Tom Cruise has thrown his support behind Paramount’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, applauding CEO David Ellison’s promise to release at least 30 movies per year across the two studios.
“I think it’s awesome,” Cruise said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “They’re going to deliver 30 movies.” The actor also described Hollywood as “a community” and “family” rather than an industry and shared he had confidence that Ellison would make good on the ambitious roll-outs.
“We do well with those, those 30 movies are going to turn into 40 movies,” Cruise added. “To have that window and what it means… I see so many talented people that I want them to have that opportunity to make the films that they want.”
Cruise’s fervor isn’t particularly surprising, as Paramount released every Mission: Impossible film, both Top Gun movies, and a number of his other films, including Days of Thunder, The Firm, Vanilla Sky, Collateral, War of the Worlds, and Jack Reacher. A sequel to Days of Thunder is also currently planned for 2028.
However, not everyone in Hollywood shares Cruise’s excitement. Speaking at the Venice International Film Festival on Wednesday, George Clooney voiced concern about what another major studio consolidation could mean for workers. “I always worry whenever big companies are consolidating because it means a lot of people are going to lose their jobs,” he said.
Clooney also defended Mark Ruffalo‘s right to criticize the merger. Ruffalo has emerged as one of its more outspoken celebrity opponents, arguing that combining Paramount and Warner Bros. could cost jobs, further concentrate control of major media properties, and threaten editorial independence. His criticism has also focused on the Ellison family’s ties to Oracle and the company’s work with the Israeli military.
Paramount responded to Ruffalo by accusing him of invoking antisemitic tropes and said the company does not tolerate prejudice. Ruffalo rejected the characterization, saying his criticism was aimed at the Ellisons’ corporate and political relationships. More than 170 Jewish artists, academics, and public figures have since signed an open letter supporting Ruffalo and rejecting the accusation of antisemitism.
Beyond the debates in Hollywood, the merger still faces a larger legal obstacle. California and 11 other states have sued to block the acquisition on antitrust grounds, arguing that combining the companies would give the resulting media giant greater power to raise prices and reduce competition in film and television. The Writers Guild of America has separately challenged the deal.
The Justice Department has already cleared the acquisition, and Paramount says regulators representing at least 68 countries have approved or declined to challenge it. The state lawsuit is now the final major roadblock, with the deal paused while the case plays out. If it remains unfinished after September 30th, Paramount is on the hook for a roughly $7 million per day ticking fee in payments to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders.
Cruise, appears considerably less worried about the uncertainty surrounding the merger. “I know we’re going to get those 30 movies,” he said.
