‘Days of Thunder’ Star Tom Cruise Explains Why Movie Theaters Aren’t Going Anywhere — Even in the Age of AI

Tom Cruise has built a reputation over the past several years as one of Hollywood’s most vocal defenders of the traditional theatrical experience, often putting his own body on the line in death-defying stunts to remind audiences why the big screen still matters. That advocacy has only intensified as streaming services and now artificial intelligence continue reshaping how people consume entertainment.

That ongoing conversation took center stage recently during a career-spanning appearance in London, where the actor reflected on decades of filmmaking while also looking ahead to where the industry is headed next. The setting gave Cruise plenty of room to weigh in on some of the biggest questions currently facing Hollywood.

Speaking at BAFTA’s “Life in Pictures” conversation, Cruise addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, acknowledging that the technology is here to stay while still making a passionate case for what theaters offer that nothing else can replicate. “Here’s the thing: There is nothing like human,” Cruise said, explaining why he remains so committed to keeping the theatrical experience alive.

Cruise was careful to clarify that his stance isn’t rooted in any opposition to streaming platforms themselves. “I have nothing against streaming or anything like that,” he continued, before framing the theatrical experience as something fundamentally different from watching at home, calling it simply “a different art form” in comments reported by Variety.

To back up his argument, Cruise pointed directly to this past summer’s box office performance, which broke all-time industry records by grossing $4,760,000,000 between May 1 and Labor Day. For Cruise, those numbers stand as clear evidence that audiences still crave the communal experience theaters provide, even in an era where streaming has become the default for so much entertainment consumption.

“People want that experience. They’re going to movie theaters,” Cruise said, adding a broader statement about his outlook on audiences and storytelling more generally: “I always believe in humanity.” That sentiment has become something of a throughline in Cruise’s public comments over the years, tying his personal philosophy on filmmaking directly to his belief in shared, in-person experiences.

Beyond the theatrical experience specifically, Cruise also addressed the broader industry conversation around artificial intelligence during the same discussion. Rather than dismissing the technology outright, he acknowledged its inevitability while urging filmmakers to stay focused on authentic storytelling.

“You know, it is coming and it’s going to happen,” Cruise said of AI, before adding that audiences will continue to gravitate toward genuine human craftsmanship over anything artificially generated. His message to fellow creatives was simple: keep creating, regardless of how the technological landscape continues to shift around them.

Beyond reflecting on his four-decade career, spanning franchises like ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Mission: Impossible’ alongside acclaimed dramas like ‘Jerry Maguire’ and ‘Magnolia,’ Cruise also used the conversation to tease his upcoming project. He’s set to star in ‘Digger,’ directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, marking his first collaboration with the director behind ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Revenant.’

In the film, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon whose company’s actions trigger a devastating ecological disaster, one with the potential to spark a nuclear conflict. The project gives Cruise yet another opportunity to work within the kind of large-scale, big-swing filmmaking he’s consistently championed as essential to keeping theaters relevant.

Cruise’s comments arrive at a moment when the broader industry continues grappling with questions about AI’s role in filmmaking and the long-term future of theatrical releases. Given his track record of putting real stunts and genuine spectacle at the center of his films, his stance here feels like a natural extension of everything he’s stood for throughout his career.

Whether or not the rest of the industry shares his optimism about theaters’ staying power, Cruise’s continued advocacy carries real weight given his box office track record.

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