Tom Cruise brings 'Final Reckoning' to Cannes, but won't bid 'Mission: Impossible' adieu yet

CANNES, France (AP) — Three years after flying into the Cannes Film Festival with “Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise again kicked up a storm on the Croisette with Wednesday's premiere of “Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning.”

Christopher McQuarrie's latest “Mission: Impossible” installment was the biggest Hollywood tentpole wading ashore in Cannes this year. It, and Cruise, stirred a frenzy at the French Riviera festival, which again played eager host to the American movie star.

Just his arrival outside the premiere, beamed onto the screen in the Grand Théâtre Lumière, drew a response. When Cruise stepped out his car, oohs and applause reverberated through the theater. Cruise spent several minutes signing autographs for fans lined up on the Croisette.

Some had wondered whether Cruise might make a more daring arrival. When Cruise received an honorary Palme d’Or from the festival in 2022, the “Top Gun: Maverick” premiere included an impressively timed jet flyover. Instead, on Day 2 of the festival, he and the film’s cast walked the red carpet accompanied by an orchestra performing Lalo Schifrin's “Mission: Impossible” theme on the Palais steps. “Bravo!” cheered Cruise.

Though selfies are frowned upon on the Cannes red carpet, McQuarrie took several of the group, which included Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett and Hannah Waddingham.

“Final Reckoning,” the eighth “Mission: Impossible” movie and a follow-up to 2023's “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” is again a heaping serving of outlandish stunts in a globe-trotting, world-saving plot that greatly relies on Cruise's sheer force of will to propel it.

The film, which draws to a close McQuarrie's extended AI apocalypse tale, drew mostly good reviews following its screening and garnered a five-minute standing ovation.

“To be here in Cannes and have these moments, as a kid when we were growing up, I really can't even dream about something like this happening,” Cruise said, addressing the audience. “I'm very grateful for 30 years to be able to entertain you with this franchise.”

Throughout much of the “Mission: Impossible” parade in Cannes, Cruise and McQuarrie lavished praise upon one another. Cruise told McQuarrie, who took over directing the franchise with 2015's “Rogue Nation” that he looked forward to making “a bunch of other kind of movies with you.”

“When I was a kid growing up, I was one of those kids who didn't quite fit in. A lot of my life was imaginative play,” said McQuarrie. “And I got to grow up and have my very own action figure, who was actually willing to do just about every crazy thing I could think of.”

Earlier in the day, Cruise joined McQuarrie midway through the director's masterclass talk. There was no press conference for the film, which meant Cruise and company faced no questions from reporters. But Cruise's surprise appearance allowed the 62-year-old star a moment to reflect on his 30 years with “Mission: Impossible.” As to whether “Final Reckoning” is a last hurrah for him, he demurred, calling it “the culmination of three decades of work.”

“I’d rather just people see it and enjoy,” Cruise said.

Cruise, to no one's surprise, said he relishes the stunt work in “Mission: Impossible.”

“I don’t mind encountering the unknown. I like the feeling. It’s just an emotion for me. It’s something that is not paralyzing,” Cruise said.

Cruise, McQuarrie and Paramount Pictures, which will release “Final Reckoning” in North American theaters on May 23, are hoping the installment returns the franchise to box-office heights.

“Dead Reckoning Part One” was considered a box-office disappointment, though it ultimately grossed $571.1 million worldwide. Still, with production budgets close to $300 million for these films, a lot is riding on “Final Reckoning.” Cruise has been traversing the world — with stops in Japan, South Korea and England in the run-up to Cannes — to drum up excitement. Paramount chief executive Brian Robbins also attended the Cannes premiere.

Cruise and McQuarrie, as they did around the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” (which McQuarrie co-wrote and produced), have made themselves passionate pitchmen for the big-screen experience. McQuarrie on Wednesday granted: “I worry for the fate and survival of cinema.”

“Streaming is in danger of driving the industry into extinction,” said McQuarrie. “The advantage a filmmaker has entering the world is that he doesn’t have the pressure of an opening weekend.”

For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival.

Tom Cruise, front, editor Eddie Hamilton, from back left, Greg Tarzan Davis, Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett, Tramell Tillman, festival director Thierry Fremaux, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Iris Knobloch, Hannah Waddingham and Esai Morales pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Greg Tarzan Davis, from left, Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett, Tom Cruise, Tramell Tillman, director Christopher McQuarrie, Hannah Waddingham, Simon Pegg and Pom Klementieff pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Writer Erik Jendresen, from left, Tramell Tillman, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, Pom Klementieff, Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie and Hayley Atwell pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise waves to fans upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Millie Turner/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Hayley Atwell, from left, Greg Tarzan Davis, Angela Bassett, Tom Cruise, and Pom Klementieff pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Editor Eddie Hamilton, from left, Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff, director Christopher McQuarrie, Simon Pegg and writer Erik Jendresen pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Tom Cruise upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Tramell Tillman, from left, director Christopher McQuarrie, Hannah Waddingham, and Angela Bassett take a selfie upon arrival for the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Angela Bassett, from left, writer Erik Jendresen, Pom Klementieff, Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, and Greg Tarzan Davis pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Greg Tarzan Davis, from left, editor Eddie Hamilton, Angela Bassett, Tramell Tillman, Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie, Hannah Waddingham, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, and Pom Klementieff take a selfie upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Hayley Atwell, left, and Tom Cruise pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise, bottom right, signs autographs upon arrival for the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Greg Tarzan Davis, from left, Hayley Atwell, Tom Cruise, and Pom Klementieff pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Hannah Waddingham poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Simon Pegg poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise, left, and director Christopher McQuarrie pose for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Greg Tarzan Davis, from left, Angela Bassett, Hannah Waddingham, Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, and Tramell Tillman pose for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Pom Klementieff, from left, Angela Bassett, Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, and Hannah Waddingham pose for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Tom Cruise poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

FILE - Tom Cruise, center, appears with co-star Jennifer Connelly, right, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer at the premiere of the film 'Top Gun: Maverick" at the 75th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2022. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)

The Pentagon said Thursday that it is changing the independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes so it concentrates on “reporting for our warfighters” and no longer includes “woke distractions.”

That message, in a social media post from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's spokesman, is short on specifics and does not mention the news outlet's legacy of independence from government and military leadership. It comes a day after The Washington Post reported that applicants for jobs at Stars and Stripes were being asked what they would do to support President Donald Trump's policies.

Stars and Stripes traces its lineage to the Civil War and has reported news about the military either in its newspaper or online steadily since World War II, largely to an audience of service members stationed overseas. Roughly half of its budget comes from the Pentagon and its staff members are considered Defense Department employees.

The outlet's mission statement emphasizes that it is “editorially independent of interference from outside its own editorial chain-of-command” and that it is unique among news organizations tied to the Defense Department in being “governed by the principles of the First Amendment.”

Congress established that independence in the 1990s after instances of military leadership getting involved in editorial decisions. During Trump's first term in 2020, Defense Secretary Mark Esper tried to eliminate government funding for Stars and Stripes — to effectively shut it down — before he was overruled by the president.

Hegseth's spokesman, Sean Parnell, said on X Thursday that the Pentagon “is returning Stars and Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters.” He said the department will “refocus its content away from woke distractions.”

“Stars and Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters,” Parnell wrote. “It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability and ALL THINGS MILITARY. No more repurposed DC gossip columns; no more Associated Press reprints.”

Parnell did not return a message seeking details. The Daily Wire reported, after speaking a Pentagon spokeswoman, that the plan is to have all Stars and Stripes content written by active-duty service members. Currently, Congress has mandated that the publication's publisher and top editor be civilians, said Max Lederer, its publisher.

The Pentagon also said that half of the outlet's content would be generated by the Defense Department, and that it would no longer publish material from The Associated Press or Reuters news services.

Also Thursday, the Pentagon issued a statement in the Federal Register that it would eliminate some 1990s era directives that governed how Stars and Stripes operates. Lederer said it's not clear what that would mean for the outlet's operations, or whether the Defense Department has the authority to do so without congressional authorization.

The publisher said he believes that Stars and Stripes is valued by the military community precisely because of its independence as a news organization. He said no one at the Pentagon has communicated to him what it wants from Stars and Stripes; he first learned of its intentions from reading Parnell's social media post.

“This will either destroy the value of the organization or significantly reduce its value,” Lederer said.

Jacqueline Smith, the outlet's ombudsman, said Stars and Stripes reports on matters important to service members and their families — not just weapons systems or war strategy — and she's detected nothing “woke” about its reporting.

“I think it's very important that Stars and Stripes maintains its editorial independence, which is the basis of its credibility,” Smith said. A longtime newspaper editor in Connecticut, Smith's role was created by Congress three decades ago and she reports to the House Armed Services Committee.

It's the latest move by the Trump administration to impose restrictions on journalists. Most reporters from legacy news outlets have left the Pentagon rather than to agree to new rules imposed by Hegseth that they feel would give him too much control over what they report and write. The New York Times has sued to overturn the regulations.

Trump has also sought to shut down government-funded outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that report independent news about the world in countries overseas.

Also this week, the administration raided the home of a Washington Post journalist as part of an investigation into a contractor accused of stealing government secrets, a move many journalists interpreted as a form of intimidation.

The Post reported that applicants to Stars and Stripes were being asked how they would advance Trump's executive orders and policy priorities in the role. They were asked to identify one or two orders or initiatives that were significant to them. That raised questions about whether it was appropriate for a journalist to be given what is, in effect, a loyalty test.

Smith said it was the government's Office of Personnel Management — not the newspaper — that was responsible for the question on job applications and said it was consistent with what was being asked of applicants for other government jobs.

But she said it was not something that should be asked of journalists. “The loyalty is to the truth, not the administration,” she said.

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

US soldier Sgt. John Hubbuch of Versailles, Ky., one of the members of NATO led-peacekeeping forces in Bosnia reads Stars and Stripes newspaper on Sunday Feb. 14, 1999. (AP Photo/Amel Emric, File)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stands outside the Pentagon during a welcome ceremony for Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi at the Pentagon, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf/)

FILE - A GI with the U.S. 25th division reads Stars and Stripes newspaper at Cu Chi, South Vietnam on Sept. 10, 1969. (AP Photo/Mark Godfrey)