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- Tom Cruise will be back on the big screen with the upcoming Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (July 12). The three-time Oscar nominee has built a successful late career with this highly successful franchise, producing numerous sequels to one of his most iconic films. However, his filmography has several other acclaimed movies that could use a sequel, especially after last year's record-breaking Top Gun: Maverick.
Top Gun: Maverick has made a big splash at the box office, making $1.023 billion. It proves that people will still go to the movie theaters if something is playing; they are willing to pay to see it instead of finding something to stream.
Top Gun may be a 30-year-old movie, but it is a movie that fans are willing to pay and see, and because of the success of Top Gun: Maverick, there may be other Tom Cruise movies that need a sequel.
Updated on June 30, 2023, by David Caballero:
Tom Cruise will be back on the big screen with the upcoming Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (July 12). The three-time Oscar nominee has built a successful late career with this highly successful franchise, producing numerous sequels to one of his most iconic films. However, his filmography has several other acclaimed movies that could use a sequel, especially after last year's record-breaking Top Gun: Maverick.
10 'Risky Business' (1983)
Risky Business is the movie that launched Tom Cruise into 80s superstardom and cemented him as one of the decade's biggest draws. The future movie star plays rich teen Joel Goodsen, who explores his sexuality and turns his home into a brothel during his parents' vacation trip.
Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay's Lana had great chemistry in Risky Business. Having these two characters cross paths again almost 40 years later would be interesting. What kind of work does Joel do now? Is Lana up to something interesting these days?
9 'The Color of Money' (1986)
The Color of Money is a Martin Scorsese movie that doesn't get the accolades of other films like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, or The Departed. Many people don't know that The Color of Money is a sequel to the classic film The Hustler, also starring the late and iconic Paul Newman.
It would have been interesting to see Paul Newman and Tom Cruise on screen again. However, revisiting Cruise's character Vincent Lauria would still be great. Is he still arrogant and cocky like he was when he was younger, or has he matured? Does he hustle solo, or has he now become the mentor?
8 'Cocktail' (1988)
The often mocked and critically reviled Cocktail is a movie that Tom Cruise probably wishes was forgotten. But despite all the hostility this film has received, it made a lot of money on its original release and has some excellent mixing drink scenes.
Cocktail is a movie that would probably be a better reboot than a sequel. Maybe cast Austin Butler as Cruise's character, Brian Flanagan. A sequel could be enjoyable, though. Was Brian Flanagan's business a huge success or a big flop? Did Brain and Jordan's (Elizabeth Shue) marriage work out, or are they now divorced?
7 'Rain Man' (1988)
Barry Levinson's 1988 drama Rain Man stars Cruise opposite Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman. The plot follows Charlie, a carefree young man who reunites with his brother Raymond, an autistic savant, following their father's death. Rain Man was a major box-office success and won several Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hoffman.
A sequel to Rain Man could be interesting to explore, especially considering its bittersweet ending. Did Charlie and Raymond stay in touch despite the challenges? However, any potential follow-up would receive considerable criticism, considering Hoffman, a neurotypical actor, would be portraying a character with autism.
6 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)
Cruise delivers arguably the best performance of his career in Cameron Crowe's 1996 sports romantic comedy Jerry Maguire. The actor plays the titular role, a sports agent who starts his own management business, joined only by Dorothy Boyd, a young single mother. With only one client to his name, Jerry falls in love with Dorothy as he tries to make his business work.
Jerry Maguire is among the all-time best romantic comedies. Cruise gives his most heartfelt, earnest performance as the slick and spirited Jerry Maguire, creating a compelling and sympathetic figure audiences fall instantly in love with. A sequel would be ideal, allowing fans to see how Jerry's business went and how his relationship with Dorthy developed.
5 'Magnolia' (1999)
Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia isn't everybody's cup of tea; thus, a sequel might not be a particularly great idea. But a movie about an aging Frank TJ Mackey could be compelling. Cruise shocked and won over audiences by playing the misogynistic character Frank TJ Mackie. He is a charismatic jerk who teaches desperate guys how to get laid with his motivational speeches and products.
Cruise delivers career-best work in Magnolia, and it would be interesting to revisit a character like TJ Mackey over 20 years later. Has he changed? Is he still a jerk, or did his encounter with his father in Magnolia change him?
4 'Minority Report' (2022)
Cruise stars in Steven Spielberg's 2002 sci-fi action thriller Minority Report. Set in a future where a police organization can stop crimes before they happen using clairvoyants known as "precogs," the plot centers on John Anderton, a man on the run after being accused of a crime he hasn't committed yet.
A chilling movie about the dangers of surveillance, Minority Report is among Spielberg's most interesting and thought-provoking efforts. A sequel could explore the fate of the prisoners released at the film's ending while following the precogs' stories. Cruise and Samantha Morton would return, ideally with Spielberg's involvement.
3 'Tropic Thunder' (2008)
Ben Stiller directed and starred in the 2008 war comedy Tropic Thunder. The plot centers on a group of arrogant actors shooting a war movie without realizing they have been dropped in an actual war. Cruise plays the scene-stealing supporting role of Les Grossman, the film's vulgar producer.
Tropic Thunder is among the 21st century's best war comedies. Cruise delivers an outrageous performance as the over-the-top and profane Les Grossman, becoming one of the film's most memorable aspects. A sequel focusing on Grossman would allow Cruise to flex his comedic muscles while delivering another scathing satire of Hollywood.
2 'Knight and Day' (2010)
Cruise stars opposite Cameron Diaz in James Mangold's romantic action thriller Knight and Day. The story revolves around the quirky June Havens, a woman who becomes accidentally involved in a dangerous plot after meeting the charming Roy Miller in an airport on her way to her sister's wedding.
Benefitting from Cruise and Diaz's electric chemistry, Knight and Day expertly blends romance with action and humor. A sequel would continue June and Roy's story, perhaps showing them on another globe-trotting mission together. Audiences hardly need a reason to see these two movie stars together, especially if they're kicking bad guys' butts!
1 'Edge of Tomorrow' (2014)
Doug Liman's ambitious and cerebral sci-fi Edge of Tomorrow stars Cruise and Emily Blunt. The plot follows Major William Cage, a PR official with no combat experience, who finds himself trapped in a time loop after being sent to battle during a violent alien invasion.
Cruise and Blunt are perfect together, with the actor delivering one of his most unexpectedly vulnerable performances. The film ends with a decisive victory for humanity; however, Edge of Tomorrow's weighty plot leaves several possibilities open, and making a sequel would be an easy and rewarding task.