Jason Statham and Tom Cruise Continue Their Legacy as Action Heroes in Upcoming Films

Two of Hollywood's most well-known action stars, Jason Statham and Tom Cruise, will feature in two major action films in the upcoming year. ‘Levon's Trade ’ will premiere in January which Statham is working on with director David Ayer and writer Sylvester Stallone. He portrays Levon Cade in the movie, a former counterterrorism specialist who is called back into action to save a missing girl. In ‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’, the eagerly awaited conclusion to the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise, Cruise will reprise his role as Ethan Hunt. Though their theatrical releases highlight a distinct facet of these actors' careers, both films are anticipated to be significant cinematic events.

Throughout their careers, Cruise and Statham have stayed solely associated with theatrical productions, in contrast to many of their peers. In an industry environment where even A-list celebrities regularly switch to prestige television or streaming original content, this is becoming less and less common. Cruise has renownedly supported movies, completely eschewing TV and streaming endeavours. 

Image Courtesy: People

His only foray into television was directing a ‘Fallen Angels’ episode in the 1990s and making an appearance in a 2024 ‘Olympic’ piece.

Statham has also shunned television, building a name early on for movies that were frequently released directly to DVD. Nevertheless, all of his films, including lesser-known ones like ‘In the Name of the King’, have had official theatrical releases. In a time when performers like Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon thrive on television because of shows like ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘The Morning Show’, his commitment to the big screen makes him stand apart. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, two more action movie icons, have also recently joined television, appearing in series like FUBAR and Tulsa King.

Image Courtesy: TCM

Statham and Cruise, on the other hand, are among the last real movie-only celebrities. This distinguishes them from contemporaries such as Dwayne Johnson, who gained notoriety on WWE television and has since experimented with television ventures, even though he is a worldwide action star. Even top box office performers with a long history in television include Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who will be starring in ‘Wicked’ and ‘Moana 2’.

As two of Hollywood's last remaining genuine theatrical stars, Cruise and Statham's steadfast dedication to the film will be evident when they take centre stage in ‘The Final Reckoning’ and ‘Levon's Trade’ next year.

–Farheen Ali