Tom Cruise has never directed a film, and told the Kelce brothers why: 'I want to make a lot of movies'
Cruise explained on the Kelce brothers' New Heights podcast why producing, not directing, has always suited him.
Here’s one for the 'surely he has?' pile: Tom Cruise has never actually directed a film. For all the time he’s spent throwing himself out of planes, convincing studios to resurrect proper blockbusters, and arguably serving as today’s most relentless champion for big screen cinema, Cruise has yet to put his own name in the director’s chair. Even more surprising—he’s pretty clear on why.
Always the Star, Never the Director
On a recent episode of the Kelce brothers’ podcast New Heights, Cruise got the inevitable question: you love films, so when are you going to direct one? Turns out, that’s something people have been bugging him about since his childhood. But he’s just not interested—and he’s got reasons. First, he’s a bit of a movie sponge. Cruise says he’s watched the old greats, back when directors were churning out several films a year, and he admires that work ethic. But for him, it’s about volume: 'I want to make a lot of movies.' If he’s directing, that likely means fewer projects, less opportunity to jump between worlds, genres, and collaborators.
Cruise put it this way on the podcast: 'I’ve studied the old movies, and these guys are able to make four movies a year. I want to make a lot of movies, and I’ve wanted to make a lot of films. And I love working with different directors. I love learning from them, seeing their stories, setting the table for them. Giving them opportunities.'
He even compared it to the sports world, telling the Kelces he enjoys helping others grab their shot, not just chasing personal glory. The cruise-control approach (sorry): provide a launchpad for everyone from directors to DPs to actors, not keep the whole show to himself.
How Cruise Sees His Role
And it’s not that he’s hands-off behind the scenes. Quite the opposite. Cruise says his favourite place is, absolutely, on the set and in the thick of things. None of this disappearing to the trailer business. He wants to be present, sitting with crew, talking shop, seeing how the sausage gets made at every level.
As Cruise put it on the podcast: 'I’m not interested in going to my trailer. I like being with the crew. I like being with everyone... I’m watching what they’re doing; I’m vibing with the director and everyone; I’m always there.'
If you needed actual evidence of his hands-on mania, look no further than Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise didn’t just star—he personally wrangled an aviation boot camp so cast members could take IMAX cameras into live-action cockpits, putting them (and those cameras) through genuine G-force hell. This is a man for whom technical fiddling and logistical madness are almost a requirement, but he still prefers to let someone else call 'cut.'
Cruise’s approach to filmmaking isn’t limited to acting. It’s more about building an environment, shaping projects from every side—except, for now, the director’s one. Maybe he’ll hang onto that streak a little longer.
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