was legend tom cruise's first movie

Home > Tom Cruise First Movies In Order

Tom Cruise First Movies In Order

• UPDATED: December 1, 2023

Table of Contents

Tom Cruise: A Journey Through His First Movies

Tom Cruise, a name that has become synonymous with Hollywood stardom, had humble beginnings in the world of acting. Before he became the international sensation we know today, Cruise started his career with small roles in various films. Let’s take a journey through his first movies in chronological order and see how this talented actor’s career began.

1. “Endless Love” (1981): Cruise made his film debut with a minor role in this romantic drama. Although his screen time was limited, it was clear that he had a natural presence and charisma that would later propel him to stardom.

2. “Taps” (1981): In this military drama, Cruise played one of the supporting characters alongside established actors like Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton. Despite being a relatively small role, his performance showcased his ability to hold his own among experienced actors.

3. “The Outsiders” (1983): Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this coming-of-age drama featured an ensemble cast of young actors who would go on to become big names in Hollywood. Cruise portrayed Steve Randle, a member of a group of greasers. His performance demonstrated his versatility as an actor and further solidified his place in the industry.

4. “Risky Business” (1983): This comedy-drama marked Cruise’s breakthrough role as Joel Goodson, a high school student who turns his parents’ house into a brothel while they are away. The film’s iconic scene of Cruise dancing in his underwear became an instant pop culture phenomenon and catapulted him into the spotlight.

5. “All the Right Moves” (1983): Continuing his streak of successful films in 1983, Cruise starred as Stefan Djordjevic, a talented high school football player aiming for a college scholarship. This sports drama showcased Cruise’s ability to portray intense emotions and further established him as a rising star.

6. “Legend” (1985): In this fantasy film directed by Ridley Scott, Cruise played the lead role of Jack, a young forest dweller who must rescue his love interest from the Lord of Darkness. Although the film received mixed reviews, Cruise’s performance demonstrated his willingness to take on diverse roles and work with acclaimed directors.

7. “Top Gun” (1986): Arguably one of Cruise’s most iconic movies, “Top Gun” solidified his status as a Hollywood superstar. Playing the role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a talented naval aviator, Cruise showcased his charm and charisma while also performing daring aerial stunts. The film became a massive commercial success and further cemented Cruise’s place in Hollywood history.

These early films in Tom Cruise’s career laid the foundation for his future success. From minor roles to breakout performances, each movie showcased his talent and versatility as an actor. Cruise’s dedication to his craft and willingness to take on challenging roles have undoubtedly contributed to his longevity in the industry.

As we look back at these first movies in chronological order, it is evident that Tom Cruise’s journey from humble beginnings to international stardom was marked by hard work, determination, and undeniable talent.

RELATED TOPICS:

• tom cruise first movies in order

Related articles you'll love:

Harrison ford jack ryan movies in order, the transformer movies in order, batman and joker movies in order, hbo dc movies in order, mha show and movies in order, batman live action movies in order, latest articles, 20 photos of young madonna throughout the years, how tall is ben stiller, unveiling kai cenat: a closer look at how tall is he, how did curious george die end of a curiosity: unraveling the untold tale of curious george’s farewell, pictures of young robert de niro throughout the years.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Ad Blocker Enabled!

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, black writers week.

Now streaming on:

Recent movies have created sort of a generic fantasy universe of Muppets and swamps, strange beasts and evil tyrants, damsels and heroic lads, and ancient prophecies and mythical legends. It's a world inspired by ingredients from "Lord of the Rings," the "Star Wars" movies, Dungeons and Dragons gamesmanship, tales of King Arthur and the latest gimmicks from the special-effects people.

In a movie that works, these ingredients can be exciting and delightful. "Legend" does not work.

The movie is a British big-budget, special-effects extravaganza by Ridley Scott , the director of " Alien ." It tells of a time long, long ago, when unicorns roam the Earth and the powers of light and darkness are at war. An evil prince named Darkness lives in caverns far beneath the Earth, scheming to blot the sun out of the lives of all the planet's creatures and to rule the gloom forever.

Earth itself is a sylvan place, filled with flowers and little glades and grassy clearings - but also with dread swamps and moldy fens. Young lovers can kiss for an afternoon in a bath of sunshine, but fearsome storms come up suddenly and lash the land with their fury. A race of evil little druids lives in the woods, and they spread mischief wherever they venture. Their favorite pastime is frightening the unicorns.

Into this setting come our heroes, Jack and Lili. Jack ( Tom Cruise ) is a hero whose mission in life is to vanquish Darkness and allow the sun to prevail. Lili ( Mia Sara ) is the young woman he meets and falls in love with, but she is lured into the underworld and seduced by an exotic priestess into seemingly becoming evil. Will Jack save Lili and defeat Darkness? Or will the movie end unhappily? Can we vote more than once? Let it be said that "Legend" is an impressive technical achievement. Scott is a perfectionist who takes infinite pains to make things look right.

The problem is, the world of "Legend" is itself wrong for this material. To some degree, this is a fairy tale, and it needs a certain lightness of tone, a plucky cheerfulness, to work. Like many recent sword and sorcery movies, it is so effective in rendering evil, so good at depicting the dire, bleak fates facing the heroes, that it's too dreary and gloomy for its own good.

Performances tend to get lost in productions like this. I particularly noticed how easily Cruise got buried in the role of Jack.

Here is the talented young actor from " Risky Business ," where he came across as a genuine individual, and this time he's so overwhelmed by sets and special effects that his character could be played by anybody.

Tim Curry , from " The Rocky Horror Picture Show ," makes an effective Darkness; I liked his style. But, once again, the makeup people have done such a good job with his blazing eyes and gigantic horns that, in a way, almost any actor could be lurking inside there (only Curry's sensuous lips give him away).

Despite all its sound and fury, "Legend" is a movie I didn't care very much about. All of the special effects in the world, and all of the great makeup, and all of the great Muppet creatures can't save a movie that has no clear idea of its own mission and no joy in its own accomplishment.

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

Matt Zoller Seitz

The Beach Boys

Brian tallerico.

Hummingbirds

Travis hopson.

Fancy Dance

Jourdain searles.

Peyton Robinson

Christy Lemire

Film credits.

Legend (1986)

Tom Cruise as Jack

Mia Sara as Lili

Tim Curry as Darkness

David Bennent as Gump

Alice Playten as Blix

Billy Barty as Screwball

Directed by

• Ridley Scott

Produced by

• Arnon Milchan

Screenplay by

• William Hjortsberg

Photographed by

• Alex Thomson
• Tangerine Dream
• Terry Rawlings

Latest blog posts

Kevin Costner: The Last of the Cornball American Directors

Leaving A Mark Behind: Kevin Costner on Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

The Hard Way, Or My Way? RIP Bill Cobbs (1934-2024)

Catherine Breillat Wants You to Think About (Movie) Sex Differently

• Edit source

Legend is a 1985 fantasy film released by 20th Century Fox in Europe and Universal Pictures in the United States and Canada, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara. Though not a very notable success when first released, it received an Academy Award nomination (for best makeup) and has since gained a cult following. This is the only fantasy film directed by Ridley Scott and the only time he worked with Tom Cruise. Ridley Scott's brother - Tony Scott had worked with Tom Cruise only once as well.

• 2 Production
• 3.1 Songs in the film
• 4 Film Score
• 5.3 Definitive Cut
• 6 External Links

The following synopsis is based on an early 113-minute version later released on DVD as the "director's cut".

The story is set "once, long ago" in a world of unicorns, fairies, goblins, and demons. Hidden in a dark lair, the antagonist, the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) instructs his goblin servant Blix (Alice Playten) to locate the two unicorns that roam in the nearby forest and remove their horns. If the unicorns die and their horns are removed, the Lord of Darkness can ensure that dawn never again breaks, and sunshine never returns.

In the forest, Jack (Tom Cruise), a young hermit, meets with his love, Princess Lily (Mia Sara). As one of few forest dwellers allowed to locate the unicorns, Jack takes Lily to see the creatures, while followed by Blix and her two cohorts Pox and Blunder. The unicorns appear, and Lily ignores Jack's pleas not to touch them. As Lily approaches the unicorns, the goblins attack with a poisoned blowpipe dart, hitting the stallion. The unicorns bolt, with neither Lily nor Jack noticing the attack.

Jack chastises Lily for ignoring his warnings. Unaware of the repercussions of her touching the unicorn, Lily engages Jack in innocent chatter and sets a quest for Jack by throwing her ring into a nearby pond and claiming that she will marry the one who recovers her ring. Jack immediately dives off the cliff into the pond to recover it. Meanwhile, overcome by the venom, the stallion dies and Blix removes its horn. The unicorn's death causes a fierce snowstorm, which freezes the pond. Unable to locate the ring, Jack breaks through the ice and resurfaces, to find world transformed into winter with Lily nowhere in sight. Frightened by the storm, Lily returns to her village and enters a cottage owned by her friend Nell, a woodland dweller. However, she finds that Nell and her family have frozen as part of the curse brought on by the theft of the unicorn's horn. Hearing noises outside, Lily hides just in time to avoid arriving goblins, and overhears clues that explain the cause of the disaster. As the goblins ride off, Lily swears to undo her mistake.

Meanwhile, Jack meets Oona, Honeythorn Gump, Brown Tom, and Screwball (a fairy, an elf, and two dwarves). Due to Jack's great crime of allowing a human to touch a unicorn, Gump is unwilling to lend his aid. At Jack's insistence, Gump puts a difficult riddle to him and offers forgiveness if it is answered correctly, certain that Jack will be unable solve it. Much to Gump's surprise and rage, Jack correctly answers the riddle. Gump soon recovers his composure and admits defeat, and invites Jack to join his party. The group then sets off on its quest together, and they discover the lifeless stallion without its mate, its companion alicorn. Gump and Jack conclude that the alicorn must be found at all costs, and only then will the world return to normal. Jack and the fairies leave Brown Tom with the female unicorn to find weapons for Jack. Lily runs back to tell Brown Tom that the goblins are coming for the female, and tries to help him, but they are discovered by the goblins. After a skirmish, Lily and the surviving unicorn are taken to the Lord of Darkness.

Jack, who has now been fitted with armor and a sword, is happy to learn that Lily is still alive, and resolves to rescue her. The comrades overcome various obstacles to reach the Lord of Darkness' lair, where they witness the evil Dark Lord trying to seduce Lily with his charm and power. Lily seems to succumb to the Dark Lord's advances despite initial resistance, and she asks for the privilege of killing the surviving unicorn.

Jack and his friends overhear the Dark Lord tell Lily that sunlight will destroy him. Consequently they gather large metal dishes to use as mirrors, which they position around the castle in order to channel sunlight into the lair. The Dark Lord brings Lily to the unicorn, and Jack's friends encourage Jack to shoot Lily with an arrow to prevent the animal's death. Jack ignores their pleas, trusting his love. Indeed, Lily betrays the Dark Lord and cuts the unicorn free instead. Angered, the Lord of Darkness strikes Lily and she loses consciousness. Jack then appears and confronts the Dark Lord, but he is undersized and outmatched. As defeat looms, Jack plunges the stallion's horn into the Lord of Darkness' chest just as the last mirror is set in place and sunlight strikes the Dark Lord, destroying him.

Jack tries to revive Lily, but she remains asleep under a spell. Jack dives into the pond and recovers the ring. As Jack slips the ring onto Lily's finger, the Princess awakens. Lily then removes her ring and gives it to Jack, and invites him to return the next day. She returns home, and as Jack runs off into the sunset, Gump, Oona, and the rest of the group, including both unicorns, wave goodbye to Jack, the quest now concluded. The film (as seen in the U.S.) ends with the Lord of Darkness laughing one last time, indicating his statement that darkness cannot be completely destroyed - it always exists to counterbalance light, until the two merge into one, transcending the bounds of duality.

Production [ ]

The film was written by William Hjortsberg and produced by Arnon Milchan, but the behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film is in itself a legend. The film was shot at Pinewood Studios using the 007 Stage, named after, and used for many James Bond films. Part-way through the filming the stage burned completely to the ground forcing the producers to finish the film on hastily completed sets. The film then failed in test screenings: test audiences complained about Jerry Goldsmith's score and of how teenage audiences might accept the film.

The film was first released in Europe, cut down to 94 minutes. Both Universal and Scott decided to cut the film drastically for American release, from nearly two hours in length to 89 minutes. They also replaced Goldsmith's score with music by Tangerine Dream, Yes leader Jon Anderson, and Bryan Ferry. Scott allowed Goldsmith's score, which he thought was "good", to remain on European prints.

Also, an alternate ending (as eventually used in the 1986 U.S. version) was made in which Gump puts the horn back on the dead unicorn and it came back to life and finally, Jack and Lily run off into the sunset together, with Gump, the Unicorns, and the others waving at them. The final scene shows the Dark Lord laughing in his new domain and he will come again when darkness covers the world.

Soundtrack [ ]

Songs in the film [ ].

The following songs were seen in the European and Director's Cuts, with lyrics composed by John Bettis (composer of many Carpenters songs) and music by Jerry Goldsmith:

• "My True Love's Eyes" (the main theme, sung mostly by Lily. Mia Sara provided some of the singing, while session singers provided vocals wherever Sara was unable to perform).
• "Living River" (the first reprise of "My True Love's Eyes", sung as Lily calls to the unicorn).
• "Bumps And Hollows" (sung by Lily after her forbidden act of touching a unicorn).
• "Sing The Wee" (the theme for the fairies. The first sung version was cut from all editions of the film as it accompanied a scene with Jack and the fairies that was itself cut; the final sung version by the National Philharmonic Chorus is heard over the end credits).
• "Reunited" (the final reprise of "My True Love's Eyes", sung by Lily as she says goodbye to Jack).

The following songs appeared in the 89-minute U.S. recut when it was rescored by Tangerine Dream:

• "Loved By The Sun" (music by Tangerine Dream, lyrics written and sung by Jon Anderson, leader of the group Yes).
• "Is Your Love Strong Enough" (written and performed by Bryan Ferry over the U.S. print's end credits).

Film Score [ ]

Due to the changes in the film from its European and American releases, Legend has two different soundtracks. The first, produced and composed by Jerry Goldsmith, was used for its initial European release and restored in the director's cut edition of the Region 1 DVD release. The second soundtrack features music by German electronic artists Tangerine Dream and was used for the initial theatrical and home video releases in the United States. This soundtrack also includes songs by Jon Anderson of Yes and Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music. Both soundtracks are available on CD, though the Tangerine Dream soundtrack has become harder to find.

A promotional music video (presumably for the U.S. market, where the Tangerine Dream soundtrack was used) was created for the Bryan Ferry song "Is Your Love Strong Enough". The video, which incorporates Ferry and guitarist David Gilmour into footage from the film, is included as a bonus on disc 2 of the 2002 "Ultimate Edition" DVD release.

Release [ ]

When Universal released the home version, the running time was extended at 94 minutes. Though the score of the film was not Jerry Goldsmith and still retained Tangerine Dream's musical score.

In 2002, Universal released a 113-minute "director's cut" on DVD restoring previously cut scenes, and the original Goldsmith Score. In creating the director's cut edition, producer Charles de Lauzirika turned to Legend fan and unofficial historian Sean Murphy, who runs the Legend FAQ and Terry Rawlings, the editor of Legend, for help in finding the footage for the Ultimate DVD creation.

Definitive Cut [ ]

Ridley Scott admits that comments made by some pot-smoking attendees at a screening got the director second-guessing himself, and influenced him to cut the film from 150 minutes to 98. Suggesting that there is atleast a 150 minute version of the film itself though such cut has never been released to the public.

External Links [ ]

• Legend at Internet Movie Database
• 1 Kingdom of Heaven
• 2 Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut

• Rankings FA
• TV Premiere Calendar
• Coming in 2024
• Latest Reviews

• Credits 
• Trailers  [1]
• Image gallery  [19]

All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors.

• Alice Playten

• Cork Hubbert
• Peter O'Farrell

• Annabelle Lanyon

• Tina Martin
• Ian Longmur
• See all credits
• "'Legend' is not without whimsical touches, but it surely could have used more humor and invention"  Kevin Thomas : Los Angeles Times
• "A fairytale produced on a grand scale, set in some timeless world and peopled with fairies, elves and goblins, plus a spectacularly satisfying Satan. At the same time, the basic premise is alarmingly thin"  Variety
• "The mythology of 'Legend' isn't easy to follow (...) [It has] sets that keep the eye busier than the mind or the heart"  Vincent Canby : The New York Times
• "[It] is an impressive technical achievement (...) The problem is, the world of 'Legend' is itself wrong for this material (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)"  Roger Ebert : rogerebert.com
• "There is something strangely alluring about its confluence of chaos and creativity (...) Unfortunately, whichever cut you watch, you are still presented with a clichéd, hackneyed story"  Michael Leader : Den of Geek
• "Beautifully shot and designed (...) the film lacks the narrative drive that propels Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings"  Tom Charity : Time Out
• 89 My Favorite Fantasy Movies (44)

All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.

User history

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tom Cruise Before He Was Famous: His First 5 Films

Jessica kiang.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

From tiny, acne-ridden, squeaky-voiced acorns, massive oaks of megastardom can grow. Not literally, of course, in Tom Cruise ‘s case (obligatory height reference), but in every figurative way possible, he is an enormous presence in Hollywood, as a producer, as a celebrity and most importantly as a greenlight-giving, budget-busting, bona fide movie star. For better or worse, we’ve few enough left of those. For anyone who grew up watching movies any time in the eighties, nineties or even noughties, Tom Cruise is simply a fact of life: an immovable object; a mathematical constant like Pi, that we’ll never quite get to the end of defining. His movies succeed, his movies fail (all judged on the warped power-of-n matrix of the tentpole), but Tom Cruise TM endures, and will be jumping out of a building on a movie screen near you very soon, if he isn’t doing just that, right now.

But the ubiquity of his brand has its downside. Familiarity can breed contempt, and in between films, the rumor mill that surrounds Cruise — his family life, his Scientology, his dating practices, the fact that there was a guy wheeling a heater along the red carpet behind him at a recent Dublin premiere — gets on our nerves as much as anybody’s. But a funny thing happens: as much as we may be irritated by Cruise’s persona outside his films, between that Cruise/Wagner logo flashing up and the end credits rolling, for maybe just that 120 minutes, he almost always manages to remind us once again just why he’s the biggest star in the world. Almost always.

A little in contrast to our fairly positive review , for this writer’s money, this weekend’s “ Oblivion ” is not the best showcase of Cruise’s tentpole talents (we’re excluding things like his highly atypical but totally brilliant turn in “ Magnolia ” for the purposes of this conversation). Even in poor films like “ Knight and Day ” we’ve found ourselves liking and rooting for the Cruise character because as self-serious and self-absorbed as he may seem to be in real life, Cruise can deliver charm onscreen like no one else. And aside from being a star, he’s actually a good actor , so if he’s given a character who’s a gruff, sarcastic but noble loner (“ Jack Reacher “) or a serious but dedicated master-of-disguise superspy (“ Mission: Impossible “), and a director engaged enough, that’s exactly what you get. But in “Oblivion” he’s given very little character, and what quirks he’s allowed fall rather flat under Kosinski’s direction (it’s not so much that he has a directorial tin ear for these things as he seems simply uninterested — he’s more likely off with the production designer arguing over which white swatch is whiter).

Which is all our long way of saying that, noticing how “Oblivion” didn’t work that Cruise juju on us, we started to think about the films that did, and about where it all started. So to mark the release of this $120 million sci-fi spectacular (that would never have gone ahead were it not for the star’s heft behind it), here’s our rundown of the paltry five films that Tom Cruise, seemingly destined like a rocket for the stars, made when he was a nobody.

“ Endless Love ” (1981) Cruise has one scene in this mindblowingly mawkish, and actually super skeezy teen melodrama from Franco Zeffirelli , and it’s notable for him already being shirtless (and otherwise only wearing sports shorts) and for his speaking, or should we say squeaking, voice. Complete with goofy high-pitched giggle, it is a voice that, while recognizably his, you can literally never imagine delivering “I want the TRUTH!” or “I feel the need…” or “You’ve never seen me very upset,” let alone “Respect the cock. Tame the cunt” for anything but comic effect. Over the course of his next movies, he’s clearly training his voice  never to do this again and he totally retires that snicker, so we’re glad this scene still exists, if only to provide hope for awkward adolescents everywhere. The film, oy vey, stars an unbelievably gorgeous, angel-faced Brooke Shields (her first role after “ Blue Lagoon ” which seriously rewired the prepubescent hormones of an entire generation) and Martin Hewitt (nope, no idea) as a sexually active 15- and 17-year old couple who are just super duper in love. So much so that when nooky is suspended due to parental interference he just can’t take it and resolves to impress his way back into her bed by saving the family home from a fire that he himself has set. This is an idea he gets from a story told by the Tom Cruise character, incidentally. This foolproof plan goes wrong and he goes to prison for arson. When he gets out he is still super duper in love with Shields, but unfortunately kind of a little bit sorta also causes the death of her father and gets sent down again. News was it was going to be remade with Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde . Yay. 

“ Taps ” (1981) The same year as his “ Endless Love ” cameo, Cruise got a much more substantial role, and the first of many, many uniforms, in “ Taps ,” a Harold Becker movie (“ Sea of Love ,” “ Malice “) that’s stood the test of time quite well. It makes a great study of the randomness of nascent stardom too, as Cruise is actually the second or third lead to equally early-days Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn , with Giancarlo Esposito in support. The story is rather ploddingly told, but it’s a compelling tale of young men being taught militaristic ideals without having the wisdom to apply them properly, with tragic consequences. When their Academy is threatened with closure, and their Commanding Officer ( George C Scott ) hospital-bound after a shooting accident brings on a heart attack, the cadets, led by their newly-promoted Cadet Major (Hutton) decide to resist the authorities trying to shut them down, eventually taking up arms. Cruise’s character is the hothead, while Penn’s is the more thoughtful, but the film is really Hutton’s, and watching it, then crawling under a rock for 30 years, you’d be sure that he would be the one with the bigger career right now. But if Hutton is subtle, delivering a very mature portrayal of misplaced honor and thwarted loyalty, Cruise is impressive even if his character is more one-note. And he does get to go briefly berserk at the climax, reminding us of those performances of his later career in which bloodlust or outright insanity lurk just below the surface. It’s a “ Lord of the Flies “-style allegory, so it’s not exactly believable, and it takes too long to get where it’s going, but in “Taps,” we get the first glimpse of the Cruise of the future. And it’s only his second film.

“ The Outsiders ” (1983) If “ Taps ” gave Cruise a taste of what it would be like to be part of a generation of upcoming actors, he hit the motherload by getting cast in Francis Ford Coppola ‘s “ The Outsiders ,” alongside Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Diane Lane . Based on S.E. Hinton ‘s novel of the same name, the film is certainly beautiful to look at, and wants to be epic in scope and sweep, but somehow the story doesn’t quite have the grand heft and thematic resonance it really needs. But does it really matter when the cast is this pretty? Again, Cruise takes a less central role than those actors he would soon and forever eclipse in terms of star power, but it is notable from his point of view, because here, despite some spitty, snarly play-acting, greasy hair and snaggly teeth, we discern for the first time Cruise’s heartthrob potential, even in amongst so many heartthrobs. They play a gang of underprivileged kids who are involved in a rivalry with a wealthier gang that spirals out of control when one of the richer kids is killed in a brawl, and as such this also marks a rare time that Cruise would play a true outcast, a reject (as opposed to a principled loner) — future roles may have given him a blue-collar background, but defining Cruise characters are almost always successful in adapting to, and ultimately winning within whatever social circle they aspire to. But while Cruise may be overshadowed in terms of screen time and performance this time out by the likes of Macchio and Howell, especially, according to Lowe, already back then, he was displaying the “traits that would make him famous. He’s zeroed in like a laser.” Lowe also recounts how even this early on, his agent and future production partner Paula Wagner was a hugely important figure in Cruise’s life. Retrospectively it’s tempting to ascribe a good deal of the efficient upward trajectory of his early career to her guiding intelligence — sheer luck and raw talent can’t wholly account for zero-to-hero in just five films, after all.

“ Losin’ It ” (1983) But if with ‘ Outsiders ‘ and “ Taps ” Cruise might have been in danger of being pigeonholed into the “volatile friend” supporting role, his next two films would be in one of the defining genres of the era — the teen sex comedy — and would put paid to any such notions. “ Risky Business ” would of course be his breakout, before “ Top Gun ” three years later would rocket, or fighter jet him to superstardom, but prior to that came “ Losin’ It ,” the justly overlooked “one crazy night”-style story of a bunch of high school kids heading to Tijuana for an evening of debauchery. No prizes for guessing what the “it” is that these boys are hoping to lose. Really, in tracing the evolution of Cruise into the star we know today, “Losin It” is most notable for being the first time he really had the lead role, even if that doesn’t clearly emerge until a little later in the film. So of the three friends who go on the trip, Dave ( Jackie Earle Haley — apparently born looking about 35) is the wildcard motormouth who can’t keep it in his pants, Spider ( John Stockwell ) is the goodlooking jock who gets into fights and tries to bribe policemen while Woody (Cruise) is the sweet, slightly nebbish friend who chickens out of losing his virginity to a prostitute and is instead deflowered in a much more romantic manner by the young housewife ( Shelley Long ) to whom they gave a lift to TJ for a quickie divorce. So it’s a romantic lead of sorts, inasmuch as this sort of film ever provided one of those, but it’s Haley’s wired, twitchy, OTT performance that steals what little there is to take here. A sort of interesting moment happens at the end when Long’s husband reappears, but it’s way too little too late in what is otherwise a tiresome palaver of a film, featuring a neat line in casual racism and a pretty revolting sexist streak that may have been par for the course at the time, but dates the film badly now. The real surprise here is that Curtis Hanson is the director. So it’s not only an early low point for Cruise, then.

“ Risky Business ” (1983) And so we come to the end of our journey, with a little film you may have heard of: “ Risky Business ” — only the third of four films that Cruise would release in 1983 (the last being “ All The Right Moves “). The story of a privileged, Princeton-bound teen who gets into trouble while his parents are away and, with the help of the call girl he falls for ( Rebecca de Mornay ) hits on the wizard scheme of running a one-night brothel to pay off his various debts, on paper it’s not the most promising of star-making vehicles. But Cruise really goes for it, and somewhere around the time he slides into the living room sporting nothing but socks, a pink shirt and a candlestick/microphone, it appears the world woke up to Tom Cruise TM. It helps that the film, though it roughly shares a genre with the same year’s vastly inferior “ Losin’ It ,” is an altogether sharper, tighter, better-written affair (writer/director Paul Brickman seldom gets enough props for that), so that it comes across more as satire than slapstick, spicing it’s caper-ish antics with some fairly pointed commentary. And Cruise is really very good in it, navigating the trickier aspects of his character’s moral ambivalence with ease, and turning in a confident performance that would set up the cocksure but charming persona he would default to time and again in the coming years, most notably with “ Top Gun .” In fact, it’s the first evidence we really have of the central conundrum of Cruise’s star image: in anyone else, that air of smugness — the expectation that the world will give him what he wants because it owes him — would be totally off-putting. But maybe Cruise’s greatest talent is knowing just when to pull back from the brink of all-out arrogance and show us something real, or goofy, or awkward underneath the bravado. It’s those moments, which catch the light like the flaws in a diamond, that stop us from despising his character here and in future incarnations. And that’s maybe as close as we’re going to get to explaining his long-lasting appeal: Cruise can behave like an asshole, he can win the way assholes win, but he gives us just bare-minimum-enough of a glimpse inside to let us believe he’s not, in fact, an asshole. Cue Moms wanting to rescue him; cue teenage girls sighing over the tenderness they spy within; cue teenage boys furiously taking notes. Cue stardom .

The rest is, of course, movie history. Next up, in 2014, Cruise will be jumping out of buildings in 3D in service of yet another sci-fi epic in Doug Liman ‘s “ All You Need Is Kill ,” which sounds kinda like “ Groundhog Day ” with warring aliens ( proper synopsis here ), potentially to be followed by Rupert Sanders ‘ “ Van Helsing ,” and/or Guy Ritchie ‘s “ The Man From UNCLE ” before the probably Christopher McQuarrie -directed “ Mission Impossible 5 “ arrives in 2015. Nope, Cruise ain’t going nowhere. Except maybe out the window of that skyscraper one more time.

Most Popular

You may also like.

On the Screen Reviews

The New Orleans Film Critic

Ridley Scott’s “Legend” (1985) is Iconic

With Tom Cruise, unicorns and Ridley Scott behind the lens, what could possibly go wrong? Apparently, it depends on who you talk to.

If Disney and the Grimm Brothers had a bastard baby, it would be Legend , and I couldn’t be more obsessed with it.

Legend is widely rumored to have been a source of inspiration for Shigeru Miyamoto’s classic game series The Legend of Zelda.  Some people may know it as the fantastical film that starred a young Tom Cruise, while others have absolutely no recollection of it at all. I’m part of the former, and I can proudly say that I believe in it’s strong cult status in the cinematic universe.

Many will argue, myself included, that Legend was ahead of its time, but it was a movie opening onto an audience not ready for it. It wouldn’t be until Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring’s trilogy that wizards and goblins would win over Hollywood and the masses.

Legend came after after Ridley Scott’s critically acclaimed horror  Alien (1979) and sci-fi noir classic Blade Runner (1982). Part of me always felt like Ridley sat down and just decided that he felt like making a fantasy film, and I’m kind of right.

Where does one begin to dissect how a perfectly campy 80s fantasy movie would be  a complete abomination at the box office and completely forgotten by the public? Maybe I could start with the chaos that engulfed production, or the simple fact that Ridley Scott decided to release Legend three weeks before the Tom Cruise mega-hit  Top Gun bouncing Legend out of every theater in America?

Legend wasn’t the first of it’s kind; the 80s was a haven for the fantasy genre, but few of the sword and sorcery flicks were ever hits…most barely making a profit. What did profit off of these movies, like Dark Crystal , Clash of the Titans and Willow was nostalgia. Whether or not you consider the lot a bad batch is your opinion, but there’s no denying their cult status in cinema.

The story-line is simple, albeit shallow to most, in that a young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

From the outrageously spectacular set (that actually burned down toward the end of production stalling everything), to the lavish makeup (let’s be honest, CGI would solely be used now), there are many things I truly love about this movie. Every character is framed and designed so artistically (Meg Mucklebones, anyone?) that it’s impossible to pick a favorite…although Tim Curry’s Lord of Darkness is the immediate takeaway for most moviegoers.

Tim Curry as Old Testament terrifying Lord of Darkness is probably the MVP of this movie. Under layers of prosthetics (that took 5.5 hours to put on) from Oscar-winning make-up artist Rob Bottin (known for his work in The Thing ), you would never see this kind of artistry recreated in film today. CGI CGI CGI until you die would be the appropriate response for such complex costume design of this scale. I think we can all agree that they just don’t make them like the used to in a world now dominated by CGI.

When it comes to the ultimate argument, it’s whether or not you’ve seen the theatrical release or the director’s cut. The theatrical release bombed. Hard. Various cuts, endings and soundtracks exist for this film, but nothing seemed to attract audiences. The European cut, in theaters in December 1985, was 95 minutes and featured a Jerry Goldsmith orchestral score. The American release was several months later, in April 1986, trimmed to 89 minutes, and replaced the Goldsmith music with a more contemporary, up-beat synth sound with German electronic group Tangerine Dream. In my unpopular opinion, I’m a huge fan of the theatrical release, because I absolutely love the cheesy Tangerine Dream score and the extreme tight editing that the director’s cut lacked. Regardless, it’s been spoken that Legend was dead upon arrival once it hit theaters.

The final theatrical result may have been a stereotypical 80s fantasy, but this movie will forever remain a gem in my heart.

Share this:

Published by Courtney Young

View all posts by Courtney Young

16 thoughts on “Ridley Scott’s “Legend” (1985) is Iconic”

Well…I haven’t forgotten about this film at all😊 I think it’s a highly underrated classic. And it’s great to see you put it in the spotligh here. Great post! 😊😊

Thank you! While I was researching it, I found so much hate for it…hence my “in defense for” in the title.

I’ve never actually seen this. Hmmmmmmmmm lol

It’s VERY campy and VERY 80s. If you can accept that going into it, you may just like it!

Ooh. This looks great. 80s movies are very special to me and I always enjoy the „nostalgic“ mood I get from watching them. Will look out for this one.

Check it out! I think it’s worth it for good 80s cheese 🙂

Definitely will do so.

Great blog post. I listen to a podcast called the retro cinema check em out here they podcast 80’s movies each Thursday & they did a podcast about Legend http://theretrocinema.com/070-legend/ and your blog post was wonderfully written and spot on about the film. Great work Courtney

Thanks, Nick! I actually listened to the retro cinema’s podcast episode on Legend after I wrote this! Great stuff there!

Oh how funny is that! They do such a great job the retro cinema people.

I was a kid when it came to TV and so have a soft spot for it though it was pretty dark for kids. Been meaning to research it for a while to see how it holds but there’s no denying it’s a great looking movie.

I saw it when I was a kid too…quite terrifying!

Great post! I actually haven’t seen this since the 80’s to be honest, but absolutely have fond memories of it, especially (and unsurprisingly) Tim Curry’s stand out performance. Thanks for rekindling my nostalgia, looks like I shall be heading to my local HMV this afternoon to see if they have this particular 80’s gem on Blu-Ray. 🙂

Thank you!!!

Watched it as a kid. Maybe 50 times. Definitely an all time classic. (And side note : That scene between Lily and the Lord of Darkness probably built a huge deal of my erotic imagination !)

[…] Movie review on On the screen review […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

• Start a new list…
• Add all films to a list…
• Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

Directed by Ridley Scott

There may never be another dawn.

Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller, chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness, or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.

Tom Cruise Mia Sara Tim Curry David Bennent Alice Playten Billy Barty Cork Hubbert Peter O'Farrell Kiran Shah Annabelle Lanyon Robert Picardo Tina Martin Ian Longmur Michael Crane Liz Gilbert Eddie Powell Mike Edmonds

Director Director

Ridley Scott

Producers Producers

Arnon Milchan Tim Hampton

Writer Writer

William Hjortsberg

Casting Casting

Mike Fenton Jane Feinberg Marci Liroff Donna Isaacson Jeremy Zimmermann Noel Davis

Editor Editor

Terry Rawlings

Cinematography Cinematography

Alex Thomson

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Garth Thomas Bill Westley

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Joseph P. Grace

Production Design Production Design

Assheton Gorton

Art Direction Art Direction

Norman Dorme Leslie Dilley John Fenner Jim Morahan

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Stunts stunts.

Eddie Powell Vic Armstrong Paul Grant

Choreography Choreography

Arlene Phillips

Composers Composers

Jerry Goldsmith Edgar Froese Christopher Franke Johannes Schmölling

Sound Sound

Roy Charman Chris Greenham

Costume Design Costume Design

Charles Knode

Makeup Makeup

Rob Bottin Peter Robb-King Nick Dudman Lois Burwell Jane Royle Pauline Heys Linda DeVetta

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Barbara Ritchie Betty Glasow Eithné Fennel Joan White

Embassy International Pictures Legend Production Company Universal Pictures 20th Century Fox

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Italian

Releases by Date

28 aug 1985, 04 oct 1985, 07 nov 1985, 21 nov 1985, 13 dec 1985, 02 jan 1986, 20 feb 1986, 18 apr 1986, 12 oct 1986, 22 aug 1987, 01 jan 2013, 01 jun 1991, 03 apr 2002, 21 may 2002, 25 jan 2006, 31 may 2011, 01 feb 2012, 29 feb 2012, 11 oct 2016, 14 sep 2008, releases by country.

• Theatrical PG
• Theatrical L
• Theatrical U
• Theatrical 12
• Theatrical G
• Theatrical PG12

Netherlands

• Physical 12 DVD
• Physical 12 Blu-ray
• Theatrical 18
• Theatrical 11
• Physical 11 DVD
• Physical 11 Blu-ray
• Physical PG MCA/Universal Home Video #80193 [VHS] 89 minutes
• Physical PG Ultimate Edition DVD
• Physical PG Ultimate Edition Blu-ray / DVD - Director's Cut
• Digital PG Digital HD
• Physical PG DVD - Pop Art Edition

94 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by matt lynch ★★★½ 1

yeah i know but just look at it.

Review by Joe ★★★½ 7

Why did Tom Cruise grab the armored top but not the pants?

Review by Ian West ★★★★½ 31

A link to the past.

Very strong chance that this may be the most visually appealing movie as far as my tastes go—beautiful on all fronts with lush scenery, hypnotic visual atmos soundwaved with euphoric tones courtesy of Tangerine Dream, the best goblins and melty faced creatures I’ve ever seen, and the single scariest image from my youth that I would eventually become obsessed with—Darkness.

A friend recently said that this will probably be the best Legend of Zelda movie that we’ll ever get and I’m inclined to agree. Hits all the beats I look for in a movie like this without being 4 hours long which almost gives the the vapors as much as that TD score. I was…

Review by sarah squirm ★★★★★ 3

don’t show me a movie unless it looks like this and is scored by tangerine dream with a credits song by BRYAN FERRY !?!

this is what we call a GLITTER MOVIE!!!!

Review by Jordan Beaumont Anderson ★★★½ 2

What else do you people want? This fucking thing has:

- Tim Curry wrapped in a thousand pounds of sexy latex. - Tom Cruise hugging a fox. - A Tangerine Dream score played with one elbow. - Lengthy unicorn pornography. - "I could eat her brains like jam." - Tom Cruise wearing a scale mail dress. - There's a fucking character named Honeythorn Gump. - Mia Sara, nailing her performance and still being the second prettiest. - A swamp witch played by Robert "Innerspace Cowboy" Picardo. - Tom Cruise squatting. A lot. - Billy Barty, being a goddamn delight. - A sex dungeon made by Disney. - An entire sequence devoted to throwing enormous frisbees. - The plot of at least three D&D campaigns I've played. - A way cooler fairy than that Julia Roberts Hook garbage.

Review by Tears_in_Rain ★★★★★ 57

Anyone who has more than a passing familiarity with my reviews, should be aware of the fact that I don't believe in objective film analysis. My reviews and ratings are an expression of my subjective feelings on a film at that particular moment in time. But, even if I did review films objectively, this is one of those films where I would find such a task impossible. This was one of those defining films for me. As with Alien and Blade Runner , there's just something about the aesthetic of Ridley Scott's early output that resonated with me in my formative years. It's one of those films I can watch endlessly and, every time I do, for 89 minutes, I feel…

Review by FilmApe ★★★★ 6

There are whale noises playing over slow-mo shots of unicorns in a forest...how could this be any less than a four star movie?

Review by Sydney🚀 ★★★★★ 14

This movie just makes so much sense to me. Everyone say thank you Rob Bottin

Review by emma ★★★★★

glitter budget off the shits

Review by comrade_yui ★★★★★ 7

a rare ornate gem of a film, easily among the best of ridley scott's work, back when his visuals were lush & overwhelming in detail instead of stringent and aseptic. legend coasts along on intuitive ethereal vibes, a tactile set-bound fantasia of slime-slick goblins, capricious fairy glamour and deliriously fervid colors, all sweetly wrapped within the buttery-smooth synths of tangerine dream's perfect score. the kind of movie where no one wears pants and tom cruise's face is constantly smothered in a thick sheen of glitter. a pure sensory experience.

Review by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine ★★★½ 11

Action!: The Scott Brothers – How To Get Screwed By Spielberg Twice W/ Ridley Scott

The movie that feels like a slap in the face and a “fuck you” to everyone who told Ridley he shouldn't use the unicorn in Blade Runner.

After having this movie on Prime for almost a year now, and hearing about the movie for quite some time, I finally decided to watch this somewhat bizarre fantasy movie that followed the iconic "Blade Runner". In a sense, it feels like a radical departure from the film noir, but then you realize that's not entirely the case. The film's cinematography and camera work share a lot in common with his previous project. With his display of creativity…

Review by Patrick Pryor ★★★★★ 6

The best drippy goblin I've ever seen in my life. More fantasy movies with gross drippy goblins and nightmare facial prostheses and elaborate lush otherworld sets and Tangerine Dream synth scores, please.

Similar Films

Select your preferred backdrop

Select your preferred poster, upgrade to remove ads.

Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Please consider upgrading to a Pro account —for less than a couple bucks a month, you’ll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages ( example ), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads!

Tom Cruise and Tim Curry Starred in This Unforgettable Fantasy Cult Classic

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Movies That Ended With More Story to Tell

Is james mangold’s dawn of the jedi film too big of a risk for star wars, 'we're very proud': beverly hills cop: axel f's john ashton & judge reinhold reflect on original film.

Legend (1985) is an overlooked yet epic dark-fantasy film that stars two unlikely legends: Tom Cruise and Tim Curry . Ridley Scott directs the film, and many of the scenes contain clear inspiration from his other popular franchise, Alien . Legend also didn't receive commercial success during its initial release, but it is a cult classic, especially after the unrated director's cut was released.

The premise features a young woman, Princess Lili (Sara), who has romantic feelings for a young forest man, Jack in the Green (Cruise). The two meet in secret; however, unbeknownst to the lovers, the Lord of Darkness (Curry) sends unicorns into the forest to cast the world into eternal night, killing anyone in the way. In the midst of this, Lili and Jack are separated, and she's taken to Darkness's dungeon, where he attempts to seduce her. Therefore, Jack bands together with unlikely friends to rescue Lili and save the world, thus delivering two stand-out characters from iconic actors in a film that deserves a re-watch.

RELATED: Brendan Fraser Knows Why Tom Cruise's The Mummy Reboot Flopped

Did Tom Cruise's Character in Legend Inspire Zelda's Link?

Before Cruise became known as the summer action star people know him as today, he starred in this unique tale filled with faeries and unicorns. The character Jack is a symbol of purity, and Lili tempts him to want more than friendship. Dressed in a whimsical tunic and face glitter, Jack defies logic by defeating Darkness to win her back. By the Legend's end, Lili and Jack learn that their purity is worth protecting, as it keeps them safe from harm.

The impact of Cruise's innocent character may be grander than most think because there is a theory in the fantasy and gaming world that suggests Legend's Jack inspired The Legend of Zelda creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, to create The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Some claim Miyamoto mentioned this in an interview , but resurfacing the details has proven difficult. Regardless, the similarities are present, as Jack wields a bow and arrow while he travels through the dungeon to save Lili. This feels akin to Link and his video game adventures.

RELATED: Christian Bale's American Psycho Inspiration Wasn't a Slasher - It Was Tom Cruise

Tim Curry Radiates Power and Intensity as Legend's Darkness

Curry gives a fantastic performance as Lord of Darkness, and the actor even sat in makeup for eight hours to create the unforgettable look. According to Monsters of Makeup , Scott wanted Curry's character to be "very sexy," so they designed a red, devil-like appearance for the creature. Unfortunately, Curry accepted the role before the makeup design was complete, and he tried to fight against the cat-like contacts, but lost. The costume also included sharper teeth, large horns, hooves and claws.

Despite the difficulties with makeup, Curry gives an excellent performance. Darkness enters Legend with an intimidating presence, towering over Lili as he offers her eternal life with him. Curry is well-known for other tantalizing characters, including his performance as Dr. Frank N Furter in Rocky Horror Picture Show , and that carries over here as Darkness' voice radiates evil, providing an unforgettable experience for the viewer, much like Curry's performance as Pennywise in the original television film IT .

RELATED: The Best Movie Musicals for the Spooky Season

Why Legend Should Be Revisited as a Cult Classic

As mentioned above, Legend carries heavy themes about purity and carnal desires. Lili is a tool Darkness attempts to use to spread evil throughout the world. Although she bravely fights against his temptation, Jack offers assistance to help her escape the strains of the evil dungeon. In the theatrical release, Lili and Jack even end up together, but in the director's cut, they go separate ways to maintain their innocence. Either way, they learn the value of remaining pure and not giving in to instinctual impulses.

Many people might have forgotten this fantasy film, but it remains a cult classic for Scott, Cruise and Curry fans. Cruise brings a more timid performance than what audiences would continue to see from him in the future. Meanwhile, Curry carries the expertise he's learned throughout his career by taking on unique, memorable roles. Their pairing works well to tell the whimsical tale and embrace the powerful themes.

• Movie Features

Tom Cruise's First 10 Movies, Ranked

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Best and Scariest Nunsploitation Horror Movies

7 big differences between pixar and disney movies, chuck norris’ 10 most underrated movies.

Tom Cruise , like most young actors, began his acting career by gracing the screen with smaller roles in films such as Endless Love , Taps , and more. However, it was his captivating performances in acclaimed works like the comedy Risky Business and the action-packed blockbuster Top Gun that catapulted him into the spotlight of mainstream Hollywood. His remarkable portrayal in Risky Business not only garnered him his initial nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, but also paved the way for a string of box office successes. Without question, Cruise stands as one of the most influential figures in the realm of the movie industry.

Beyond his good looks and charismatic personality, Cruise is one versatile and talented actor with a track record of over three decades of blockbuster films. There's no denying that his filmography is dominated by high-grossing movies . Among his notable achievements is the immensely successful Mission Impossible franchise, which began in 1996 and will see Cruise reprising his iconic role as Ethan Hunt in the upcoming installments set to release in July 2023. Apart from being talented, Cruise always goes the extreme mile to entertain his audience, solidifying his status as one of the most dedicated actors in Hollywood . Now, let’s take a look at his first films, ranked from worst to best.

10 Endless Love (1981)

Endless Love marked the beginning of Cruise’s filmography. He was only a teenager when he played Billy, who was introduced in the film with Cruise's distinctive running style. While the lead actors Martin Hewitt and Brooke Shields may be familiar to many, Cruise's debut role may go unnoticed by some. Who would have guessed that the unknown actor who portrayed obnoxious Billy would go on to become one of the world's biggest movie stars?

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, this romantic drama based on the novel of the same name by Scott Spencer. The plot revolves around the intense and obsessive love between two teenagers named David Axelrod and Jade Butterfield. Cruise just had less than one-minute screen time in this thought-provoking exploration of the dark side of teen romance.

9 All the Right Moves (1983)

Set in a small town devoid of much optimism for the future, this football drama presents viewers with an opportunity to witness some of their favorite stars in their early years, including Cruise, Chris Penn, Craig T. Nelson, and Lea Thompson. All the Right Moves perfectly captures the essence of 80s American cinema as it unravels the tale of a young aspiring football player who finds himself trapped in a Pennsylvania steel-mining town. Determined to pursue his dreams, he must strive to secure a football scholarship.

While some fans have dismissed this sports film as dull or clichéd, it still holds nostalgic value for those eager to witness the early performances of Cruise and his co-stars. Though it may not rank among the greatest sports movies ever made, it delivers decent amount of drama and explores poignant themes that touch the viewers' hearts.

Related: Tom Cruise's Best Action Movie Characters, Ranked

8 Losin’ it (1982)

Starring Cruise, Jackie Earle Haley, John Stockwell, Shelley Long, and John P. Navin, this raunchy comedy delves into the themes of sexual awakening, adolescence curiosity and the importance of friendship. Set in 1965, the movie follows a group of four teenage friends who embark on a road trip from California to Tijuana, Mexico, in search of adventure, fun and freedom they believe awaits them there.

With its humorous plot, Losin’ It doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a typical, raunchy teen film akin to the popular movies of the 80s. It’s a fun movie to watch with bunch of friends on a Friday night. However, critics seem to think it is no good at all.

7 Cocktail (1988)

Cocktail stars Cruise, Bryan Brown, and Elizabeth Sue as it tells the story of Brian, a young New York Business school student, who takes up bartending to make ends meet. During his work in this trendy bar, Brian encounters Dough Coughlin and the two form a strong friendship and decide to open their own bar, driven by the desire to make some money.

While some argue that the storyline may be lacking in depth, the film showcases outstanding performances from its cast. Additionally, many view it as a delightful and entertaining 80s film. The film does capture the excitement of nightlife while delving into the personal journeys and relationships of its characters.

6 The Outsiders (1983)

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 1960s, this is the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by S.E. Hinton and it is directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The story revolves around the lives of two rival teenage gangs known as the “Greasers” and “the Socs” and the struggles they face in a divided and violent society.

The Outsiders stands as a timeless movie that continues to resonate even in our present society in its depiction of the impact of gangsterism on people and those entangled in its web. Beyond its compelling narrative, the movie features a likable, cast which includes, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Diane Lane, Thomas Howell, and others who have gone on to become famous.

5 Taps (1981)

Directed by Harold Becker, Taps is set at the fictional Bunker Hill Military Academy, an elite preparatory school for boys. The plot revolves around a group of students who take drastic measures to defend their school at all costs after the school long-time headmaster announces the impending closure of their beloved institution. Among these determined individuals is Cruise, who plays the role of David, a dedicated Cadet and member of a secret society led by Brian (Timothy Hutton).

Hutton is not alone in delivering the ideal blend of fiery temperament, courage, and gravitas required for his role. Sean Penn and Cruise, as young cadets, also flawlessly embody their characters as hot-headed soldiers. As these misguided youth battle with the conflicting ideas of honor and valor, the film confronts issues of narrow-mindedness and idealism. With its well-written script and outstanding direction, Taps manages to the holds viewers’ attention from start to finish, even during moments that may seem implausible.

Related: Every Tom Cruis Movie from the 1990s, Ranked

4 Legend (1985)

In this mesmerizing fantasy film directed by Ridley Scott , Cruise proves his versatility as an actor by assuming the role of Jack, a determined young man who must stop the nefarious Lord of Darkness. The story revolves around Jack and an intrepid young princess who join forces to safeguard the last unicorn from the clutches of the Lord of Darkness.

Similar to his previous works like Blade Runner and Alien , Scott once again demonstrates his talent for crafting immersive experiences within peculiar and fantastical realms that stem from his visionary imagination. The exceptional performances by Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry contribute to Legend ’s immersive nature. The stunning cinematography, impressive special effects, and the enchanting presence of creatures like fairies, unicorns, and goblins make this movie appealing to admirers of artistic and visually striking cinema.

3 The Color of Money (1986)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the sports drama film, The Color of Money , serves as a brilliant sequel to the 1961 classic The Hustler , returning after 25 years to continue the story of Eddie Felson, portrayed by the legendary Paul Newman. The film follows as Eddie Felson takes a young and talented pool player, Vincent Laurie, under his wing to teach him the art of hustling. However, their relationship becomes complicated when Eddie discovers Vincent isn’t patient enough to be tutored.

While Paul Newman shines as the film's star, Cruise delivers a memorable performance that leaves a lasting impact. Although it may not be considered Scorsese's greatest masterpiece, the film showcases his masterful directorial touch evident in the precision and artistry of each shot.

2 Top Gun (1986)

No list of Cruise's greatest movies would be complete without mentioning this captivating tale that originated back in 1986 and was brought to life once again in 2022, after a span of over 30 years. Top Gun: Maverick stands as a remarkable remake that not only lives up to the immense anticipation surrounding its predecessor, but also surpasses it.

In the first film, Top Gun , Cruise plays the hotshot Navy pilot with exceptional flying skills and a rebellious attitude. Directed by Tony Scott the film follows the story of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a talented and daring young fighter pilot as he undergoes intense training at the United States Navy's elite Fighter Weapons School. To win the prestigious Top Gun Trophy, he must learn to suppress his wild nature.

1 Risky Business (1983)

Stepping into the shoes of the ambitious high school student in this comedy film, Cruise finally landed his breakout role. Written and directed by Paul Brickman, this teen comedy drama follows Joel as he delves into a world of risky business dealings after just one night of freedom while his parents are away. As he delves deeper into this unconventional, his life takes an unexpected turn, and he must face the consequence of his choices to make things right.

Serving as a commentary on the consequences of greed, Risky Business manages to be more than just another teen sex comedy of the 80s. With its engaging storyline, stellar cast, and memorable music, it has earned its place among the finest movies of the 1980s.

• Movie Lists

• Write for us

How old was Tom Cruise in the movie Legend?

Tom Cruise was 22 in Legend when he played the character 'Jack'.

That was over 39 years ago in 1985.

Today he is 62 , and has starred in 86 movies in total, 74 of those since Legend was released.

How old do you think he looks in the movie?

In Legend, I think Tom Cruise looks:

Did you know?

• Director Ridley Scott has worked with Tom Cruise just once in his career.
• Tom Cruise's first movie was as 'Billy' in Endless Love, released in 1981 when he was 18
• Legend scores 6.27 out of 10 on TMDB .

The cast of Legend

Tom Cruise's other movies

We’re fighting to restore access to 500,000+ books in court this week. Join us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

LEGEND (1985) Theatrical Version

Video item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

40,085 Views

325 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

In collections.

Uploaded by itfiguresofcourse on September 5, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

We Were Robbed of a Stargate Trilogy, and We're Still Mad About It

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The Big Picture

• Stargate was supposed to become a trilogy but was scrapped due to the success of the TV shows.
• Sequels could've potentially explored Mayan pyramids and Bigfoot mythology in unique ways.
• Amazon now owns rights to Stargate and plans to reboot the franchise on TV and film.

Back in 1994, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin wowed sci-fi audiences with Stargate . This original feature re-imagined ancient mythology as a reflection of not the divine, but the otherworldly. The Egyptian sun god Ra, played by Jaye Davidson , was not so much a spiritual entity who interacted with humanity, but rather an alien overlord awaiting his inevitable return. So, when an ancient stargate is found in Giza, the world is threatened by the possibility of another incursion. Kurt Russell and James Spader starred in the film as Col. Jack O'Neil and Dr. Daniel Jackson, respectively, who venture through the portal to a whole new world. But did you know that there were originally plans to make not just a sequel to Stargate , but a whole trilogy? It turns out, Emmerich and Devlin had the whole thing figured out, until Stargate SG-1 got in the way.

An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.

'Stargate' Was Meant To Have a Sequel a Decade Later

Though Stargate did considerably well at the box office , the film wasn't the instant critical hit that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had likely hoped it would be. Though this author considers Stargate one of the most original, unique, and entertaining sci-fi blockbusters of the late 20th century, others don't consider it much at all. But when appearing on GateWorld's Dial the Gate podcast in 2020, producer Dean Devlin reminded audiences that, "the original plan of the movie was to do three movies." Though Devlin and director Roland Emmerich moved on directly to Independence Day following the release of Stargate (and that horrible Godzilla reboot after that), plans for the continued adventures of Jack O'Neil (Russell) and Daniel Jackson (Spader) were still being hashed out. In 2006, Devlin first teased a trilogy of Stargate adventures, noting that the first sequel would take place in real-time, 12 years after when the original left off .

What Order Should I Watch the Stargate Franchise In?

Before you hop through the gate, be sure you know where you're going.

Of course, by this time, MGM had already launched a Stargate television franchise , beginning with the famed Stargate SG-1 . Spin-offs such as Stargate Atlantis and the television films Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum were either airing or in development, and it seemed like the studio had left the original film in the dust. While the television franchise still considers the events of the 1994 feature canon, new actors, name/spelling changes, and other discrepancies and mythology expansions separated the two universes in Devlin's mind. "Fans love the series, so much that it got a sequel," the producer noted. "So it's alive, well and in good shape. But it would be great to finish telling the story we set out to tell 12 years ago." Devlin believed that both Stargate projects could co-exist in the same creative space, but MGM didn't necessarily agree. For them, SG-1 and the other shows were their bread and butter, with the theatrical film being almost a distant memory.

Despite the studio's hesitations, Devlin was confident that Kurt Russell and James Spader were willing to return for more , and that Roland Emmerich would find his way back to the project as well. Though Devlin noted that Emmerich might not have directed the Stargate sequel, he would still be heavily involved in bringing it to life. After all, the pair had co-written the original 1994 film together, so it's only fitting that they would continue their initially envisioned story. " Stargate started as a story that Roland wrote in college called Necropol: City of the Dead ," Devlin revealed in 2006. "[It] was about a space ship buried underneath the Great Pyramid of Egypt. I had been working on, separately, without ever knowing, this thing I always called Lawrence of Arabia on Another Planet . And when we met, he pitched me Necropol , and I told him mine." From the get-go, Stargate was always the unique combination of Emmerich and Devlin's shared vision, and the sequels would have been the same.

'Stargate's Trilogy Would've Connected to a Larger Mythology

But what would've happened in this proposed Stargate trilogy? Well, Devlin explained that the idea was for the second film to pick up over a decade after the original ended. If we remember, after defeating Ra, Jack O'Neil, Lt. Col. Charles Kowalsky ( John Diehl ), and Lt. Louis Ferretti ( French Stewart ) all return to Earth through the stargate, while Daniel Jackson opts to stay behind on Abydos. During their visit to the alien world, Jackson falls in love with and marries Sha'uri ( Mili Avital ), the daughter of local village leader Kasuf ( Erick Avari ). With the people of Abydos liberated from the tyrant's rule, Jackson believes he's finally found a place in the universe for himself, and remains with his new bride. So why would Jackson and O'Neil reunite for Part 2? Well, Emmerich and Devlin had crafted a sequel well-worth revisiting, which would've picked up 12 years after the original .

" The second one was going to deal with, 'Why are there pyramids in Mayan culture? '" Devlin told Yahoo! News in 2023, noting that the draw for Stargate was always the concept of exploring humanity's unique mythology from a new point of view. The Mayan concept would have been unique, predating the similar themes explored in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , and almost certainly doing a better job. The first film had already connected alien intelligence to the Egyptian pyramids, so tackling the other types of mythical structures around the world (and the cultures they represent) was the natural next step. It sounded like Stargate 2 might have been very similar to the first film, though it would've explored a different system beyond Abydos. "There was going to be three major addresses [on the stargate]," Devlin told Dial the Gate . "And that's why we needed the nine [chevrons]...And one was an Egyptian, and our second was going to be a Mayan culture."

But that's not all. The third film would've tied everything together, pulling from just about every mythology and legend mankind has devised. " Whether it was Bigfoot, or the Yeti — we were going to tie everything together into a larger mythology ," the filmmaker continued. Even the Loch Ness Monster would've been involved. As far as how O'Neil, Jackson, and any of the other supporting or returning cast were concerned, we haven't gotten too much detail. Sure, the idea was to have Russell and Spader back on board, but as to what their characters would've gone through, we haven't a clue. The world of Stargate is a mystery for a reason, and while the SG-1 series may have had the luxury of expanding on it over time (and developing its characters the same), the film trilogy would've had far less to work with.

The 'Stargate' TV Shows Shattered Plans for More Movies

As mentioned before, t he reason that the Stargate sequels ultimately weren't made was because of MGM's commitment to Stargate SG-1 and the other spin-offs associated with the television franchise. SG-1 takes place not long after the original film, with Stargate: Children of the Gods kicking it off . Aside from the lack of returning cast and crew, Children of the Gods - The Final Cut feels very much like a true Stargate sequel. Sure, it wasn't what Emmerich or Devlin originally envisioned, but it took a deep look at the original characters and dealt with the fallout of the film uniquely, with Ra's death creating a power vacuum among the other alien gods out there. "MGM decided to do the television series, which has become enormously successful, and I think that they would rather do movies based on the television series than based on the first film," Devlin explained to IGN back in 2002.

According to the producer, Stargate SG-1 (which first aired on Showtime before moving to the Sci-Fi Channel) happened after the original film because they sold the picture to MGM. Stargate was made entirely independently of Hollywood , financed through the French-based Le Studio Canal+. But according to Devlin , the group was "so sure they had a bomb, that they sold [the $50 million movie] to MGM for $5 million." The studio then decided to echo the success of Star Trek and build a television brand, independent of Emmerich and Devlin, who the studio cut out of their plans for the franchise. It wasn't long before SG-1 was a hit as well, and began expanding into multiple television series, films, and even a 2017 prequel, Stargate Origins . Unfortunately, this kept the studio from following up with the theatrical franchise, and so Devlin and Emmerich's sequels were never pursued.

"When we created the original Stargate , we always envisioned it as a trilogy, and, unfortunately, the way in which the movie got made, we didn't really have control over [it]," Devlin told audiences at Comic Con International in 2006. Despite hopes that Devlin could convince MGM to change their minds, nothing came to fruition. The original Stargate story was long gone, and it was us fans who suffered most. Though we could've had two simultaneous Stargate narratives running (not unlike the J.J. Abrams Star Trek films existing alongside the original timeline) that would've expanded further on what makes the concept exciting in the first place: the hard sci-fi interpretation of ancient mythology. Nowadays, Devlin considers the Stargate ship to "have sailed," and doesn't see any hope for a traditional sequel to the original 1994 film.

What's the Current State of the Stargate Franchise?

Part of the reason that a Stargate sequel is unlikely to occur is that MGM sold to Amazon in 2021 . Though a Devlin/Emmerich Stargate reboot was announced at one point back in 2014 before being cancelled , a few years later, Amazon came into the picture. Now that the streaming giant has the rights to the entire franchise — both the 1994 film and the television shows — they're looking to reboot the story entirely. With Amazon at the helm, a Stargate reboot might finally happen . Of course, a reboot would likely feel more like SG-1 than the original Stargate given the longevity of that series, and maybe that's for the best . After all, SG-1 is the series that most think of instantly when the word Stargate is uttered, and why shouldn’t it be? The Showtime-turned-Sci-Fi Channel series ran for a whole decade and further diversified Emmerich and Devlin’s original concept . Not only did it add loads of character depth and build upon the mythology of the original, but it made a name for itself almost entirely separate from the 1994 film.

If Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin (who ironically made a sequel to Independence Day , a film they originally had no interest in revisiting) can't be the ones to finish out their original Stargate story, then perhaps a new batch of filmmakers would have better luck inserting new life into the 30-year franchise. According to Deadline , Amazon is hoping to generate both new Stargate movies and television productions , with a feature film meant to kick the whole thing off. If that's the case, then we could be on the verge of a whole new era of Stargate , one that could take the foundation of the original classic and take us boldly to worlds we've never gone before.

Stargate is available to watch on Tubi in the U.S.

Watch on Tubi

• Movie Features

• Kurt Russell

Tom Cruise Movies List

1. Endless Love

3. The Outsiders

4. Losin' It

5. All the Right Moves

6. Risky Business

9. The Color of Money

10. Cocktail

11. Rain Man

12. Born on the Fourth of July

13. Days of Thunder

14. A Few Good Men

15. The Firm

16. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles

17. Mission: Impossible

18. Jerry Maguire

19. Eyes Wide Shut

20. Magnolia

21. Mission: Impossible II

22. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

23. Vanilla Sky

24. Space Station 3D

25. Minority Report

More to explore, recently viewed.

29 of Tom Cruise's greatest movie moments

Posted: March 10, 2024 | Last updated: May 7, 2024

The undisputed action legend boasts an incredible decades-spanning career

Whether he’s scaling a building or producing Oscar-nominated performances, there’s no denying that Tom Cruise is a Hollywood legend. It’s been that way since his early work in Risky Business and Top Gun cemented him as a leading man, before his performance as everyone’s favorite IMF agent in the Mission: Impossible movies confirmed him as the go-to action man.

Born in Syracuse, New York, Cruise first started acting at the age of 18, landing bit parts in Endless Love and Taps before making it big time in The Outsiders. Over the years since, he’s broken countless box office records for his leading roles, as well as earning his fair share of acting accolades from his peers. It doesn’t matter what the movie is, if Cruise is making an appearance, it’s sure to be memorable.

While he’s often known for his risky stunts that have seen him defying gravity and the laws of physics, there have also been countless powerful performances in his filmography too. As you might imagine with such a lengthy and impressive career, he's also had his fair share of iconic scenes as well. So in celebration of a Hollywood career like no other, here are some of the greatest Tom Cruise movie moments.

Running in any movie

Any Tom Cruise fan will know, the actor loves to run. Endless compilations of the star running in his movies can be found on YouTube as he heads on a sprint in almost every movie he stars in. From Minority Report to War of the Worlds, there have been a lot of great Cruise runs, but probably the best comes in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol when IMF agent Ethan Hunt runs away from a sandstorm. Capturing the iconic gait of Cruise’s run from a low angle, he sprints through Dubai while barely breaking a sweat.

Valkyrie: The plan explained

The 2008 thriller Valkyrie sees Tom Cruise play real-life historical figure Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who was one of the men who plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. It is one of the actor’s most heavily researched roles, with Cruise having worked for eight months before filming began to nail the characterization, which included wearing an eyepatch throughout. But it’s a scene towards the end that really stands out as one of the most memorable moments of Cruise’s career. After the plan has been foiled, General Fromm (Tom Wilkinson) sentences all of the plotters to be executed before his involvement can be revealed. Cruise's Colonel fires back a chilling, and simple, warning: "No one will be spared."

Rock of Ages: Stacee’s performance

Rock of Ages sees Tom Cruise channel his inner rock star in the ensemble musical. Playing the Axl Rose homage, Stacee Jaxx, his most memorable moment comes when he performs "Pour Some Sugar on Me" on stage to rapturous applause. It’s an impressive feat, and one Cruise rehearsed for hours each day to get right. What’s more, it’s one of his boldest performances, taking him right out of his comfort zone and allowing audiences to see a new shade to the star's talents. Action hero, awards-bait, and rock star – Cruise is no one-trick pony.

Edge of Tomorrow: The exosuits

Edge of Tomorrow features a lot of incredible Tom Cruise stunts, but undoubtedly the best come when his character William Cage is donning the exoskeleton suit. Described as one-man tanks, they protect the soldiers in battle and, of course, Cruise didn’t want to resort to CGI for them. Instead, he, Emily Blunt, and the other stars of the film wore very real and very heavy suits for all of their stunts. This makes all of the scenes of Cage and Blunt’s Rita Vrataski running through explosions all the more impressive. Fun fact, the 90-pound suits were actually designed by the same person who made the Batman suits.

Jerry Maguire: "You had me at hello"

Tom Cruise shows off his romantic comedy chops as a struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. He plays a man desperate to do things his own way after being fired for gaining a conscience while working at a cutthroat agency. But at the heart of the drama is a love story with Renée Zellweger’s Dorothy Boyd, who he makes a tearful confession of love to near the end of the movie. "You complete me," he tells her, before she replies the endlessly quotable response: "Just shut up, you had me at hello." It’s undoubtedly one of the most romantic scenes of Cruise’s career.

Magnolia: "Tame It" speech

Tom Cruise played a memorable part in Paul Thomas Anderson’s kaleidoscopic Magnolia as Frank T.J. Mackey, a crass motivational speaker. He’s in his element as the misogynistic pick-up artist, which we see glimpses of throughout the movie. The best of these is his "tame it" speech to a group of like-minded misanthropists as he tells them to take what they feel they deserve. In a cast filled with stars like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore, Cruise gives it all in a performance that really asks him to  go there .

Austin Powers cameo

For someone who’s had a lot of serious roles, Tom Cruise isn’t afraid of a little silliness on screen either. A great example of this is his cameo in Austin Powers in Goldmember, where he plays the British agent in a biopic of himself. His cameo in the movie-within-the-movie may only be brief, but Cruise nails his mannerisms and looks pretty spot-on in the iconic get-up. Skydiving into a moving car is a pretty Cruise-level move too, making this parody even more perfect. "Yeah, baby," indeed.

Jack Reacher: "Two things are going to happen"

Marking the classic book-based action hero’s on-screen debut, Tom Cruise played the brutally effective Jack Reacher in two movies. The second, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, contains the perfect encapsulation of why Cruise was the right man to play the nomad killing machine, despite their physical differences. This comes in the diner scene. "Two things are gonna happen in the next 90 seconds," he warns the sheriff who’s arrested him, "First, that phone over there is going to ring; second, you’re going to be wearing these cuffs on your way to prison." Reacher is a man of few words, but when Cruise delivers these taciturn and furious ones, he looms way beyond his stature to put the naysayers of his casting to rest.

Rain Man: The bathroom scene

While Rain Man contains a lot of incredible moments, it’s the scene when Tom Cruise’s Charlie Babbitt finds out the truth of how his brother left that secures itself as one of the actor’s best on-screen moments. "You’re the rain man," he says to Dustin Hoffman’s Raymond "Ray" Babbitt in the bathroom as he discovers that someone he thought was his imaginary childhood friend was actually his brother all along. Hoffman deservedly received a lot of acclaim for his performance in Rain Man, but watching Cruise work through his emotions as he discovers Ray actually lived with him before being sent away is hugely emotional, and marks one of the most nuanced performances of his career.

War of the Worlds: The aliens arrive

Tom Cruise has starred in plenty of sci-fi movies, but War of the Worlds contains one of his most chilling on-screen moments. The Steven Spielberg-directed adaptation takes Cruise’s character Ray Ferrier’s perspective as the chaos of an alien invasion begins. Playing with ominous sounds and smoke as Ray tries desperately to find safety as destruction happens around him, the audience is thrown right into the chaos. This all makes the moment when the towering Martian tripods emerge from the surface of the Earth all the more terrifying and sets the stakes for the rest of the film.

Knight and Day: Motorcycle chase

Tom Cruise’s career has been marked by several motorcycle scenes, but one of the best actually comes in the romantic action comedy Knight and Day. The tongue-in-cheek satire sees Cruise playing a secret agent called Roy Miller, who is on the run from the CIA when he meets Cameron Diaz’s June Havens. After becoming caught up in each other's lives, towards the third act of the film, the pair ride through Seville during a bullfighting ceremony. Navigating bulls storming the streets and bad guys in pursuit, it’s one of the most impressive chase scenes of Cruise’s career.

Eyes Wide Shut: Ritual scene

Tom Cruise has worked with plenty of incredible directors over his career, and Eyes Wide Shut is no different as he collaborates with Stanley Kubrick. The most memorable moment comes during the ritual scene as Cruise’s Dr. Bill infiltrates a cabal of New York’s elite, all wearing masks. It’s deeply unsettling, takes several chillingly dark turns, and is considered by some to be one of the most disturbing scenes of Cruise’s career.

Born on the Fourth of July: "I love America"

Tom Cruise’s performance as Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July is one for the ages. He plays the real-life anti-war activist over decades of his life through his military service and paralysis in the Vietnam War. It’s a portrayal full of great nuance, but it’s the "I love America" speech that stands out as one of its most powerful moments. At a rally against the war, as Richard Nixon accepts the presidential nomination, Ron is cornered by a reporter asking what he wants to say to these people. "People say if you don’t love America, then get the hell out. Well, I love America," he says as he criticizes the government’s decision to continue the war before he’s dragged away by Nixon’s supporters. The performance landed Cruise a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards too.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation: The plane

Tom Cruise's stunts don’t get much bigger than his plane scene in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Playing IMF agent Ethan Hunt, the sequence sees him hanging onto the side of an Airbus A400M as it takes off, before flying to 1,000 feet at high speed. And yes, of course, Cruise actually did the stunt himself with just a wire attached to the side of the plane and special contacts to protect his eyes. Another amazing fact about this moment too is that Cruise didn’t just perform the stunt once, he did it eight times.

Tropic Thunder: The call

It’s always fun to see Tom Cruise not taking himself too seriously, and his role in the satire Tropic Thunder is just that. He plays ill-tempered studio executive Les Grossman who’s financing the war film. Sporting prosthetics that make him almost unrecognizable, his best moment is the profanity-filled call to the Flaming Dragon. It all ends with a mic-drop moment as he chucks the mobile over his shoulder to Matthew McConaughey’s Rick, who has watched the whole exchange in awe. Robert Downey Jr.’s performance in the film may have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, but Cruise’s performance remains one of the most memorable parts of the 2008 comedy.

The Last Samurai: "Tell me how he died"

Tom Cruise’s period epic The Last Samurai sees him play military veteran Nathan Algren who befriends samurai Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) after he decides to spare him. Over the course of the film, the pair develop a bond as Algren is trained in the ways of Japanese swordsmanship. This all leads to the movie’s most poignant moment after Katsumoto has been killed, as Algren presents his sword to Emperor Meiji. "Tell me how he died," the ruler asks, to which Algren emotionally replies, "I will tell you how he lived." The subtext here is pretty clear: do not forget the ways of traditions of the samurai as Japan modernizes.

A Few Good Men: "Truth" speech

A Few Good Men’s 'truth' speech contains one of the most quotable lines in movie history, and while it’s not Tom Cruise himself who utters those iconic words, he’s a central part of what makes the scene so electric. The 1992 Rob Reiner-directed drama follows a trial of two U.S. Marines charged with the murder of a fellow Marine. Cruise’s Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee is the scrappy lawyer defending them as the situation comes to a head when he faces off against Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Nathan R. Jessep in the courtroom, pushing him on his involvement in the crime.

"I want the truth," Kaffee bellows, before Jessep erupts, "You can’t handle the truth." Scripted by none other than Aaron Sorkin, it’s considered one of the best scenes in cinematic history, and for good reason too, as it marks one of Cruise’s most powerful performances as he goes toe-to-toe with Nicholson.

Top Gun: The volleyball scene

If you think of Top Gun, probably the first scene you’ll think of is the volleyball scene. Yes, the drama features some epic action set pieces and plenty of romance too, but who are we kidding? Tom Cruise’s Pete "Maverick" Mitchell playing volleyball in the scorching sun to Kenny Loggins’ "Playing With the Boys" is one of the most memorable moments of 1980s cinema, and has been parodied endlessly. In fact, it’s so iconic that Cruise even included an homage in the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick too.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol: The Burj Khalifa

Tom Cruise doesn’t do anything by half, and the Burj Khalifa scene in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a great example of that. The stunt, which sees Ethan Hunt scaling the skyscraper in pursuit of Cobalt, saw Cruise really climb the tallest building in the world. All done with just a harness and no stunt double, the actor did it all himself, from running along the outside of the building to jumping between sections while helicopters filmed around him. The crew only broke 35 windows during the shoot too, which is nothing short of miraculous.

Jerry Maguire: "Show me the money"

Tom Cruise plays a sports agent with a conscience in the 1996 romantic comedy Jerry Maguire. After being fired for gaining some moral integrity, his character Jerry Maguire starts his own sports agency, which proves to be a little harder than he first thought. Still, he lands one superstar client in Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Rod Tidwell who he’ll do anything to keep, even shouting, "Show me the money" in a crowded office. As Tidwell urges him on, Maguire gets louder and louder until everyone is looking on. It’s one of the most quotable moments from Cruise’s career, and the actor’s whole performance was considered so iconic that he landed an Oscar nomination too.

Top Gun: "You’ve lost that loving feeling"

Tom Cruise has had his fair share of great needle-drop moments throughout his career, as well as never shying away from a performance. But his rendition of "You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling" in Top Gun is up there with the best. Performing off-key with his best friend Goose (Anthony Edwards), Pete "Maverick" Mitchell does his best to win over Kelly McGillis’ Charlie at the bar in this charming scene. Try and stop from beaming when the whole bar erupts into the chorus.

Interview With The Vampire: Lestat's final scene

"I assume I need no introduction," Tom Cruise’s vampire Lestat drawls in the final scene of Anne Rice adaptation, Interview With The Vampire. Subduing Christian Slater’s reporter before he can release Louis’ story to the world, this is the first time we meet the louche Lestat and he certainly makes his (fang-shaped) mark. The ending is the perfect twist to the chilling drama directed by Neil Jordan, and Cruise nails his character’s menace right up to the credits crawl. It’s the small details that sell it too, from Lestat’s straightening of his shirt sleeves as he takes the wheel to his cackle as the needle drops to The Rolling Stones’ "Sympathy for the Devil." It marks a fitting curtain call to one of Cruise’s most iconic characters.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1: Motorcycle jump

Never one to be topped in a stunt, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’s motorcycle stunt is one of the most brutal of Tom Cruise’s career. During the movie’s climactic final sequence, Ethan Hunt has to work out a way to get on a moving train. Naturally, his solution is riding his motorcycle off a cliff before parachuting down onto the top of one of the carriages. It wouldn't be a Cruise stunt if the actor didn’t do it himself either so, of course, the action man rode off a real ramp with a harness attached. Would you expect anything less?

Top Gun: Maverick: Flight sequence

Ever the action man, Tom Cruise made sure his return to the skies in Top Gun: Maverick came with its fair share of epic flight sequences. The most heart-stopping comes in the final sequence as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell leads the team through their near-impossible mission. Full of moments requiring incredible precision, it leaves audiences on the edge of their seats at every turn. Add to this the fact that Cruise was really up in that aircraft, and it’s undoubtedly secured its place as one of the most impressive action sequences in cinematic history.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation: Underwater scene

For Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Tom Cruise couldn’t just perform a death-defying underwater scene as Ethan Hunt, he had to break a few records too. If you’ll recall, the IMF agent had to access an underwater secure vault through a vertical tunnel in his team’s battle against the Syndicate. Things don’t quite go to plan though (this is a Mission: Impossible movie after all) and Hunt is trapped in the currents for six minutes, rather than the planned three. However, what’s more amazing than his miraculous escape is that Cruise actually did the dive himself after learning to breathe underwater from a freediver.

Risky Business dance

Despite being one of Tom Cruise’s earliest films, 1983’s Risky Business looms large in the actor’s filmography. And there’s one scene in particular that stands out: Joel Goodsen’s living room dance to "Old Time Rock and Roll." Seeing the overachiever letting loose and enjoying himself, and cracking out some memorable dance moves (the slide, come on), is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Then there’s the outfit. Spawning countless spoofs - and becoming a Halloween staple - the shirt, boxers, and socks combo is iconic. It’s no wonder Risky Business marked Cruise’s breakout Hollywood role.

Top Gun: Maverick: Reunited with Iceman

As well as plenty of top-notch action, Tom Cruise's big return to the screen as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell was also hugely emotional. Throughout the movie, he is still grappling with the guilt of losing his best friend all those years ago as he tries to rebuild the relationship with Goose’s son. Struggling, he turns to his old friend Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in a powerful on-screen reunion with Val Kilmer. "It’s time to let go," his former rival tells him in the powerful scene. Good luck keeping a dry eye during this one.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout: HALO jump scene

The Mission Impossible – Fallout HALO jump was one that was on Tom Cruise’s bucket list for a while, and he finally pulled it off in the sixth movie. Standing for High Altitude Low Open, the jump is used by military personnel to jump at 25,000 feet before opening their shoot at less than 2,000 feet. This allows them to, as Ethan Hunt does in the film, sneak into another country undetected. Cruise is actually the first actor to perform it on-screen as well, making it another record-breaking movie moment to add to his list.

Mission: Impossible: Langley Heist

It’s an iconic image that any action fan will know well: Tom Cruise hanging from wires to complete the Langley heist in Mission: Impossible. The nearly 20-minute-long scene sees Cruise’s IMF agent Ethan Hunt infiltrating a secure terminal in the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Navigating a pressure-sensitive floor, a temperature-controlled environment, and an alarm that will go off if a sound louder than a whisper echoes, the tension ratchets as Hunt tries to break into the computer. While it’s not as loud and death-defying as most of the stunts in Cruise’s films, it’s no less iconic, and it cemented Mission: Impossible as the actor’s first franchise.

More for You

Putin lunges for 'banned' missiles

Woman finds 50 vintage cars hidden in a crumbling barn in the middle of a forest

‘Hello from my Black job’: Black Democrats share workplace photos after Trump’s bizarre debate line

Christian Horner takes aim at Jos Verstappen and Mercedes in fiery press conference

'10-foot-tall people' discovered by archaeologists in Nevada cave

25 movies that have disappeared but deserve a rewatch

Is it legal to add a light bar or spotlights to my vehicle?

The world's 9th biggest country is an undiscovered marvel with 'jaw-dropping' scenery

At home or at the gym, building muscles might just change your life. Here's how to do it

The most powerful American production car engines ever made

Alzheimer's Is More Common in Women, And This May Help Explain Why

Front loaders vs top loaders: The pros and cons of each type of washing machine

The most memorable quotes from the 'Star Wars' films

400ft 'ice ship' discovered in Antarctica

‘It’s not really a gain’ – Daniel Ricciardo weighs in on ‘disappointing’ Oscar Piastri track limits decision

Long discontinued Aussie cars treasured by remote communities

Michael J Fox flashes peace sign from wheelchair amid devastating Parkinson's battle

Retirement planning guide: 710,000 Aussies to retire over next 5 years

Household electricity bills to go down from Monday

What your heart rate says about your health

After Tom Cruise Celebrated Edge Of Tomorrow’s 10th Anniversary, Director Doug Liman Revealed Why He Thought The Actor Might Quit Early On

Edge of Tomorrow's director admits that something about the film made him think Tom Cruise might quit.

The record-breaking success of Top Gun: Maverick has shown that when Tom Cruise returns to a popular film franchise, huge gains are possible. It’s only been a decade since Cruise starred in one of the best sci-fi movies in recent memory, Edge of Tomorrow , but there are still a lot of people who would love to see a sequel to that one. We still don’t know if we’ll ever get that follow-up, but it turns out there was a point when director Doug Liman wasn’t sure if we’d ever get the original movie. And his comments come shortly after Cruise marked the 10th anniversary of the flick.

Doug Liman just brought back another major franchise with Road House , which was a big hit with Amazon subscribers , and a sequel to that movie is already moving forward. When asked about the long-discussed sequel to Edge of Tomorrow by our sister site Total Film ( via GamesRadar ), Liman mentioned that he was once afraid Tom Cruise would quit the film because the character was so far from the traditional Cruise action hero role. Liman said…

I didn’t know if he was going to quit the movie when I proposed to him: what if we made his character a coward? It’s totally against the brand of Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise doesn’t simply play the protagonist in most of his films. He usually plays heroes who are hyper-confident. While Ethan Hunt or Pete "Maverick" Mitchell may find themselves in situations where the odds are stacked against them, there’s never a question that they are capable of saving themselves because they are just so damn good at what they do.

Tom Cruise’s Major William Cage starts out in Edge of Tomorrow as the exact opposite of that. He cannot fight, and beyond that, he’s done anything and everything in his power to avoid a battle. When he finds himself in the middle of a war zone his instinct is to run away to save his own skin.

There have been stories about how some stars who have contractual requirements regarding fights , which stipulate that they not look weak in their movies. So it wouldn’t be that outside of the normal if Tom Cruise didn’t like the idea of playing somebody who wasn’t as tough and cool as his other characters. But, ultimately, Cruise was game for it, and I'm glad for that because the film is awesome!

Also, by the end of Doug Liman's film, Tom Cruise's character has largely become the archetype character we'd expect the A-lister to play. As such, if an Edge of Tomorrow 2 ever does happen , we can expect the star to play a character we’re more used to seeing. While little movement on a sequel has been made over the last decade, Liman says that WB is still very interested in another movie, so perhaps the sequel is still possible. Plus, Cruise's recent tribute to the flick may indicate that he still has affection for the film and would be open to returning. Let's hope that proves to be the case.

In the meantime, you can check out the action star playing a cowardly character in Edge of Tomorrow , which is available to buy or rent on digital platforms.

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

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.

Amid Divorce Rumors, Ben Affleck Is Reportedly Moving His Belongings Out Of Home He Shares With Jennifer Lopez

Halle Bailey Celebrates Wrapping On Her New Movie She Joined '3 Mos After Having My Baby' And I Don't Blame Her For The Abs-Centric Post

Kevin Costner Interview | 'Horizon: An American Saga,' Early Career & More

Most Popular

• 2 Amid Divorce Rumors, Ben Affleck Is Reportedly Moving His Belongings Out Of Home He Shares With Jennifer Lopez
• 3 Halle Bailey Celebrates Wrapping On Her New Movie She Joined '3 Mos After Having My Baby' And I Don't Blame Her For The Abs-Centric Post
• 4 Resistor: What We Know About Will Smith's Sci-Fi Thriller
• 5 A The Boys Fan Questioned If Patrick Schwarzenegger Is Arnold's Son, And His Response Made A Great Point

Screen Rant

Lanterns: casting dc legend hal jordan for the dcu's green lantern show.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

DCU Chapter One Gods And Monsters: Every Movie & Show In The New DC Universe

Dc already knew the best actor to play green lantern 7 years ago & it's not too late, deadpool & wolverine’s box office explosion could totally change the mcu.

• Tom Cruise is a rumored frontrunner to play a veteran Hal Jordan in Lanterns coming to HBO
• Bradley Cooper could be a very dynamic actor to play Jordan's Green Lantern alongside a newly recruited John Stewart.
• John Krasinski is a dead ringer for Hal Jordan, and the DCU could provide his superhero redemption after the MCU with Mister Fantastic.

Warner Bros. and HBO are officially moving forward with the DCU's Lanterns series. However, it's not yet known who will be playing Hal Jordan, one of the greatest human Green Lanterns in DC Universe. As such, the role is going to require a very particular type of actor, one who can project a high level of courage and confidence alongside a fair share of recklessness where others would express caution or fear.

The DCU's upcoming Lanterns series will be part of the newly rebooted universe from DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. Chris Mundy has been attached as series showrunner ( True Detective: Night Country, Ozark ) while the show itself will be written by Damon Lindelof ( Watchmen, The Leftovers ) and DC Comics legend Tom King. It's also been reported that "new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland". Keeping that in mind, here are 10 potential actors who could be cast as Hal Jordan in the upcoming Lanterns series.

James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe begins with six movies and six shows that open the DCU's first chapter, "Gods and Monsters".

10 Tom Cruise

A rumored front-runner.

Tom Cruise has long been rumored as a frontrunner to play Green Lantern Hal Jordan . This is partly due to Cruises' recent deal with Warner Bros. to produce original and franchise content for the studio. As such, perhaps playing a veteran Hal Jordan will become one of the first results of this new partnership.

Regardless, there truly is no one better than Cruise to play Hal Jordan. A military test pilot following in the footsteps of his deceased father, Jordan's ability to overcome great fear made him a prime recruit for the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps and a member of the Earth-based Justice League. Eventually becoming the greatest of the Green Lanterns, one could easily see Cruise playing an older Jordan training John Stewart as a new recruit, a role that would basically mirror his role in Tom Gun: Maverick (just with a really cool green ring).

Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 original film starring Tom Cruise as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a top-tier pilot in the Navy. Thirty years after the original film's events, Maverick is asked to head up a section of the TOP GUN program to embark on a dangerous mission. Things become personal when the program includes the son of Maverick's late friend, forcing him to confront his past.

9 Bradley Cooper

Longtime collaborator with james gunn.

Bradley Cooper is a longtime collaborator of James Gunn's, having provided the voice for Rocket Raccoon in the MCU ( most notably in Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy ). That said, the opportunity to see Bradley Cooper playing an iconic superhero in live-action would be very exciting . After all, he certainly looks the part of Jordan, especially one who will seemingly have a glowing service record with the Green Lantern Corps.

Bradley Cooper joining the DCU would certainly be a very cool addition. Likewise, Cooper has gone on record saying that he'd "follow Gunn anywhere" . To that end, the chance to provide a dynamic and compelling Hal Jordan could prove to be an intriguing role for Cooper, especially in a series that will likely be more grounded with more dimension than the widely-panned 2011 movie.

8 John Krasinski

Superhero redemption in the dcu.

Back in 2022, it seemed as though John Kransinski was poised to become the next Mister Fantastic in the MCU , leader of the Fantastic Four. This was due to his appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness where he was revealed to be a Reed Richards from another reality apart from the main MCU. Having been perfectly cast and looking exactly like Reed does in the comics, many were sad to see Marvel Studios going in a different direction for their upcoming Fantastic Four (despite Pedro Pascal still being an exciting option for Mister Fantastic).

Now, perhaps the DCU's Lanterns can provide some redemption for Krasinki should he be interested. Although he's certainly moved behind the camera in recent years, a bearded Krasinki is similarly a dead ringer for the primary artwork of Hal Jordan that Gunn and Safran have used to promote the Lanterns show thus far (cover art from Green Lantern: Earth One Vol. 2 ). Likewise, Krasinski is no stranger to television by any means ( The Office , Jack Reacher ).

Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness

In Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU takes a deeper dive into the Multiverse and the unknown, introducing variants of Strange and other familiar friends and foes - including The Illuminati - and offers a new perspective on how it works and connects. The story follows Stephen Strange, now post-blip and no longer the Sorcerer Supreme. When a terrifying monster rampages through New York seeking to capture a young girl from another multiverse named America Chavez, Strange finds himself as her newfound protector. Unfortunately, his new foe is a former ally, Wanda Maximoff. To protect Chavez and stop Wanda's rampage, Strange travels the Multiverse looking for answers - and encounters engrossing and terrifying realities that expand the Marvel Universe in a whole new way.

7 Jensen Ackles

Maybe batman isn't meant to be.

Jensen Ackles had long campaigned to play a live-action Batman. He's also already voiced animated versions of both The Dark Knight and Jason Todd's Red Hood for Warner Bros over the years. However, one could argue that Ackles could just as easily portray DC's greatest Green Lantern when and if the Caped Crusader doesn't end up working out.

Having most recently played Soldier Boy in Amazon's The Boys (a satire of Captain America), Ackles has proven his ability to play an older superhero (even one as corrupt and irreverent as Soldier Boy). As such, one could easily see him bringing a veteran Hal Jordan to life in Lanterns . He'd also get the chance to have some stronger morals, while still portraying Jordan as the brazen rule-breaker he's known to be in the comics.

The Boys is a superhero/dark comedy satire series created by Eric Kripke based on the comic series of the same name. Set in a "what-if" world that reveres superheroes as celebrities and gods who experience minimal repercussions for their actions. However, one group of vigilantes headed by a vengeance-obsessed man named Billy Butcher will fight back against these super-charged "heroes" to expose them for what they are.

6 James Marsden

Forget cyclops, become a space cop.

When it comes to the superhero film genre, James Marsden is best known for playing the first live-action Cyclops in 20th Century Fox's first X-Men trilogy . The team leader of the X-Men, Scott Summers was a no-nonsense hero who was largely underutilized on-screen. As such, a role like Green Lantern would hopefully allow Marsden to truly shine as a superhero in the DC Universe . He's certainly had other roles that have proven his dynamic charm would be perfect for Hal Jordan.

X-Men is the first film in the long-running superhero franchise centering on the iconic Marvel team. Wolverine and Professor X take center stage as they and the other X-Men attempt to stop Erik Lehnsherr (aka Magneto) after he has a violent response to the proposed Mutant Registration Act. Hugh Jackman stars as Wolverine, alongside Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, and Anna Paquin.

5 Jake Gyllenhaal

A chance to finally be a superhero.

Since the early 2000s, Jake Gyllenhaal has nearly played two of the biggest superheroes of all time . First was when he almost replaced Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 . The second time was when he got quite far in the casting process for Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, only for Christian Bale to get the role instead. That being said, Gyllenhaal did end up playing the Spider-Man villain Mysterio in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home .

However, perhaps Hal Jordan could finally be the role that makes Jake Gyllenhaal a movie superhero . He certainly looks the part. Likewise, the idea that Lanterns may mirror a True Detective -type procedural is the kind of project where Gyllenhaal could certainly thrive.

4 Josh Duhamel

The right look and age.

Best known for his role in the Transformers franchise as Captain Lennox, Josh Duhamel could certainly play an officer type where more fantastical/cosmic elements are at play. He also recently played the superhero known as the Utopian in Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy , as well as providing the voice of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the two-part animated Batman: The Long Halloween . When all put together, Duhamel could easily play a superhero with military experience in the DC Universe.

Batman: The Long Halloween

In this two-part animated film, a serial killer terrorizes Gotham, killing on holidays. It's up to Batman to find and stop the killer, while the Falcones, the Joker, and plenty of other old enemies seem determined to get in his way.

3 Chris Pine

Maybe a different dc comics pilot will work.

Chris Pine could play a veteran Hal Joran in his sleep. After all, he's already played a similar pilot from DC Comics. In the DCEU's Wonder Woman movies, Pine played Captain Steve Trevor who crashed his plane on the island of the Amazons known as Themyscira , eventually becoming the love interest of Princess Diana aka Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot).

Having also voiced a version of Spider-Man in Sony's animated Into the Spider-Verse , Chris Pine is no stranger to roles in the superhero film genre . As such, it could be very interesting to see him in a more prominent role in the new DCU, one that would see him paired with new recruit John Stewart. He'd also have great chemistry with Nathan Fillion who's already been cast as the Green Lantern Guy Gardner in James Gunn's Superman .

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is the first film in DC's series focusing on Diana Prince. Gal Gadot reprises her role from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and, this time, must stop the villainous Ares with the help of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). The film received generally positive reviews upon release and was followed by Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020. 

2 Boyd Holbrook

He could finally play the good guy.

While there are exceptions, Boyd Holbrook has more often than not been cast as the bad guy in franchise projects ( Logan , Sandman , Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ). As such, to see Holbrook in the role of a superhero as good and as fearless as Hal Jordan could be very compelling . That said, one could also see Holbrook being perfect when and if Hal Jordan were to face some sort of corruption as he famously did in the comics with the fear entity known as Parallax.

1 Ryan Reynolds

Second time's the charm.

While very unlikely, one has to wonder if Ryan Reynolds could ever be convinced to return as Hal Jordan's Green Lantern for the DCU . Having played Jordan in the 2011 Green Lantern movie, Reynolds has gone on record saying that it was one of the worst films he's ever been in. Likewise, hilarious Green Lantern jokes were made at the DC's movie's expense in both of Reynolds' Deadpool movies (perhaps there will even be a third in the MCU's Deadpool and Wolverine ).

That said, there's no denying that it would be a huge draw if all parties were in agreement, and Reynolds actually agreed to take another crack at the role. Lanterns will likely have a far better and more dynamic narrative with far better visuals and a stronger execution than the 2011 film. Likewise, many have agreed that Reynolds' casting as Jordan was never the problem, and was in fact the movie's greatest (if only) strength.

Lanterns (DCU)

Lanterns is a detective show based on DC Comics' Green Lanterns. It started as an HBO Max series centered around Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, and Simon Baz. However, James Gunn confirmed that the project was redesigned to focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the new interconnected DC Universe franchise.

Tom Cruise's famous date to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour London show revealed

The mission impossible star was thought to have attended alone.

Tom Cruise was just one of many famous faces in the crowd for Taylor Swift's second London show of her Eras Tour on Saturday. 

The Top Gun: Maverick star, 61, was captured in fan videos smiling and enjoying himself while dancing to the music as he stood in the VIP tent alongside Taylor's boyfriend Travis Kelce, 34, and many other A-Listers. 

While Tom was thought to have attended the show at Wembley alone, he was, in fact, joined by his longtime collaborator and good friend, director Christopher McQuarrie, 55. 

Tom and Christopher have built up a solid friendship over the years and have worked together on several films, including Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One . 

You may also like

Swifties loved seeing Tom enjoying himself and exchanging friendship bracelets with fans in the crowds, with many taking to social media to share their shock over his attendance. 

"Omg TOM CRUISE!! He's such a legend! I love Travis, but to see Tom Cruise there is super exciting, too," one wrote. Another said: "Tom Cruise a Swiftie? I'm here for it!" 

There were some people, however, who were unimpressed that Tom was in London the same weekend his daughter, Suri, graduated from high school.  

Tom is believed to be estranged from the 18-year-old he shares with his ex-wife, Katie Holmes , and he was not in attendance when she received her diploma from LaGuardia High School in New York on Friday.

As a young girl, Suri did appear to have a close relationship with her dad and was very much part of his spotlight. However, they have not been seen together in over a decade.

Suri recently gave a subtle but noticeable statement on the status of their relationship when she dropped 'Cruise' from her name. 

In May, she performed in Head Over Heels in New York, and it was revealed on the casting sheet that she adopted her mom's middle name and was listed as 'Suri Noelle' instead of 'Suri Cruise'. 

She also used the name 'Suri Noelle' in her graduation pamphlet, and will no doubt keep the new moniker when she attends Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the fall. 

Suri has lived with her mother since her parents' divorce in 2012 and Katie was awarded full custody. 

As part of their settlement, Tom agreed to pay $400,000 per year in child support, an arrangement which expired when Suri turned 18. Over the past 12 years, Tom’s contributions have totaled roughly $33,000 a month. 

Katie did not seek spousal support in their divorce, and Tom also covers Suri’s insurance bills and contributes to her college tuition. 

Katie and Suri have an incredibly close bond, with the Dawson's Creek alum telling Glamour last year: "What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her.

"I'm very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She's an incredible person." 

Speaking to InStyle in 2022, Katie also said: "I love her so much. My biggest goal has always been to nurture her into her individuality. To make sure she is 100 per cent herself and strong, confident, and able. And to know it."

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User  Data Protection Policy . You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information,  please click here .

• Celebrity Children
• Taylor Swift

More Celebrity News

Tom Cruise poses with fans as he is joined by rarely-seen son Connor in London

Taylor Swift in London Day Two: Tom Cruise, Princess Beatrice, Liam Hemsworth and more attend the concert

In partnership with Skechers

Watch Taylor Swift's sweet call out to Blake Lively's three daughters live on stage

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively jet off with kids for extra special night out abroad — to see Taylor Swift!

Suri Cruise, 18, twins with mom Katie Holmes in matching denim after major name change

Gallery The stars whose kids have regular jobs: from Bruce Springsteen's firefighter son to Harrison Ford's chef son

Suri cruise, 17, pictured with beautiful long hair as she heads off for last vacation with mom katie holmes before her 18th birthday, blake lively reveals emotional parenting milestone involving her 4 children and taylor swift, tom cruise's time apart from son connor sparked emotional response on set, former director reveals, nicole kidman and tom cruise's daughter bella reflects on life as she makes rare appearance online.