The movie Tom Cruise ruined by hijacking: “This is very much a film of two halves”
Tom Cruise is known for many things, but a lighthearted approach to the business of filmmaking is not one of them. With decades of experience under his belt, the actor rose to fame through films like Risky Business, Endless Love and eventually, Top Gun, carving out a unique reputation for himself through an extreme level of dedication that would take him to places that most actors wouldn’t go without a stunt double or harness.
After subsequently working with equally adventurous auteurs on pictures such as Magnolia, The Colour of Money and Eyes Wide Shut, the actor became notorious for his diverse skillset and deeply committed work ethic, cleverly leveraging his star power to help smaller productions gain funding and using his extensive experience to guide his films towards success.
However, while he is respected for his understanding of the business and ability to help get a project on its feet, this has also been known to stir the pot with certain directors and lead to a clashing of power, with the actor once stepping so far over the line that the director became obsolete in the production.
The Mummy was directed by Alex Kurtzman in 2017, following an ancient queen who is entombed in a desert crypt before being awakened, wreaking havoc and seeking revenge over her stolen destiny. Starring Tom Cruise in the lead role, it initially appeared to be another high-stakes action flick from the actor that would showcase his physical talents and knack for nerve-wracking stunts. However, the film was met extremely poorly by film lovers and critics and completely tanked, perhaps as a result of the turmoil that happened during production.
The film was intended to be the start of a huge franchise for Universal, but instead became symbolic of Cruise’s extremely controlling presence and inappropriate level of interference, with the actor stnding on stage at the premiere and delivering a long speech about the wonders of collaboration while the director stood completely silent at his side, completely commandeering the stage as the crew awkwardly watched.
It was later revealed that Cruise was extremely overbearing during the production and exerted nearly complete creative control over the project. His perfectionism got the better of him as he tried to oversee all decisions made on set. Cruise oversaw decisions related to the script and final cut of the film, slowly taking over each aspect of the film.
The crew were left following Cruise’s authority instead of Kurtzman’s, with the supervising art director Frank Walsh saying, “This is very much a film of two halves: before Tom and after Tom. I have heard the stories about how he drives everything and pushes and pushes, but it was amazing to work with him. The guy is a great filmmaker and knows his craft. He will walk onto a set and tell the director what to do, say ‘that’s not the right lens,’ ask about the sets, and as long as you don’t fluff what you’re saying to him … he’s easy to work for.”
Kurtzman had not directed a project of this size before and was a risky choice for Universal, and the subsequent failure of the film then had a negative impact on his career, despite the fact that most decisions were taken out of his hands. Whether he happily passed on control to Cruise or not is debated, but his silence at the premiere spoke volumes, perhaps hinting towards the fact that he was not a fan of Cruise’s takeover.
