Tom Cruise’s Space Movie Delayed Over Government Approval

by

Tom Cruise is aiming to be the first filmmaker to shoot a movie in space, but current political issues could prevent him from launching the project.

I’m hearing that Tom Cruise is running into some serious roadblocks with his current projects, and it’s fascinating! Apparently, he’s willing to deal with these delays himself rather than ask Donald Trump for any kind of assistance. It’s a really interesting stance, and speaks volumes about his principles, I think.

Politics in Orbit?

According to a source, filming this movie requires approval from NASA. Tom Cruise reportedly didn’t want to ask Donald Trump for help in securing the necessary federal government permissions.

Tom Cruise is well-known for not sharing his political views publicly. He even turned down a Kennedy Center Honor from Donald Trump in 2019, allegedly because he didn’t want to appear to endorse him.

According to a source close to him, he’s always avoided discussing politics with his fans and has no intention of changing that.

Trump Wants In — Literally

Adding to the drama? Trump reportedly wants a cameo in the movie — and Cruise isn’t thrilled.

According to a source, Tom is worried about political issues slowing down the project, and this is causing conflict among the team.

Space Delays + Stunt Concerns

Despite support from NASA and SpaceX, the movie is currently facing delays due to issues with insurance, potential production problems, and the inherent risks of filming in outer space.

And Cruise’s legendary daredevil energy may not be helping.

I’m honestly blown away by Tom! A friend of mine who knows him told me he’s not letting age slow him down at all. He’s in incredible shape and is seriously pushing himself to the limit – it’s almost scary how dedicated he is to staying at the top of his game.

Still a Go?

NASA has publicly voiced its support for this project. Back in 2020, the former NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine, tweeted that NASA was thrilled to collaborate with Tom Cruise on a film to be shot on the International Space Station, emphasizing the importance of media in inspiring the next generation.

Look, this whole thing is really exciting, but it’s stalled because we’re waiting for the President to give the okay. If that doesn’t happen soon, Tom Cruise might have to make a tough decision he’s been hoping to put off – potentially scrapping the project altogether. It’s frustrating, because everyone involved is ready to go!

Movies That Were Supposed to Be Huge, Then Flopped

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

The movie earned $15.6 million worldwide, but its production was famously troubled. Based on a hugely popular and talked-about 1980s novel, the film adaptation brought together top talent – director Brian De Palma and stars Tom Hanks, Melanie Griffith, and Bruce Willis – after Warner Bros. secured the rights. However, the casting choices didn’t work out, and much of the book’s sharp social commentary was softened for the screen. The result was a major box office failure, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the disaster was documented in the book The Devil’s Candy by Julie Salamon.

Showgirls (1995)

The film Showgirls earned $20.3 million worldwide. Director Paul Verhoeven, known for Hollywood successes like RoboCop, Total Recall, and Basic Instinct, leveraged that reputation to secure funding for a provocative drama. Showgirls received an NC-17 rating – a relatively new designation at the time and unprecedented for a major studio release. While the film’s controversial rating and content generated significant buzz, it didn’t lead to strong ticket sales.

Waterworld (1995)

With a worldwide gross of $264.2 million, Waterworld was a massive production – and received a lot of attention, especially regarding its huge budget. Though the 1995 dystopian sci-fi film initially received mixed reviews, it has since gained a cult following. Its popular stunt show continues to be a hit at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Godzilla (1998)

With a worldwide gross of $379 million, the 1998 American film Godzilla was a major production. Advertisements for the movie famously declared “Size Does Matter.” TriStar Pictures invested heavily in it, hoping for success, especially since it came from the director of the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day. However, Godzilla didn’t live up to expectations. Critics disliked it, and audiences weren’t much more enthusiastic, resulting in a box office total that was less than half of what Independence Day earned worldwide.

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

The movie Snakes on a Plane earned $62 million worldwide and was an early attempt to use internet buzz to boost ticket sales. The film’s silly title became a viral sensation on early social media, but that online attention didn’t translate into many people actually going to see it in theaters. Despite the hype, the Sam Jackson thriller struggled to attract audiences.

Speed Racer (2008)

The movie earned $93.9 million at the box office worldwide. A pattern with several films on this list is that they were directed by well-known filmmakers after they’d had huge successes that didn’t live up to expectations. For example, Speed Racer was the Wachowskis’ first film after the incredibly popular Matrix trilogy. While a fast-paced, visually exciting action movie seemed like a natural follow-up to The Matrix, Speed Racer didn’t perform well in theaters. It took years for audiences to appreciate it as one of the Wachowskis’ more unique films after The Matrix.

The Last Airbender (2010)

The movie The Last Airbender earned $319.7 million worldwide. However, despite being based on a hugely popular animated series and directed by M. Night Shyamalan – known for his box office successes – the film was not a financial win for Paramount Pictures. It proved to be a major disappointment, and many fans reacted negatively to Shyamalan’s adaptation. A significant point of criticism was the casting, with many objecting to the decision to cast white actors in roles that were originally portrayed as Asian in the animated series.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

The movie Cowboys & Aliens earned $174.8 million worldwide. Despite featuring huge stars – Daniel Craig during his James Bond fame, and Harrison Ford, iconic as Han Solo and Indiana Jones – and being directed by Jon Favreau (known for Iron Man and Iron Man 2), the film didn’t perform as well as expected. A large marketing campaign couldn’t save it from a lackluster reception, and it quickly faded from theaters.

John Carter (2012)

The movie earned $284.1 million worldwide. For years, filmmakers attempted to adapt the John Carter of Mars book series into a successful film. Fans of the books point out that many later movies have used ideas from these stories. So, a faithful adaptation, particularly one directed by Andrew Stanton—known for animated hits like Finding Nemo and WALL-E—seemed like a sure thing. However, the film became one of Disney’s biggest failures.

Superman Returns (2006)

With a worldwide gross of $391 million, Superman Returns was Warner Bros.’ attempt to revive the classic superhero. The film served as a sequel/reimagining, envisioning a continuation of the original Christopher Reeve Superman movies with a new cast (led by Brandon Routh) and director (Bryan Singer, fresh off the success of the first two X-Men films). However, instead of feeling like a worthy successor, Superman Returns felt like a pale imitation of the original, lacking the same magic. While the film performed decently in theaters, it didn’t earn enough to justify further installments. This paved the way for Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer to pitch their own vision for Superman, which ultimately became Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.

Justice League (2017)

The movie grossed $661.3 million worldwide. While the Justice League was originally a more popular superhero team than the Avengers in comics – so much so that Marvel created the Fantastic Four as a response – the success flipped in the movie world. Marvel successfully launched The Avengers before DC could assemble its own team. When DC finally released Justice League in 2017, it felt like a copy of Marvel’s earlier film. The movie’s production was also troubled; the original director, Zack Snyder, left the project, and Joss Whedon (who directed The Avengers) finished it. Ultimately, Justice League earned less than half the box office revenue of the first Avengers movie, despite the huge anticipation for a team-up of iconic heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

The Dark Tower (2017)

With a worldwide gross of $113.2 million, the film adaptation of The Dark Tower was a major disappointment. The source material, Stephen King’s epic multi-book series, was considered perfect for a large-scale movie franchise. Director Nikolaj Arcel attempted a bold strategy: creating a film that both adapted the novels and served as a sequel to them. Unfortunately, this approach failed to please existing fans or attract new ones, resulting in a significant box office flop.

The Mummy (2017)

As a movie fan, I remember a lot of hype around the 2017 Mummy reboot. Universal wasn’t just hoping to revive a classic franchise; they were building what they called a ‘Dark Universe,’ envisioning a whole series of monster movies starring Tom Cruise as the action lead. Sadly, it really flopped – critics didn’t love it, and audiences stayed away, despite Cruise’s star power. The $409.2 million worldwide wasn’t enough to save the ambitious plan, and Universal scrapped the entire ‘Dark Universe’ idea. They eventually tried a standalone Invisible Man film, which actually made less money overall, but because it cost so much less to produce, it turned out to be the smarter move financially.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

The film earned $392.9 million worldwide. Interestingly, Ron Howard was once considered to direct The Dark Tower movie, but he ultimately directed the Han Solo film, Solo. He took over after the original directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, left due to disagreements with Lucasfilm. Despite featuring familiar Star Wars elements like Chewbacca, the Millennium Falcon, and a young Lando Calrissian played by Donald Glover, and even with Alden Ehrenreich stepping into Harrison Ford’s role, Solo remains the lowest-performing film in the entire Star Wars franchise.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

The film grossed $157.3 million globally. Many were excited about Lana Wachowski’s return to direct a new installment of The Matrix with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. While the director skillfully updated the franchise, acknowledging its own history, the movie didn’t earn back its estimated $190 million production cost.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

With a worldwide gross of $1.001 billion, Jurassic World Dominion might be considered a disappointment. While a billion dollars is a significant amount, it fell short of Universal’s expectations, especially considering the financial success of the previous two Jurassic World films. Surprisingly, Dominion didn’t even earn as much as the original Jurassic Park ($1.05 billion worldwide), despite being the first sequel to bring back the original cast – Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. Coupled with some of the worst reviews the franchise has ever received, it’s clear the film didn’t live up to the hype.

Black Adam (2022)

Black Adam earned $393.4 million at the box office worldwide. Despite hopes that the film would establish Dwayne Johnson’s character as a central figure in the DC Universe, it didn’t perform as expected. Johnson had envisioned a showdown between Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman, even pushing for a post-credits scene to tease this conflict. However, after the film underperformed, Warner Bros. appointed James Gunn and Peter Safran to lead DC Studios. They then decided to move forward with a new Superman franchise starring David Corenswet, effectively ending Henry Cavill’s time as Superman.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

The film earned $476 million at the box office worldwide. However, like some DC films, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania didn’t quite live up to expectations. There was a lot of anticipation that the movie would establish Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror as a major villain, potentially on par with Thanos. Instead, the film was considered a disappointment, as Kang was defeated rather easily. When Jonathan Majors was convicted of assault, Marvel decided not to recast the role of Kang. Instead, they brought back Robert Downey Jr. and changed the planned sequel, The Kang Dynasty, to Doomsday.

The Flash (2023)

With a worldwide gross of $271.3 million, The Flash significantly underperformed at the box office. Considering its reported $220 million budget, the film earned less than $300 million globally – a stark contrast to Black Adam. Despite featuring multiple versions of The Flash and bringing back both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as Batman after 30 years, the movie failed to attract large audiences. Keaton’s return as Batman generated considerable buzz, but this didn’t translate into ticket sales. This poor performance likely contributed to the cancellation of Keaton’s planned Batgirl movie, which Warner Bros. had already considered shelving for tax purposes.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

The latest Indiana Jones film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, earned $383.9 million worldwide. While this is a significant amount, it’s much lower than the $786 million grossed by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, despite the latter receiving generally negative reviews. Recent reports suggest Disney may have lost around $140 million on Dial of Destiny, potentially matching the film’s production budget. Though Crystal Skull had a reputation as a flop, its box office numbers tell a different story. Dial of Destiny, while better received by critics, didn’t recapture the same financial success.

Read More

2026-01-05 18:30