“What Makes a Movie Star in 2025?”
Is it box office numbers? The ability to anchor a franchise? Or the willingness to dangle off a cliff with no green screen? We think Tom Cruise might be the last true answer to all three.
For over four decades, Cruise has redefined—and then doubled down on—what it means to be a Hollywood A-lister. He’s not just an actor. He’s a brand, a daredevil, and an eternal runner (seriously, when doesn’t he sprint?). And yet, behind the spectacle is a performer who’s taken real risks—not just physically, but artistically too.
His films span action epics, prestige dramas, psychological thrillers, and the occasional romantic detour. Even when Cruise walks on a thin rope with self-parody, there’s always intent behind it. That’s why the Tom Cruise movies list isn’t just long—it’s fascinating.
Whether you’re watching the Tom Cruise movies in order or cherry-picking highlights, what emerges is a rare kind of consistency. He commits. Fully. Always! The result is a legacy built not just on stunts or box office dominance, but on his passion for performance and the commitment to that performance.
With new Tom Cruise upcoming movies—including “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning“—on the way, it’s the perfect time to look back at 10 of his most career-defining performances. These aren’t just fan favorites. They’re moments that defined Cruise’s identity as a star, a risk-taker, and, above all, an actor.
1. Ethan Hunt – Mission: Impossible Franchise (1996–2025)
Box Office Total: $4.2 billion worldwide
If Tom Cruise had stopped after the first Mission: Impossible, it’d still rank among his best roles. But over nearly three decades and seven films (soon eight), Cruise has turned Ethan Hunt into his cinematic alter ego: fearless, loyal, and just a little unhinged. Across Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, Fallout, and beyond, Cruise redefined the modern action hero—not by out-muscling competitors, but by out-committing them. From scaling the Burj Khalifa to performing a real HALO jump, Hunt’s legacy is inseparable from Cruise’s own. What started as a reboot of a spy show became a high-octane study in longevity and reinvention. Simply put, no Tom Cruise movie list is complete without Ethan Hunt front and center.
2. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell – Top Gun (1986) & Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Box Office Impact: Top Gun: Maverick became Cruise’s first billion-dollar film
Top Gun made Cruise a star. Top Gun: Maverick reminded us why he still is one. As hotshot pilot Pete Mitchell, Cruise embodied Reagan-era swagger with just enough vulnerability to keep it human. Decades later, Maverick returned as a mentor haunted by loss and legacy, delivering both emotional weight and some of the most astonishing aerial footage ever shot. The sequel earned Cruise his first billion-dollar film and widespread critical acclaim. The two films together form a rare full-circle arc in blockbuster storytelling, and solidify Maverick as one of Cruise’s most iconic creations in the Tom Cruise movies in order.
3. Ron Kovic – Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Award Recognition: Earned his first Oscar nomination
Cruise’s first Oscar nomination came from this searing portrayal of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic. Directed by Oliver Stone, the film tracks Kovic’s transformation from patriotic soldier to disillusioned anti-war activist. Cruise, often seen as the golden boy, stripped all that away to deliver a raw, wounded, and furious performance. The role proved he wasn’t just a box office draw—he could act, and act hard. This remains one of the most emotionally demanding roles in the Tom Cruise movie list.
4. Frank T.J. Mackey – Magnolia (1999)
Critical Impact: Widely considered Cruise’s most daring performance
PTA gave Cruise one of his strangest, most challenging characters—and Cruise ran with it. As a toxic motivational speaker masking deep trauma, Cruise is equal parts repellent and heartbreaking. His breakdown scene with Jason Robards is unforgettable. This was Cruise flipping his public image, leaning into discomfort, and daring the audience to follow. The performance earned him a second Oscar nomination and solidified his status beyond leading-man roles.
5. Vincent – Collateral (2004)
Style Note: Cruise dyed his hair gray and studied martial arts for the role
Cruise as a villain? Yes, and it worked terrifyingly well. Michael Mann’s nocturnal thriller casts Cruise as Vincent, a contract killer who hijacks Jamie Foxx’s cab for a night of hits. Cool, efficient, and sociopathic, Cruise disappears into the role—his calm menace a perfect foil to Foxx’s growing panic. It’s one of the rare Tom Cruise movies where charm gives way to dread, and it’s all the more gripping for it.
6. Jerry Maguire – Jerry Maguire (1996)
Cultural Impact: Gave us “Show me the money!” and “You complete me.”
Show him the money—and the Oscar nod. Cruise blends charisma and emotional fragility as a sports agent who has a moral awakening and loses everything but his integrity. Cameron Crowe’s script gave Cruise some of his most iconic lines, but it’s the quieter moments, with Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr., that make the performance stick. It’s romantic, it’s funny, and it proves Cruise knows how to hold the center of a character-driven film.
7. Dr. William Harford – Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Production Fact: Filming lasted a record-breaking 400 days
In Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Cruise plays a man slowly unraveling as he navigates a dreamlike world of temptation and secrecy. Opposite his then-wife Nicole Kidman, Cruise gives one of his most restrained performances—haunted, hypnotized, and slightly pathetic. The film’s slow burn and ambiguity have made it a cult favorite, and Cruise’s turn remains one of his most polarizing and fascinating roles.
8. Charlie Babbitt – Rain Man (1988)
Behind The Scenes: Cruise suggested Dustin Hoffman for the role of Raymond
Dustin Hoffman got the Oscar, but Cruise’s performance as Charlie, the selfish younger brother to Hoffman’s autistic savant, shouldn’t be overlooked. His arc from exploitation to empathy is nuanced and earned. The chemistry between the two actors is what gives Rain Man its emotional heft. It’s one of the earliest signs of Cruise’s ability to elevate a film beyond its concept.
9. John Anderton – Minority Report (2002)
Tech Impact: Many technologies depicted have since been developed in real life
In Spielberg’s slick, high-concept thriller, Cruise plays a future cop who arrests people for crimes they haven’t committed—until he’s accused of one himself. As he unravels the conspiracy behind the system, Cruise juggles paranoia, guilt, and kinetic action. It’s a showcase of both his emotional intensity and action bona fides, wrapped in a thought-provoking sci-fi premise.
10. Les Grossman – Tropic Thunder (2008)
Surprise Factor: Many viewers didn’t recognize Cruise in the role
Hidden under prosthetics and rage, Cruise delivers one of the funniest, most self-aware performances in the Tom Cruise movies list. Cruise plays tyrannical studio head Les Grossman—a role so ridiculous and hilarious it earned him a Golden Globe nomination. It was a rare moment of self-parody that proved Cruise could make fun of himself and still steal the show.
What’s Next for Tom Cruise?
You can’t talk about longevity in Hollywood without talking about Tom Cruise. Hanging off airplanes, diving into existential dread, or giving you 110% in a courtroom showdown, he’s done it all—and done it with purpose. The upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning might mark the end of one era, but there are still plenty of Tom Cruise’s upcoming movies on the horizon. Until then, we’ll be rewatching—maybe even in the above order.
