Tom Cruise is considered one of the greatest movie stars of all time, thanks to his tremendous work as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise, as well as his iconic roles in Top Gun and Risky Business. However, Cruise has also found success in big-budget sci-fi films, including a couple of them directed by Steven Spielberg.
While characters like Hunt and Maverick are portrayed as invincible men who can't be defeated, the protagonists that Cruise embodies in his sci-fi epics are vulnerable individuals who get caught up in complicated situations, such as going to war against alien forces, getting involved with murder cases, or trying to regain important memories. Cruise also has strong interactions with female characters in terms of working with them to understand the main conflict, which sometimes includes messing around with the conventions of time and space.
Updated May 26, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Tom Cruise is back in the headlines with the release of Top Gun: Maverick, and the sequel has garnered an incredible reception so far. Over the course of his storied career, the actor has tested his skills by diving into a wide range of genres and styles, including science-fiction. This article has been expanded to include more information about Tom Cruise's best sci-fi movies, including where they can be streamed. A section regarding the movie star's upcoming projects has also been added.
Vanilla Sky
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Release Date |
December 14, 2001 |
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Director |
Cameron Crowe |
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Rotten Tomatoes Score |
42% |
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Box Office Earnings (Worldwide) |
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Where to Stream |
This sci-fi picture reunited Cruise with Jerry Maguire director Cameron Crowe, which also combines psychological thriller with romance. Cruise plays David Aames, a publicist with plenty of privilege who appears to have everything: a successful job, a beautiful partner, a nice home, a fast car, etc. However, when a car accident nearly kills David, he (and the audience) tries to solve a complex puzzle that questions what is real and what is fantasy (similar to Christopher Nolan's complex film Memento).
Along with having a heavily disfigured face and needing to wear a mask to help him heal, David also finds himself in a love triangle with two seductive women: his partner Julie (portrayed by a wild Cameron Diaz) and Sofia (played by Penélope Cruz). David also has reflective conversations with a psychologist (played by Kurt Russell), who tries to help David figure out if he murdered anyone after being charged with a murder he doesn't remember nor believe he committed. Like Memento or Inception, this feature is a test for its protagonist to question his sense of reality and to figure out what makes his life happy and enjoyable.
Oblivion
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Release Date |
April 19, 2013 |
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Director |
Joseph Kosinski |
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Rotten Tomatoes Score |
53% |
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Box Office Earnings (Worldwide) |
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Where to Stream |
This action-packed sci-fi film features an apocalyptic future in which Cruise portrays Jack Harper, one of the last remaining humans on Earth in 2077 after alien scavengers destroy the Moon and leave the planet in turmoil. Harper uses combat drones to encounter all the scavengers left on Earth, but when he learns that the scavengers are actually humans trying to defeat the alien artificial intelligence threat called Tet (which controls the drones), Harper also discovers that there are clones of him (and several other humans) who are loyal to Tet and become a major threat to humanity.
There are eye-opening images of a broken-down New York (including the New York Public Library in ruins, and the Empire State Building and city bridges left uninhabited and in darkness). As Harper, Cruise's character is reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger's role in Total Recall due to the fact that Harper has dreams based on his past, which involve memories of previous missions he's had as a commander for NASA. Harper's dreams help him remember his true identity and the love he shares with his wife Julia (also a soldier). Along with Cruise's complex role, Morgan Freeman also stars as a rebel leader, and there are high-octane action sequences that include shootouts and chases involving big space aircraft.
War Of The Worlds
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Release Date |
June 29, 2005 |
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Director |
Steven Spielberg |
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Rotten Tomatoes Score |
75% |
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Box Office Earnings (Worldwide) |
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Where to Stream |
Steven Spielberg's adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel is intense and hard-hitting as Cruise plays Ray Ferrier, a dockworker who is divorced and spends time with his children during a weekend gathering at his home. Ray is considered a flawed husband and father, but he is put to the test when blue spaceships with sting rays invade Earth to take out humanity. Ray does everything he can to protect his teenage son Robbie and young daughter Rachel from harm.
While the effects involving the alien creatures are massive and loud, what makes this sci-fi feature effective is the drama surrounding Ray and his family. Ray proves to his kids that he is capable of providing safety for them, even if that involves bumps along the road (running out of food and water, trying to find shelter to keep warm, etc.). The paranoia surrounding the human characters also provides plenty of drama, especially in a scene where Ray has to fight numerous civilians who intend to steal his minivan or another moment in which a paranoid man (well played by Tim Robbins) believes everyone is going to die. The best action scene occurs when Ray is grabbed by one of the alien tripods but manages to slip a pack of grenades inside, destroying it before the pod can take him away.
Edge Of Tomorrow
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Release Date |
June 6, 2014 |
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Director |
Doug Liman |
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Rotten Tomatoes Score |
91% |
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Box Office Earnings (Worldwide) |
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Where to Stream |
N/A |
The Bourne Identity director Doug Liman crafts a unique spin on time travel in this ingenious sci-fi picture involving William Cage, a U.S. Army Major who is skilled in providing public affairs to an army called the United Defense Force (UDF) in their fight against powerful aliens called "Mimics." However, when Cage is ordered to fight aliens with a squad in France, he fears for his life and ends up dying and repeating the same day over and over again (a nod to Groundhog Day).
This is one of Cruise's most vulnerable roles because his character isn't a professional when it comes to combat and fighting in a war. However, by reliving the same day repeatedly, Cage manages to get better at facing the aliens and anticipating their every move. His partnership with Sergeant Rita Vrataski (a tough Emily Blunt) is also engaging because as she helps him become a skillful warrior, Cage provides Rita with information about how to destroy the Mimics. While the film is most intense, there are comedic scenarios in which Rita kills Cage many times whenever he fails and messes up during training, or when Cage constantly meets the same members of a squad and memorizes their actions and personal histories.
Minority Report
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Release Date |
June 21, 2002 |
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Director |
Steven Spielberg |
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Rotten Tomatoes Score |
90% |
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Box Office Earnings (Worldwide) |
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Where to Stream |
N/A |
Before War of the Worlds, Spielberg and Cruise collaborated for this sci-fi action thriller based on Philip K. Dick's short story of the same name. The story revolves around Chief John Anderton (Cruise), a cop who works for a police program that solves murders and crimes before they occur. When Anderton finds out that he is wrongly accused of murder, he becomes a wanted fugitive.
This is Cruise's best performance in a sci-fi feature because he manages to portray an intelligent but conflicted detective who intends to clear his name, as well as a husband who misses his wife. The scenes in which Anderton and his unit use advanced technology in his "Precrime" police program to track down would-be killers is fascinating because it's all so far ahead of its time, along with flying police cars and vehicles used in elaborate chase sequences when Anderton is a suspect being hunted down by fellow cops. The film effectively combines elements of the noir and chase film in a whodunit thriller with cool tech, along with strong supporting work from Colin Farrell and Max von Sydow (who aren't what they seem).
These sci-fi features are not only filled with action and/or psychological tension, but they also display Tom Cruise's versatility as an actor, portraying characters who go through tremendous obstacles. Audiences will have to wait and see what type of film Cruise will do in space with Elon Musk.
Upcoming Sci-Fi Movies Starring Tom Cruise
Throughout his career, Cruise has periodically dappled in science fiction, but he is not exactly synonymous with the genre. However, that might be set to change as the actor is reportedly working on two sci-fi projects, one of which is particularly ambitious.
SpaceX Project
In 2020, a rumor hit the rounds stating that Tom Cruise will be teaming up with Elon Musk's SpaceX to film a movie in space, specifically the International Space Station. Information regarding this project was scarce for quite a long time, but recent reports state that production is likely to start once the actor completes his work on the upcoming Mission: Impossible sequels.
Doug Liman is attached as the movie's director, and he also shares writing credits with Christopher McQuarrie. Universal Pictures will be handling the production. Nothing about the story has been revealed, so it remains to be seen whether this feature opts for a more grounded or extravagant tone.
Live Die Repeat And Repeat
A sequel to Edge of Tomorrow is in the pipeline, with reports even suggesting that the script is complete. Unfortunately, as exciting of a prospect as this is, the likelihood of it coming to fruition is not that great. Despite most key members showing interest in producing this follow-up, Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, and Doug Liman have struggled to align their schedules to make it happen. Live Die Repeat and Repeat is also likely to be an expensive undertaking, and while the 2014 release did not bomb at the box office, it was also not a runaway hit.