The first movie to shoot in outer space, Tom Cruise and Elon Musk have found a director to helm their next project in Edge of Tomorrow filmmaker Doug Liman.
The untitled film was announced earlier this month, which sees Cruise and Musk team up with the help of NASA, and Musk’s SpaceX.
Liman previously worked with Cruise on Edge of Tomorrow and American Made, and also directed Mr & Mrs Smith, The Bourne Identity, Swingers and Go. The filmmaker has also written the first part of the screenplay, and has a producing credit alongside Cruise.
NASA confirmed their involvement on May 5 via Twitter, where NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!
“We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”
NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020
There is no release date set yet as the film is still not in pre-production, with Liman finishing post-production on his next film Chaos Walking, starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland.
Cruise will next be promoting Top Gun: Maverick, which was delayed from this summer to December 23 in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He will next be working on Mission: Impossible 7, which began filming before lockdown.
In terms of space stories onscreen, Netflix workplace comedy Space Force is released this week, which sees Steve Carell and Greg Daniels, who co-created the US remake of The Office, reunite.
In a four-star review, NME said: “It’s how much these smart, but also very silly, people make you laugh that is most important.”