How Tom Cruise survived the end of the star era

A generation of A-list actors has just got old and retired or moved to TV/directing. Mel Gibson is 66. Kevin Costner in 67. Bruce Willis in 67 and ill. You forgot Arnie, who is 74, and Harrison Ford, 79. Clint is 91. When you get old, walking quickly requires SFX. Tom Cruise (59) may have kept his fitness levels up, but he may be feeling it a bit more than he used to.

The studios are scared of a star being cancelled for a tweet or a historical incident, so when they can, they give them a mask (and sometimes a cape). If something awkward comes up, they can hot swop the star for the next movie and retain the franchise income. It's not an artistic change, just an insurance policy. It only really works for the endless superhero movies, which may be why they are churning out so many of them. They are not my thing.

If the 'star era' really had ended, we wouldn't have the interminable coverage of Heard and Depp's legal tussles.

Looney Tunes

As article alludes: Cruise as brand.

If it wasn't for his older wife, he may never have been dragged into that cult. But I'm glad he got his teeth fixed early on in his career.

@Paul i think Johnny being out of the picture is his own doing

Victim blaming at its finest here.

How much is his longevity due to the Church of Scientology being way more powerful than we ever imagined. Oh, scoot! Are they watching me now?

I like all three, Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, and Matt Damon. My wife and I always go to the cinema when their movies are released. Shame that Johnny Depp is out of the picture recently due to his ex wife!

Tom Cruise? No thank you. Matt Damon, Winner!

They pick Cruise point some actors that have lost appeal as if only cruise is a survivor.

Well just of the top of my head Keanu Reeves was a big star back at the same time and is just as big today.

It seems AFP is in the business of creating news they like and not actually reporting it.