Why Tom Cruise Doesn't Do Superhero Movies

Tom Cruise has been one of the biggest names in blockbuster movie making for two decades now, and one would think that resume would match perfectly with the current trend of superhero movie universes. However, Cruise has not been cast in any of the films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe or DC Extended Universe; in fact, the sea of rumors that wash all over the Internet everyday are conspicuously free of Cruise's name.

That's almost a magic trick in and of itself, but when he went on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote his new film Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Cruise got a question from the talk show host about why he's never done a superhero film, and Cruise had an interesting answer to share.

As you can see in the video above, Cruise (ever the professional) tries to tip-toe around the question, but in basic translation from PR spin to English, he kind of says that while he enjoys superhero films, his lane is making the Mission: Impossibles and Jack Reachers - i.e., throwback style testosterone action flicks.

Cruise may be too coy to say it out loud, but the differences in movie types he hints at are pretty clear: superhero films are full of CGI green screen effects, pulpy (sometimes silly) stories and colorful costumes. By contrast, Cruise's films are hard-hitting action and big stunts, mostly achieved through practical effects (like Cruise actually hanging from a plane).

If we could crack Tom Cruise's head open and see his thoughts (scary...), it wouldn't be all that surprising to find that he probably isn't a fan of the direction the movie business has taken by embracing the superhero trend so completely. Of course, he probably shouldn't complain too much: that same superhero trend has arguably boosted Cruise's profile as one of the last action stars to do it in the classic way. And his most recent box office returns have definitely benefitted.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back will be in theaters on October 21.