Tom Cruise is one of the most successful Hollywood actors of all time, with his films grossing over $10 billion at the box office. Given his star power, anyone in Hollywood will appreciate any endorsement made by Cruise. Fortunately for Warner Bros. Discovery, its upcoming superhero flick, The Flash, impressed the actor and got his blessing after a private screening at his Beverly Hills home.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor and producer met with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav where he praised the upcoming DC Studios film in glowing remarks. Cruise, whose interest was piqued by Zaslav’s enthusiasm, then asked to see the film before it arrives in theaters.
Zaslav honored the request and directed an employee to deliver the film to Cruise at home, stay until he's finished viewing it, and then take it back to the studio. According to insiders who spoke to the publication, Cruise loved the film so much that he picked up his phone and called Andy Muschietti, the film’s director, to communicate his enthusiasm. Among other things, he reportedly stated that The Flash is "everything you want in a movie" and "this is the kind of movie we need now."
Cruise’s sentiments echo that of DC Studios co-chair, James Gunn, who claimed, in January, that it is one of the greatest superhero films he had ever seen. The film also tested well with audiences last year and garnered screening scores that are similar to The Dark Knight Trilogy, which is widely considered to be one of the best superhero series of all time.
Given the reception The Flash has enjoyed so far, including Cruise’s stamp of approval, audiences will be looking forward to its June debut with much excitement, especially since its production has been plagued with numerous problems, including public controversies that trailed the lead actor until recently.
The Flash stars Ezra Miller as the titular character. Apart from the non-binary actor, the film also stars Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Antje Traue, Sasha Calle, Ron Livingston, and Michael Shannon. Muschietti directs from a screenplay by Christina Hodson while Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco produce.
By the way, Cruise is not the only Warner Bros. Discovery outsider that will get a sneak peek into the film before its release. Sometime in February, the studio announced it will screen the entire film for theater owners who will attend the upcoming CinemaCon at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in April.
Cruise will follow his latest outing at the cinema, Top Gun: Maverick, which is his highest-earning film ever with a box office gross of almost $1.5 billion, with the seventh and penultimate installment in his Mission: Impossible series, titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, this July. Like The Flash, Dead Reckoning Part One has impressed audiences in early test screenings.
The Flash will arrive in theaters on June 16.
