If anyone knows what it means to be a movie star, it’s Tom Cruise! He’s scaled skyscrapers, flown fighter jets, and run (very fast) through decades of box office dominance.
But at the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning premiere in New York on May 18, Cruise made one thing clear: he’s NOT the last of his kind.
“I don’t want to be,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “There’s so many other talented actors out there, and I want to see them crush it.”
Cruise singled out Michael B. Jordan and his smash hit Sinners: a Ryan Coogler-directed R-rated vampire thriller that’s already crossed $240 million at the domestic box office. “That film ‘Sinners’ is amazing,” Cruise said, adding, “We’re going to make a movie together.”
Yes, you read that right. Cruise + Jordan = future cinematic chaos!
The next wave of movie stars, per Tom Cruise, and us!
It’s easy to mythologize Tom Cruise, but he’s not wrong. There’s a new generation lighting up screens in very ‘movie star’ ways.
Michael B. Jordan isn’t just a leading man. He’s a visionary. With Sinners, he’s proven he can draw audiences into original IP, not just franchises. Plus, Jordan showing up at the London Mission: Impossible premiere? Star behavior.
Tom Cruise also name-checked Brad Pitt, whose upcoming F1 racing drama is set to go full throttle this summer, and Ana de Armas, who’s been hot off back-to-back action hits. Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves continues his reign with the John Wick series. It’s proof that charisma and physical commitment never go out of style.
Looking at The Numbers’ 2025 domestic box office stats, Jason Statham holds the top spot, with films like The Beekeeper and Fast X. Jason Momoa, fresh off A Minecraft Movie, ranks high too, while Gen Z phenoms Jenna Ortega, Florence Pugh, and Rachel Zegler show that the future of fame is indeed female. And fierce.
Cruise also praised Ryan Coogler: “I love the films that they make. It’s brilliant… I admire what they do, and I love to see people do well in life. My door’s always open.”
Are we living through a movie star renaissance?
While Sean Penn recently declared the movie star era ended with Jennifer Lawrence, Tom Cruise’s optimism (and the numbers) tell another story.
Timothée Chalamet (Wonka and Dune) is still peaking, while Austin Butler, Glen Powell, and Sydney Sweeney are climbing fast.
Even stars like Jonathan Roumie, thanks to the sleeper hit Jesus Revolution, are defying expectations and drawing crowds.
What defines a movie star today isn’t just red carpet looks or social media following. It is the range, risk-taking, and the ability to carry a film in a crowded market. Cruise is the blueprint, but clearly, the factory isn’t out of blueprints just yet.
“It’s going to be a great summer of movies,” Cruise promised.
We believe him. After all, if Tom Cruise says they’re out there, then the next movie stars are already here!
