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Tom Cruise's Space Movie Stalled Over NASA Politics

12/13/2025

27 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The planned space movie reuniting Tom Cruise with director Doug Liman stalled after Cruise refused NASA coordination, which would require approval from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sources say Cruise avoided the political request despite earlier support from James Bridenstine, NASA administrator appointed by Trump.
The project was first reported in 2020 and would have filmed aboard International Space Station.

History

Historical Context

NASA's Commercial Crew Program, initiated in 2014, aimed to enhance private space travel by partnering with SpaceX and Boeing to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). This $2.6 billion investment followed the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011, marking a shift towards commercial spaceflight. SpaceX's Crew Dragon began operational missions in 2020, while Boeing's Starliner is expected to join by 2026.

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Story summary

The planned space movie reuniting Tom Cruise with director Doug Liman stalled after Cruise refused NASA coordination, which would require approval from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sources say Cruise avoided the political request despite earlier support from James Bridenstine, NASA administrator appointed by Trump.
The project was first reported in 2020 and would have filmed aboard International Space Station.

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