Tom Cruise turned down space film because he didn’t want to ask for Trump’s help, report says

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Tom Cruise turned down space film because he didn’t want to ask for Trump’s help, report says

Hollywood star allegedly avoided requesting NASA coordination for film due to political differences with president

Gabriel Hays Fox News

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December 12, 2025 4:53pm EST

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"Top Gun: Maverick" star Tom Cruise didn’t get his planned space movie off the ground because he didn’t want to ask President Donald Trump for NASA coordination, Page Six reported Wednesday.

An insider revealed to the outlet why Cruise’s movie — first announced in 2020 — stalled due to the actor’s differences with the president.

"From what I understand, they would need NASA coordination to do the movie, and supposedly Tom Cruise did not want to ask Donald Trump for a favor. You’d need permission from the federal government," the source told Page Six.

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Split photo of Tom Cruise, Donald Trump.

According to a report from Page Six, insiders say that actor Tom Cruise didn't get a movie set in space made because he didn't want to ask President Trump for NASA's cooperation. (Mike Coppola/WireImage; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

A 2020 Deadline report noted Cruise was planning to make a film with "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman, with portions shot in space.

The outlet stated that Cruise was "planning to actually travel to space in a craft to shoot the film, and the scoop hung out there until NASA confirmed its participation a day later."

The production would have required cooperation from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and NASA, which was under the first Trump administration at the time.

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Tom Cruise wears a black shirt at CinemaCon

Actor Tom Cruise at CinemaCon in 2025. (Gilbert Flores)

However, the film never materialized. The source added, "Tom didn’t want to ask for political reasons."

At the time, Trump-appointed NASA head, Jim Bridenstine, said the agency would be willing to help the crew film, even offering access to the International Space Station.

In a since-deleted social media post, Bridenstine wrote, "NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA's ambitious plans a reality."

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President Trump gives out the Kennedy Center Honors medals

President Donald Trump had requested to give Cruise a Kennedy Center honor this year. However, the actor declined due to a "scheduling conflict." (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

Cruise has kept his political views private throughout the Trump era, avoiding divisive commentary compared to many of his Hollywood colleagues.

However, Cruise did generate waves when The Washington Post reported that the actor turned down a Kennedy Center honor from Trump earlier this year, due to "scheduling conflicts."

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Representatives for Cruise and the White House did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.

Tom Cruise turned down space film because he didn’t want to ask for Trump’s help, report says