Tom Cruise Is All In on Paramount-Warner Bros. Releasing 30 Movies a Year: “They’re Going to Deliver”

Tom Cruise likes what he’s hearing about the future of theatrical movies if the proposed Paramount and Warner Bros. merger goes through. More specifically, he’s fired up about David Ellison promising to put at least 30 movies into theaters every year.

For movie fans who actually want studios making more movies and giving them proper theatrical runs, that part of the plan sounds pretty good.

Cruise shared his enthusiasm during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where he made it clear that he believes Ellison and the combined studio can hit that ambitious target.

“I think it’s awesome. You know, here’s the thing. They’re going to deliver 30 movies. It’s a community to me. It’s not an industry. The people in these studios are not just people in the studios. They’re my family. I know we’re going to get those 30 movies.

“I want us all to come together as a community to help make those 30 movies. It’s not just going to be, you know, Paramount doing it. Everyone’s going to need all the help of every artist to be able to do it.”

Cruise isn’t looking at 30 movies as the finish line, either. He thinks a successful slate could eventually lead to even more production, giving filmmakers, writers, producers and other artists more chances to work, learn and make their own movies.

He continued, “We do well with those, those 30 movies are going to turn into 40 movies. To have that window and what it means — it’s not good enough that I just get to make [Days of Thunder 2].

“I see so many talented people that I want them to have that opportunity to make the films that they want … Like you can have these artists, all these greats, they got to cut their teeth and learn in the same way that you get to act, and you’re learning.

“It’s you take it and the next one and the next one. Every single one of them. The Iñárritus, the Spielbergs, the Nolans, me — all the opportunities that I’ve had, I want that for every writer, every director, every producer, every artist. And the only way you do it is we have to create an abundance. Its production begets production.”

That’s a compelling argument. Hollywood can talk endlessly about finding new filmmakers, rebuilding the theatrical business and developing the next generation of talent, but people need movies to work on.

More productions mean more opportunities to gain experience, take creative swings and eventually become the filmmakers capable of carrying major projects.

Ellison has repeatedly said that a combined Paramount and Warner Bros. would release more than 30 movies annually. He has also pledged to AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas that Paramount would contractually guarantee a 30-film theatrical slate each year, with 45-day theatrical windows.

There’s plenty of controversy surrounding this merger, and the deal has some serious opposition. Still, I’m absolutely on board with the idea of a studio releasing 30 movies a year in theaters with decent theatrical runs. As a movie fan and supporter of theaters, how can I not be excited about that?!

Give audiences more reasons to go to the movies. Give theaters more movies to play. Give filmmakers more opportunities to make stuff. Not every one of those 30 films will be a hit, and they shouldn’t have to be. A healthy theatrical business needs more than a handful of massive event movies carrying the entire year.

Cruise pointed to the summer 2026 box office and movies such as Obsession, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Devil Wears Prada 2 as examples of audiences showing up. In his view, Hollywood needs increased production so upcoming filmmakers can develop the experience necessary to operate at what he calls “game speed.”

“When you’re making a movie, every day is game day,” Cruise said. “If we come together as a community [we can] understand what audiences want and tell our stories that you want to tell.”

Cruise repeatedly returned to the idea of Hollywood functioning as a community rather than everyone fighting over the same piece of the box office. He said that “making movies isn’t competitive” and argued that “the more films we make, the better it’s going to be” as theaters continue their recovery.

“I remember in the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, you’d have five films opening on the weekend, and people [went] to the movie theaters,” Cruise recalled. “You see how audiences are enjoying that experience, but we got to make them … And we have to as a community. We’ve got to help each other to do it.”

I really do miss those days! Cruise has a personal connection to both sides of this proposed movie studio powerhouse. He and Ellison have been longtime friends and collaborators, with Skydance Media co-producing the Mission: Impossible franchise and Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise also has a first-look production agreement with Warner Bros.

Paramount has been a major part of Cruise’s career for decades. The studio released all eight Mission: Impossible movies along with the Top Gun films, The Firm, Vanilla Sky, Collateral, War of the Worlds, Jack Reacher and Days of Thunder. A Days of Thunder sequel is currently planned for 2028. Cruise even climbed Paramount’s water tower for the studio’s CinemaCon 2025 presentation featurette.

Of course, the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has a long way to go before anyone starts counting those 30 annual releases.

The $111 billion deal is currently facing a 12-state antitrust lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The states argue that combining the two legacy studios would reduce competition in theatrical exhibition and basic cable.

Ellison and Paramount Skydance have some major theatrical support of their own. AMC, Regal and Cinemark, the three largest theater chains in the United States, are backing their case.

Opposition within Hollywood is also significant. More than 5,600 industry members have signed an open letter organized by the #BlockTheMerger coalition opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. combination, while the WGA has filed its own antitrust lawsuit seeking to stop the deal.

So, yeah, this merger comes with complicated questions that shouldn’t be brushed aside. But if one result really is 30-plus movies receiving meaningful theatrical releases every year, of course, I want to see that happen.

Movie theaters need movies. Filmmakers need opportunities. Audiences need choices beyond waiting months for the next giant franchise release.

Cruise believes Ellison can deliver all three. Now comes the much harder part… Proving it.