about what the future might bring,” said SEE’s COO Richard Johnston. “Creating a next-generation entertainment venue in space opens countless doors to create incredible new content and make these dreams a reality.”

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Tom Cruise Gives Update on Plans to Film a Movie in Space: 'Working on It Diligently'

The actor's latest film "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" is in theaters now

Henry Chandonnet is an Editorial Intern at PEOPLE. Their work has previously appeared in V Magazine, The Daily Dot, Salon, and Document Journal.

JC Olivera/Getty Images

Tom Cruise is still charting his work trip to space.

Back in 2020 it was revealed that the actor was planning to film a movie in outer space .

While at the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One premiere in New York City this week, Cruise, 61, was asked about the status of the space-exploring film.

“We’ve been working on it diligently,” he teased to Variety . “We’ll see where we go.”

The project was first announced by NASA back in 2020, days after a report came out claiming Cruise was looking to space for cinematic inspiration.

NASA director Jim Bridenstein led the charge: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.” 

Elon Musk , founder of SpaceX , tacked onto the excitement. “Should be a lot of fun!" Musk replied in a tweet.

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Weeks later, Deadline reported that the project had confirmed Doug Liman to direct . Cruise and Liman previously worked together on 2014's Edge of Tomorrow and 2017's American Made .

Two years later, Universal Pictures executive Donna Langley confirmed the movie’s production in an interview with BBC News . 

“I think Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He's taking the world to space," Langley said. "That's the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom that does contemplate him doing just that, taking a rocket up to the Space Station and shooting and hopefully being the first civilian to do a space walk outside of the Space Station."

The upcoming film, which Langley said Cruise pitched to her over a Zoom call during the pandemic, has a budget in the area of $200 million, according to Variety .

Stefania M. D'Alessandro/Getty 

“During the pandemic he asked for a Zoom call with us and got onto the call and said, 'Guys, I've got this great project and here it is,' " Langley said. "The majority of the story actually takes place on Earth and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.”

While Cruise works “diligently” on his space film, he is currently rolling out his latest Mission: Impossible movie. While Dead Reckoning Part One can be found in theaters now, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie admitted that Part Two is yet to be completed. “We finish this tour, and on our way back to the U.K. we stop to scout along the way. We hit the ground running as soon as we get back,” McQuarrie told Variety . “I get two days of vacation between here and Tokyo and I’m back on.”

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How Much Of Tom Cruise’s Space Movie Is Actually Going To Be Set In Space?

Tom Cruise is looking to make history filming a movie in space, but just how long will he actually be there.

Tom Cruise isn’t just a massive movie star but he’s a movie star that is so dedicated to his craft that he rarely, if ever, lets a stuntman take over. Cruise has hung from helicopters, done HALO jumps, and jumped off mountains for the Mission: Impossible franchise , and reports are that an upcoming Tom Cruise movie will literally put the actor in space. Now we have a bit of an idea just how much of the movie would put Cruise in space, and while it's not a lot, it should be enough.

In an interview with the BBC , Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Donna Langley talks about the project, which would film in and around the International Space Station, and yes, I do mean, around, as the movie, if it happens as planned, would make Tom Cruise the first civilian to do a spacewalk. Langley explains… 

I think Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He's taking the world to space but yeah, that's the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom that does contemplate him doing just that, yeah, taking a rocket up to the space station and shooting and hopefully being the first civilian to do a space walk outside of the space station.

Langley says that that the project is in development, and that it “contemplates” Tom Cruise flying up to the space station to film this movie, so this is clearly far from a done deal. There are likely going to be a lot of potential hurdles in the way of Tom Cruise filming in space and doing a spacewalk, and that’s on top of all the regular hurdles that every major Hollywood production has to overcome in order to actually become a movie.

It perhaps unsurprising to learn that the entire idea of “Tom Cruise goes to space” came directly from the actor himself. Not only is Cruise willing to do all his own stunts , he clearly enjoys doing them and wants to push the envelope and try new things. I suppose after you’ve done a HALO jump for a Mission: Impossible movie , the only way to top that is to increase the altitude until you’re literally in space. 

Assuming this movie does happen, however, fans will apparently need to wait a bit for all the cool outer space action. Langley reveals that it’s only the finale of the movie that takes place in space, but that will of course make the end of this particular movie one for the record books. Langley continues… 

It was Tom directly, and he collaborates very closely with a director called Doug Liman. And during the pandemic, he asked for a Zoom call with us and got on onto the call and said, 'Guys, I've got this great project and and here it is.' So the majority of the story actually takes place on Earth and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.

To be fair, getting an entire movie of Tom Cruise in space was going to be a tall order. Of course, once Tom Cruise gets a taste for making movies in space, he may decide he wants to push the envelope even further, and maybe then we will get the first movie shot entirely in outer space where Tom Cruise becomes the first civilian to pilot a shuttle. I’m not betting against it. 

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CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.

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“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.”

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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.

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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.

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Tom Cruise Is a London Boy

Sometimes when God closes a door (Taylor Swift says “So long” ), She opens a window (Tom Cruise does the splits). Cruise is living that life in London, and for him that means break-dancing, doing the splits, and watching the British absolutely lose their crumpets. Cruise has lived in London since 2021 and has, in that time, been at the former queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the British Grand Prix, according to the Mercury News . And now he has attended the most British event of all: Posh Spice’s birthday party. Fortunately, he still has the American propensity to do the most. While at the party, Cruise began break-dancing and ended his routine by doing the splits, according to the Daily Mail . “People were absolutely dumbfounded,” a source mentioned. All we’ll say about that is that if there’s one thing the Mission: Impossible franchise could do to s ecure those Imax screens , it just might be a (gay?) club scene in which Cruise distracts the bad guys by jumping into the splits like a Drag Race contestant. Just an idea.

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The Book ‘Forrest Gump’ Is Based on Sends Tom Hanks’ Character to Space — With an Ape

In space, no one can hear you talk about chocolates.

The Big Picture

• The Forrest Gump movie differs from the book by excluding darker storylines & unrealistic space mission subplot.
• Tom Hanks' performance as Forrest Gump focuses on charm rather than the book's disturbing details.
• The film's light-hearted tone omits the space mission subplot for believability & avoids darker aspects.

The 1990s were a unique decade of cinema that produced very different types of films that were considered to be “blockbusters.” While the decade had its fair share of hit comedies, action films, and science fiction epics, there were many critically acclaimed awards contenders that also had significant box office success. Among the biggest events of the decade was Robert Zemeckis ’ adaptation of the acclaimed novel Forrest Gump . In addition to winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, Forrest Gump became the highest grossing film of 1994. Interested readers may have been slightly confused when they checked out the original source material, as the Forrest Gump movie is radically different from the book.

The Forrest Gump film negated some of the book’s more disturbing aspects, including storylines involving the characters’ more violent experience serving in the Vietnam War and some tragic details about his backstory that are only hinted at in the final film. Comparatively, the film focused on the broad appeal of Tom Hanks ’ magnetic performance as the titular character, which helped the film become one of the biggest hits of Zemeckis’ career . Although it was certainly more light-hearted than the novel it was based on, the Forrest Gump movie cut out a storyline involving Hanks’ character going to space with an ape.

Forrest Gump

The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75 who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.

Why Does Forrest Gump Go to Space in the Book?

Despite a few minor changes, the first half of Forrest Gump is fairly similar to the novel. After meeting Lieutenant Dan ( Gary Senise ) whilst serving in the United States Army during the Vietnam War , Forrest becomes a national hero and eventually earns an audience with President Lyndon B. Johnson. As is depicted in the film, a ceremony held in his honor gives Forrest the opportunity to reunite with his childhood girlfriend Jenny ( Robin Wright ) in front of a crowd of cheering spectators. However, Forest’s disruptive activities soon attract the ire of local law enforcement officials and land him in a mental institution. While sitting in isolation, Forrest’s ability to do math in his head draws the attention of doctors who recommend him to NASA. He is offered the opportunity to leave the confined hospital and take part in one of the nation’s most ambitious space programs.

Forrest’s ability to make complex calculations in his head is perfect for an experimental mission that teams him up with the astronaut Major Janet Fritch, who is expected to be the first woman in space. In addition to Fritch and another astronaut, Forest’s mission to space includes an ape that he nicknames Sue. While a deviation from historical fact, this was a reference to NASA’s real history of sending apes to space. The mission requires a female ape that is less aggressive, but Forest and his crew realize one moment too late that Sue is actually a male. The mission is nearly thrown into complete chaos, but Forrest manages to calm down Sue by singing.

Tom Hanks Is Reuniting With His 'Forrest Gump' Team for 'Here' This November

Although his ability to connect with Sue spares the mission from any truly disastrous consequences, Forest and his fellow astronauts crash land in New Guinea where they become hostages to a tribe of cannibals. The novel briefly turns into a survival thriller , as Forest and the other astronauts have no way to communicate with their superiors at NASA. However, Forest’s adaptability once again wins the day when he learns how to play chess by communicating with the tribe members. After he returns home, Forest becomes a national chess champion and meets President Richard Nixon.

Why Does the ‘Forrest Gump’ Movie Change the Book?

Although it may have made for an entertaining subplot, the space storyline didn’t fit within the tone that Zemeckis was aiming for with the Forrest Gump movie . While the film involves Forest interacting with many historical figures and becoming involved in famous events, it never suggests that he completely changes history. Involving Forest in a situation as high profile as an outer space mission would have stretched the believability of the narrative, and would not have reflected the character’s more humble origins. Hanks’ version of the character also may have been a bit too silly to be tasked with the responsibilities of leading a NASA mission; while he has no shortage of great quotes , Gump is a goofball who generally makes any situation he’s involved in more chaotic.

As exciting as the space mission would have been to see on screen, removing the NASA storyline allowed the Forrest Gump film to cut out some of the novel’s darker aspects . Sue the ape might have been a comical character, but the notion of Gump being trapped within an abusive institutional facility is more than a little disturbing. Additionally, dealing with cannibalistic tribes in New Guinea could have led the film to feature some potentially xenophobic clichés that would have seriously dampened the entertainment value.

‘Forrest Gump’ Has a Complex Legacy

Despite winning the Oscar for Best Picture , the legacy of Forrest Gump has been hotly debated . Some viewers view the film as a purely nationalistic celebration of all-American values, with Forrest’s journey from a humble life on the farm to a national spotlight representing the purest depiction of the “American dream.” However, others view it as a more deliberate work of satire that pokes fun at the importance placed on critical historical events in the 20th century. Regardless of the interpretation, Forrest Gump has had a significant impact on popular culture and remains iconic to this day.

The possibility of seeing another film reach the same level of success seems unlikely, as plans for a sequel to Forrest Gump were canceled . While Zemeckis and screenwriter Eric Roth briefly considered making an adaptation of the second novel Gump & Co. , they felt that a film celebrating American values would be inappropriate in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy.

Forrest Gump is streaming on Paramount Plus in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+