Tom Cruise’s space movie hits surprising setback involving President Trump

Tom Cruise’s long-planned outer space film has reportedly stalled, with insiders claiming the project ran into unexpected issues that required cooperation from US President Donald Trump.

Cruise first announced the ambitious idea in 2020, teaming with director Doug Liman, NASA and SpaceX, with hopes of filming scenes aboard the International Space Station. NASA publicly expressed enthusiasm at the time, but momentum has since slowed.

A source familiar with the project told Page Six the production would need federal coordination, something Cruise was reluctant to pursue. The actor, known for keeping his political views private, reportedly did not want to ask President Trump for assistance that would help move the film forward.

Project loses momentum

Industry insiders say NASA has held no recent internal discussions about the film. Jim Bridenstine, the NASA Administrator who originally supported the idea, has since left the agency, and his 2020 tweet about the project has been deleted.

Universal was reportedly interested in backing the feature, but insurance concerns and the medical requirements for space travel created additional hurdles. Rumours that Liman failed a physical were dismissed by a separate source, who insisted the director is in good health.

Liman remains hopeful

Liman told Deadline he still hopes to make the film, adding that he wants it to stand on more than the novelty of filming in orbit. “Our goal is to make something great,” he said. “I’m not interested in doing something that is just a promotional gimmick.”

Cruise, who continues to perform his own stunts, released Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earlier this year and is set to juggle multiple projects in 2026.

Reps for Cruise, NASA and SpaceX declined to comment.