Tom Cruise Honors Val Kilmer and Hypes Up "Mission: Impossible" at CinemaCon

Tom Cruise made an unforgettable appearance at CinemaCon on Thursday, where he captivated the audience not only with a moving tribute to his late Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer but also with thrilling announcements about the future of his action-packed franchise, Mission: Impossible, as The Associated Press remarks. While the tribute to Kilmer was poignant, Cruise’s primary focus was on his latest blockbuster, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and final installment of the beloved franchise, which will hit theaters on May 23. The high-energy presentation included jaw-dropping stunts, with motorcyclists soaring through the air to the iconic Mission: Impossible theme as Paramount set the stage for one of its biggest releases this year.

Cruise, who is often regarded as one of the last true movie stars capable of drawing large audiences to theaters, didn’t just promote his latest film. The actor also used his platform to honor his longtime collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, who received the Director of the Year award. Cruise shared his deep respect for McQuarrie, whom he first worked with on Valkyrie in 2008. “McQ has been a creative brother who shares the same love and passion for cinema,” Cruise remarked. Their partnership has been vital in reviving the Mission: Impossible series, and Cruise praised McQuarrie’s resilience through challenges like the pandemic and the Hollywood strikes. “He didn’t do it for personal glory, but for the responsibility we have for our industry,” Cruise added, underlining McQuarrie’s dedication to filmmaking.

The spotlight wasn’t just on Mission: Impossible though, as Paramount Pictures took the opportunity to hype up several other exciting upcoming projects. One standout was Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, based on Stephen King's novel. The dystopian game show thriller, which stars Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin, promises to bring intense action and social commentary to the big screen. Powell, who was honored with the Star of the Year award, joked about his extreme stunts, noting, “I’ve fallen from buildings, I’ve jumped through explosions, I had my body thrashed and smashed. This is probably what I get for asking Tom Cruise advice on using a stunt double.”

Paramount also teased other highly anticipated films, including a reboot of The Naked Gun starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, and Roofman, a crime thriller with Channing Tatum. The studio is clearly pushing for diverse offerings this year, not just relying on its action franchises. Additionally, animated films like Smurfs, starring Rihanna, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, are also on the horizon, showcasing Paramount's commitment to family-friendly fare. Brian Robbins, the CEO of Paramount, took the stage to express pride in the studio’s resilience amid industry challenges, particularly after the merger with Skydance. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished at Paramount Pictures in the midst of all the noise going on at our parent company,” Robbins said, reinforcing the studio’s optimism moving forward.