Despite the threat of AI to the film industry, Tom Cruise is confident that people will always “want to see real things” on screen.
At an intimate BAFTA “Life in Pictures” conversation in London on Monday night, Cruise looked back on his four-decade career including acclaimed roles in “Top Gun,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Magnolia” and the “Mission: Impossible” franchise as well as to the future with his upcoming movie “Digger.”
On the topic of how the “Mission: Impossible” films have been at the forefront of new technology — with 2025’s “The Final Reckoning” even taking on AI as its villain — moderator Edith Bowman asked Cruise for his take on how it will impact the industry.
“Here’s the thing: There is nothing like human,” Cruise began, explaining that one of the reasons he is so bullish on keeping the theatrical experience alive is because it brings people together.
“I have nothing against streaming or anything like that,” he continued, saying that seeing a film in theaters is simply “a different art form.”
He pointed to this summer’s box office — which broke all-time industry records by grossing $4.76 billion from May 1 to Labor Day — as an example of the enduring desire for human stories and craftsmanship.
“People want that experience. They’re going to movie theaters,” Cruise said, adding: “I always believe in humanity.”
Cruise concluded that in the face of AI, creatives must “keep creating.”
“You know, it is coming and it’s going to happen,” Cruise said of AI. “But people want to see real things.”
The movie star also teased “Digger,” directed by “The Revenant” helmer Alejandro G. Iñárritu, in which he plays a wealthy oil tycoon. Cruise looks nearly unrecognizable in the role, sporting a fat suit and prosthetics he said initially took six hours to apply.
“I’ve never read a movie like this,” Cruise said. “It’s the most original film and one of the most moving films I’ve ever seen.”
“Digger” hits theaters on Oct. 2 via Warner Bros.
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