In Las Vegas, film icon Tom Cruise made an emotionally impactful appearance at CinemaCon on Thursday, beginning with a poignant homage to Val Kilmer, his co-star in “Top Gun,” who passed away recently in Los Angeles. Cruise addressed the room filled with cinema owners, praising Kilmer’s contribution to the film industry through his performances and expressing admiration and gratitude for Kilmer’s work. He fondly remembered the actor’s involvement in both the original “Top Gun” and the sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Cruise called for a moment of silence to honor Kilmer, a stark change from the fast-paced presentations at the Paramount Pictures showcase of forthcoming films. As the room fell silent, Cruise expressed his wishes for Kilmer’s next journey beyond life.
The actor was also present to promote “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” the eighth movie in the series set to release on May 23. Cruise’s enduring star power amongst cinema audiences is well-acknowledged, making him a key attraction at this annual convention, where studios look to thrill audiences and motivate theater owners to draw audiences back to theaters.
In an unscripted and heartfelt moment, Cruise paid tribute to Christopher McQuarrie, affectionately known to him as McQ, who was acclaimed as CinemaCon’s director of the year. Cruise spent significant time expressing his respect and gratitude towards McQuarrie, sharing details about their first collaboration on “Valkyrie,” a 2008 World War II drama.
Cruise shared insights into their partnership, which began with McQuarrie’s Oscar win for the screenplay of “The Usual Suspects” at the age of 26. Crediting McQuarrie’s creative brilliance, Cruise reminisced about their bond formed over mutual passion for cinema and storytelling, starting from their initial meeting in a Los Angeles screening room.
Together, the duo has faced various challenges while working on the latest “Mission: Impossible” films, including pandemic-induced delays and industry strikes. However, McQuarrie’s dedication to filmmaking and his recognition of their industry responsibility were key in completing the projects.
Their collaboration highlighted Paramount’s presentation, featuring an exhilarating entrance as motorcyclists performed daredevil stunts set to the franchise’s iconic theme song. McQuarrie humorously acknowledged Cruise’s commitment to going above and beyond for cinematic entertainment while accepting the director of the year accolade.
Although none of Paramount’s other upcoming releases were expected to rival “Mission: Impossible” at the box office, the studio was confident in its slate of films tailored for big-screen experiences. Notably, Edgar Wright’s “The Running Man,” based on Stephen King’s dystopian novel, was introduced by stars Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin.
Glen Powell emphasized the importance of films bringing diverse audiences together for pure entertainment, joking about the risky stunts he undertook without a stunt double—no doubt influenced by Cruise’s advice.
Also featured was a sneak peek at the reboot of “The Naked Gun,” with Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, and Channing Tatum presented clips from “Roofman,” a crime thriller based on a true story. Family-friendly offerings like an animated “Smurfs” movie starring Rihanna and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” added variety to Paramount’s upcoming lineup.
Mark Hamill, who voices The Flying Dutchman, quipped about returning to the SpongeBob series this many years later, adding a light-hearted note to the presentation. Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins provided an optimistic overview of the studio’s future post-merger with Skydance, sharing his pride in the company’s accomplishments amid transitional times.