Tom Cruise Destroys Everything
Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
A Cover Story on Tom Cruise’s new film with Alejandro Iñárritu. We examine if it’ll be like The Revenant.
In The Industry News, we explore Warner Bros. Discovery's first new scripted series since 2022. Is it a tactical strategy shift or a lifeline? Plus, three more news items.
In Actor’s Spotlight, we look at Ted Danson’s new show, from his most renowned collaborator. And two Latin musicians find their way into prestige indie films.
In Festivals, we look at the Venice official selection, Stranger Eyes, which has shades of Coppola’s The Conversation. Plus our most anticipated films for the festival.
For Indie Filmmaker Spotlight, we have an exclusive interview with the director of an upcoming A24 documentary, which explores the boundary of life and beyond.
Let’s go!
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Tom Cruise is gunning for the Oscar.
His newest film with Alejandro Iñárritu (Dir: The Revenant) is beginning to take shape.
The recently revealed new cast is remarkable:
Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall)
Jesse Plemons (Civil War)
John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)
Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man)
Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me)
Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal)
In talks
Here’s the official logline:
The most powerful man in the world (Cruise), who embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
While this sounds like a boilerplate Tom Cruise hero film, all evidence points to the contrary.
Iñárritu does not take “frantic missions” lightly, having put Leonardo DiCaprio through the wringer in The Revenant (2015), winning his long-sought-after Oscar after five nominations. And by God, he deserved it for that final look into the camera.
Although Cruise has never won an Academy Award, he has received three Oscar nominations:
Risky Business (1983)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Magnolia (1999)
He used to be able to access the zenith of machismo and the raw frailty of a broken spirit.
This new film will be produced by Warner Bros., under Cruise’s new partnership with the studio, where he cemented some of his most iconic roles in the past:
Risky Business (1983)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
The Last Samurai (2003)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
While it may be wishful thinking, the Iñárritu film reinvigorates hope that Cruise may still be interested in capturing roles that stretch his acting ability.
For More:
Risky Business (1983)
Trailer - A very good time
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Magnolia (1999)
THE INDUSTRY NEWS
Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT is moving back into scripted. Here are their newly announced series:
Debriefing The President (CIA miniseries)
Greenlit
Attached: Joel Kinnaman
Synopsis:
In 2003, John Nixon, a CIA analyst became the first American to positively identify and interrogate Saddam Hussein. During their time together, Nixon began to understand the potential consequences of the invasion, the humanitarian horrors and geopolitical turbulences that would follow Saddam’s deposing.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter
Acquisition
This comes after some massive changes at Warner Bros. Discovery in the past couple weeks:
WBD’s US Networks instates new Chairman and CEO
Current chairman and CEO, Kathleen Finch, is set to retire
WBD took a $9.1bn write down on their cable assets
All these factors compound the fact that TNT very badly needs some new cheap, #weknowdrama scripted series.
This represents a large pivot, as TNT has not had an original scripted series since Warner Bros. and Discovery merged in 2022.
Debriefing The President will air in 2025. In the meantime, we can all catch TNT’s reruns of Charmed.
Apple’s The Instigators, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck and directed by Doug Liman, which went straight to their TV+ streaming platform, drove 50K new subscribers. Reportedly, a large number for Apple, topping Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which first played theatrically.
Sadly, this is another nail in the coffin for Apple’s theatrical releases, which will now be limited to 1-2 per year.
One scene of The Instigators deserved to be on the big screen.
The character introduction of Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible series). Here, Liman is in top form, withholding information from the viewer in an incredibly powerful way.
Check out the scene, starting at 30:04, which features Ron Perlman and Toby Jones.
The newest long-awaited feature adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 vampire infestation story, Salem’s Lot, will head straight to streaming. It will premiere on Max this October, over three years since the film wrapped production.
There were rumors that the New Line film had been shelved due to numerous delays. Screenwriter/director Gary Dauberman confirmed the decision not to go for a theatrical release.
Dauberman is best known for writing The Conjuring Universe horror films:
It (2017)
The Nun (2018)
Annabelle 1-3 (2014, 2017, 2019)
Salem’s Lot (2024) is the third adaptation of King’s best-selling 1975 novel. Check out the 1979 TV series featuring this incredible line:
“Stop holy man, you can do nothing against the master.”
1979 Series Trailer. It’s a bit campy, but the practical effects are fantastic.
Tidbit:
Devil's in the details: Atlas Comics is developing a live-action adaptation of Devilina for Paramount Pictures, with Rebecca Webb writing the script. The story follows a woman who discovers she's Satan's sister, manipulated by her twin brother while a detective investigates. This project marks the first under SP Media's deal with Paramount.
ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
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