Tom Cruise vs. David Ellison: Inside the Mission: Impossible Budget Showdown — Report
Tom Cruise and Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison reportedly collided over the Mission: Impossible budget, a high-stakes showdown that could shape the franchise’s future, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Tom Cruise fights hard for his movies. Sometimes that means doing a stunt on a motorcycle off a cliff. Sometimes it means staring down the guy with the checkbook. According to a new trade report, he did the latter with Skydance boss David Ellison over Mission: Impossible.
What set this off
THR's sweep of Paramount's current state says the Cruise-Ellison partnership, usually steady, has had its bumps. Two sources told the outlet that Cruise grew unhappy with Ellison after Brian Robbins took over as Paramount CEO in 2021.
In a meeting about the final two Mission: Impossible movies, Cruise asked for extra production money in the 'tens of millions' range. Ellison, per the report, floated an idea Cruise did not love:
"find some of the money on his own"
After that, THR says Cruise stopped showing up to production and marketing meetings if Ellison was present. Eventually, Paramount opened the wallet. Publicly, the studio line is that there was never any rift at all.
Where things stand now
- Cruise is still working with Paramount and, per the report, wants to get a third Top Gun movie off the ground.
- He is also shopping a deep-sea thriller and is still seeking financing after both Warner Bros. and Universal passed.
- THR notes Cruise recently dropped by the Paramount lot to 'pay his respects' to the company.
- Ellison, meanwhile, is reportedly eyeing a Warner Bros. acquisition, which gives Cruise every incentive to keep the relationship cordial.
So yes, a little friction, a lot of leverage, and the kind of budget tug-of-war that tends to follow Mission: Impossible around. The headline: Cruise got the money, the studio says everyone is fine, and both sides still need each other for the next big swing.