Tom Cruise gives his opinion on the merger between Warner Bros. and Paramount
The star, the leading defender of theaters in Hollywood, says he is enthusiastic and already believes in the studio’s promise to produce at least 30 films per year.
In the wake of the pandemic, thanks to Top Gun 2 and his Missions: Impossiblehe became the champion of the film in theaters. The defender of a certain idea of cinema.
And for him, the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. into one entertainment giant is not a problem in itself.
Asked about the proposed merger between the two Hollywood studios, Tom Cruise even showed enthusiasm. “I think it’s greatdirectly launches the actor on the set of The Pat McAfee Showbefore defending the vision of David Ellison, boss of Paramount and Skydance, who promises production of at least 30 films per year for the new group:
“This is how I see it: they are going to release 30 films. For me, it’s a community. It’s not an industry. The people who work in these studios are not just people who work in the studios. This is my family. I know we’re going to have these 30 films. And I want us all to come together, as a community, to help make these 30 films. Paramount is not going to be the only one to do this. Everyone is going to need each artist’s help to get there.“
For Cruise, this massive increase in production is precisely what Hollywood needs: “If these films work, these 30 films will become 40 films. What this window represents and what it can enable… It’s just not enough that I can do Days of Thunder 2 on my own. I see so many talented people and I want them too to have the opportunity to make the films they want… These artists, all these big names, need to be able to learn and learn, the same way you learn as an actor. You try something, then you move on to the next movie, then the next. It’s like that for all of us. The Iñárritus, the Spielbergs, the Nolans, me… All the opportunities that I have had, I want to offer them to every screenwriter, every director, every producer, every artist. And the only way to do that is to create abundance. Production begets production.“
This position is obviously not insignificant: Tom Cruise has a long-standing relationship with David Ellison, whose Skydance has co-produced several of his films, notably Mission: Impossible And Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise also has a production deal with Warner Bros. who finances his big 2026 film, Diggerwhich will be released in theaters in a few weeks.
The actor then returned to the success of the American box office during the summer of 2026, citing in particular Obsession, Spider-Man: Brand New Day And Prada 2. According to him, the only way to continue producing successes of this magnitude is to increase the volume of films produced: “The more films we make, the better.” he said, insisting that the films are not in competition with each other. “I remember in the 80s, 90s and 2000s, five films could come out in the same weekend and people would go to the cinema… We see how much the public appreciates this experience. But we have to produce these films… And we have to do it as a community. We must help each other to achieve this.”
The fact remains that the merger project of Paramount and Warner is far from being completed. The $111 billion merger is currently the subject of antitrust proceedings initiated by 12 US states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who fear in particular a reduction in competition in the movie theater and cable television sector.
