Tom Cruise’s Ambitious Space Film With NASA Reportedly Canceled
Tom Cruise’s much-anticipated space movie with director Doug Liman has reportedly been shelved, with sources citing Cruise’s unwillingness to seek political approval for NASA collaboration.
Tom Cruise ’s long-rumored journey to the stars has hit a dead end. The high-profile project, which would have seen Cruise team up with Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman for a groundbreaking film shot in outer space, is reportedly no longer moving forward. According to insiders, the ambitious production stalled over Cruise’s hesitation to pursue the necessary government clearances for working with NASA.
NASA Collaboration Hits a Roadblock
Back in 2020, excitement soared when it was revealed that Cruise was planning to film the first-ever narrative feature in space. A NASA administrator even confirmed that the actor would be heading to the International Space Station for the shoot. However, the project’s momentum slowed as it became clear that federal approval would be required to make the mission a reality.
“From what I understand, they would need NASA coordination to do the movie, and supposedly Tom Cruise did not want to ask Donald Trump for a favor,”
an insider shared.
“You’d need permission from the federal government. Tom didn’t want to ask for political reasons.”
Universal’s High Hopes and the Plot That Never Was
In 2022, Universal Pictures chair Donna Langley reignited buzz around the project, stating,
“Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He’s taking the world to space.”
She described a film in development that would send Cruise on a rocket to the space station, with hopes he’d become the first civilian to perform a spacewalk outside the ISS.
The untitled movie was set to feature Cruise as a down-on-his-luck character who unexpectedly becomes humanity’s last hope. Despite the anticipation, updates remained scarce, and the project quietly faded from the spotlight.
What’s Next for Cruise
While the space adventure may be grounded, Cruise isn’t slowing down. The Mission: Impossible star is set to headline a new, currently untitled film from The Revenant director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Details are still under wraps, but the cast includes Jesse Plemons, Emma D’Arcy, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on October 2, 2026.