CinemaCon Tribute

During his much-anticipated appearance at CinemaCon 2025, held in Las Vegas, Tom Cruise delivered a heartfelt tribute to his late co-star Val Kilmer. Kilmer sadly passed away just days prior, on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Cruise addressed a gathering of movie theater owners, expressing his admiration for Kilmer’s contributions to the film industry. “He loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us with his performances and his films,” Cruise reflected, highlighting his gratitude for Kilmer’s presence in both the original Top Gun and its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

In a poignant moment, Cruise called for a moment of silence, providing a sharp contrast to the high-energy atmosphere typically associated with the convention.

“Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey,” Cruise concluded, eliciting thoughtful reflection among the audience.

Mission: Impossible and Director’s Recognition

Following the tribute to Kilmer, Cruise shifted the focus to his upcoming film, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, the eighth installment in the franchise set for release on May 23.

As a box office draw, Cruise holds a special place at CinemaCon, where studios showcase films to attract theater owners. During his presentation, he also paid homage to director Christopher McQuarrie, affectionately known as “McQ,” who received the Director of the Year award at the event.

Cruise’s nearly 20-minute speech showcased his deep respect for McQuarrie, who, at just 26, won an Oscar for his screenplay for The Usual Suspects. Reflecting on their collaboration that began with the 2008 film Valkyrie, Cruise expressed, “From that meeting, I knew that he was an artist that I was going to work with for the rest of my life.”

Paramount’s Upcoming Slate

The highlight of Paramount Pictures’ presentation was the new trailer for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. The unveiling kicked off on a thrilling note, featuring motorcyclists launching off ramps and performing intricate maneuvers as the iconic theme played throughout the theater.

While Cruise’s film is expected to garner significant box office success, Paramount also introduced several other intriguing upcoming projects. Among them:

• The Running Man: A dystopian thriller directed by Edgar Wright and based on a novel by Stephen King, featuring actors Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin.
• The Naked Gun: A reboot starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson.
• Roofman: Starring Channing Tatum, this crime thriller tells the story of a man who escapes from prison.
• Animated Features: New installments of popular franchises like Smurfs and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.

Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins emphasized the studio’s accomplishments despite the recent challenges posed by their merger with Skydance. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished at Paramount Pictures in the midst of all the noise going on at our parent company,” Robbins stated.