While the movies are a beloved part of pop culture, there was a time when their life in theaters seemed uncertain. The Covid-19 pandemic put a ton of industries in jeopardy, including the film world, as theaters closed for months at a time. But a few projects helped inspire folks to return to the movies, including Top Gun: Maverick. And now you can watch the legendary Steven Speileberg tell Tom Cruise that he “saved Hollywood’s ass” with that long-awaited sequel.
Upon its release, Top Gun: Maverick became a critical and box office hit that was eventually ranked in the top movies of 2022 as a whole. The property has generations of fans, and the wild flight scenes were begging to be seen on the biggest screen possible. As a result, some moviegoers went back to the theaters for the first time post-Covid to see Tom Cruise back in action. And it seems like Steven Spielberg is giving Cruise credit for the industry surviving, as you can see in a video that’s circulating around Twitter. Check it out below:
steven spielberg telling tom cruise to his face, “you saved hollywood’s ass. and, you might have saved theatrical distribution. seriously. MAVERICK might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” i have to lie down. pic.twitter.com/nYbWbgadM7February 14, 2023
Talk about high praise. Steven Spielberg is a filmmaker whose vision has changed the movie industry as a whole. And while his projects like West Side Story have also inspired people to return to theaters, he’s giving Tom Cruise the real credit for saving Hollywood. Looking at the box office performance of Top Gun: Maverick, it’s hard to argue with this point.
The above viral clip is circulating all over Twitter, and shows how much respect Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise seem to have for each other. For his part, the Mission: Impossible icon didn’t want to take credit for saving the film industry. So while he’s one of the biggest movie stars of all time, Cruise still has humility. Maybe all of that time spent jumping out of planes and doing crazy stunts puts things in perspective for him.
Steven Spielberg’s comments to Tom Cruise likely hit home for the actor/producer. He famously went viral for a rant on the set of Mission: Impossible related to cast/crew not taking Covid protocols seriously. Bringing movies back and employing so many people clearly means a great deal to him, so being recognized by greats like Spielberg for helping to revitalize the film industry was no doubt validating. And smart money says the upcoming Mission: Impossible sequels are also going to be wildly successful.
The video of Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg’s conversation came from the 2023 Oscars Nominee Luncheon, where they’re being honored for Top Gun: Maverick and The Fabelmans respectfully. Cruise’s movie got a whopping six Oscar nominations, although he was notably snubbed for the Best Actor category.
Top Gun: Maverick is streaming now on Paramount+. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. The Oscars will air on March 12th.
