Tom Cruise

is one of the world’s most recognizable stars, but in recent years, he has been defined by two movie franchises. However, this is set to change in 2026, when he will appear in his first standalone movie in years. Cruise sH๏τ to stardom in the 1980s, playing a range of roles, including the hero of Ridley Scott’s fantasy, Legend, and a crazed military student in Taps. While Tom Cruise’s best movies range from high-budget blockbusters to more experimental productions, the films that defined Tom Cruise’s career are largely action and adventure.rs

Cruise’s biggest career break came in the military action movie Top Gun, where he played the daredevil pilot in training, Maverick. Top Gun may not have aged well, but it was a phenomenal success, with an 89% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie cemented Cruise’s status as an icon, and he went on to star in a string of other blockbusters before making Mission: Impossible 10 years later. Cruise has only appeared in sequels for these two franchises since 2017, but he will break this trend next year with a new movie.

Tom Cruise Will Finally Appear In Another Non-Franchise Movie In 2026

Cruise’s Dramatic Acting Skills Will Be Essential For His Next Movie

In 2026, Tom Cruise will appear in his first standalone movie since 2017, which will also feature several other accomplished actors. The upcoming project does not yet have a тιтle, but it looks as though Tom Cruise’s next movie will be apocalyptic. The movie is being directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, his first English language film since The Revenant. Iñárritu’s movies tend to be serious, with a psychological aspect. This is likely to play to Cruise’s strengths because, while movies like Mission: Impossible and Top Gun solidified his status as an action star, he is also an excellent dramatic actor.

ᴅᴇᴀᴅline reported that Cruise’s 2026 movie is about “the most powerful man in the world, who embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” It is not confirmed that Cruise will be playing this man, but it is a likely casting choice, which would be a welcome return to drama for the actor. Tom Cruise’s best drama roles show him playing complex and nuanced characters, and it is almost certain that the character will be struggling with some conflicting emotions, presenting an interesting acting challenge.

Tom Cruise’s 2026 Movie Is His Most Exciting In Years

Cruise’s Franchise Trends Make His 2026 Movie Likely To Succeed

While Cruise’s most recent movies have been excellent legacy sequels that blew away expectations, there was still a necessary element of predictability about them. Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible – ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Reckoning Part One had to include elements of the original movies and stick to the same genre as the rest. However, Cruise’s 2026 movie could go in any direction, making it his most exciting film in years. As many actors who have worked with Iñárritu have won Academy Awards, it is even possible that the movie could get Cruise his first Oscar win.

Many action stars can be unfairly written off as being better at stunt scenes than portraying complicated characters, and this movie gives Tom Cruise a chance to remind modern audiences that he is both a talented actor and an action hero. The success of his recent films already goes a long way toward proving this, with both sequels receiving much higher Rotten Tomatoes ratings than the originals. Many of the greatest scenes in Tom Cruise’s movie career show his serious side, and working with a director like Iñárritu, his next movie may be his best yet.