Tom Cruise’s Action Films Snubbed in IMDb’s Top 10 Rankings

Tom Cruise has long been synonymous with high-octane cinema, having collaborated with some of the most celebrated directors in the business. Over the past twenty years, he’s become particularly associated with action, especially through his ongoing involvement in the Mission: Impossible series. Despite his reputation for delivering meticulously crafted action spectacles, not a single one of his films features in the top 10 highest-rated action films on IMDb.

IMDb’s Top 10 Action Films: Cruise Nowhere in Sight

While Cruise’s 2022 release, Top Gun: Maverick, holds an impressive 8.2 rating, it only manages to secure the 27th spot on IMDb’s action list. The current top 10 is dominated by titles such as The Dark Knight, Inception, The Matrix, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Even recent anime entries like Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle have edged out Cruise’s best efforts. For a performer so closely linked to the genre, his absence from the upper echelons of the rankings is rather surprising.

Despite working with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick earlier in his career, Cruise’s later focus on action has not translated into top-tier IMDb acclaim. His commitment to authenticity, particularly in performing his own stunts, has become a hallmark of his films, yet this dedication hasn’t been enough to propel his works into the highest-rated bracket.

Stunt Work and Its Impact on Cruise’s Career

One of the defining features of Cruise’s action output is his insistence on performing dangerous stunts himself. This approach has become a significant part of his appeal, with audiences flocking to see what new feat he’ll attempt next. The studios seem more than willing to invest in these high-risk sequences, recognising their marketing value and the draw they provide at the box office.

Stories abound of Cruise’s willingness to push the limits. Matt Damon once recounted how Cruise dismissed safety concerns on set, preferring to take matters into his own hands. Whether it’s learning to speed-fly, breaking an ankle leaping between rooftops, or dangling from the world’s tallest building, Cruise’s exploits have become legendary. During the filming of the original Top Gun, he even underwent training with real fighter pilots and narrowly avoided disaster during a parachute sequence.

“He came as close to dying as anybody on a set I’ve ever seen.”

recalled actor Barry Tubb, describing a near-miss when Cruise’s parachute began to fill with water.

Shifting Gears: Cruise’s Upcoming Project

After years of headline-grabbing stunts, Cruise appears to be changing direction. He’s set to reunite with Warner Bros. for the first time in over a decade, starring in an as-yet-untitled film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The project, co-produced by Cruise and Iñárritu, is penned by the Oscar-winning team behind Birdman. Filming wrapped in May 2025, with a release scheduled for October 2026. Iñárritu has confirmed the film will be a comedy, marking a notable departure from Cruise’s recent action-heavy output.

The cast includes Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, Emma D’Arcy, and several others. While Cruise remains one of the industry’s most bankable stars, his awards cabinet doesn’t quite reflect his commercial success. The situation is reminiscent of Leonardo DiCaprio’s long wait for Oscar recognition, which ended after working with Iñárritu on The Revenant. Fans are hopeful that this new collaboration might finally bring Cruise the critical acclaim that has so far eluded him.