When you think of Tom Cruise (63), you typically think of a secret agent with a penchant for impossible missions or a fighter pilot with a "need for speed". He already took on aliens in "Edge of Tomorrow" and "War of the Worlds", coaxed one of the most famous quotes in movie history out of Jack Nicholson (89) in "A Few Good Men" ("You can't handle the truth!"), and as Jerry Maguire headed straight for the money.
All these and many other iconic roles can be admired in a video compilation that Cruise posted on his official Instagram account. In it, he also reminds us that while he has mostly cornered the market on playing the upstanding hero - that hasn't always been the case. As the vicious vampire Lestat, he already drained the blood from Brad Pitt (62), and as a hitman in "Collateral", he forced Jamie Foxx (58) into being an accomplice to murder.
"Over the past 46 years, I've had the privilege of creating these characters, stories, and films for all of you together with countless talented artists and film crews", reads the text accompanying the video. But with the skillfully edited clip, Cruise doesn't primarily want to look back at his glorious past, but rather direct attention to his upcoming film.
In "Digger" by Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu (62), Cruise tackles what is likely the most unusual lead role of his long career. One that, it seems, was at least partially inspired by his over-the-top supporting character Les Grossman from the raunchy comedy "Tropic Thunder".
Les Grossman sends his regards
The brief teaser for "Digger", which is attached at the end of the "retrospective" trailer, shows the usually so muscular action star with a paunch and hair problems that he conceals with a cowboy hat. In the 2008 Ben Stiller war comedy "Tropic Thunder", Cruise also rocked a similar sleazeball look and, in the few minutes in which he appeared as a hot-tempered character with a receding hairline, demonstrated outstanding comedy talent.
He now apparently shows a similarly over-the-top dynamic in "Digger" - in the English original additionally with a pronounced Southern accent. However, what exactly his role as Digger Rockwell and the spade in the logo are all about has not yet been announced. The brief description from film studio Warner Bros. is as cryptic as the teaser: Cruise's character is described as "the most powerful man in the world" who "embarks on a desperate mission to prove he is humanity's savior before the catastrophe he unleashed destroys everything".
In this aspect at least, Cruise seems to remain true to his typical roles: Even as a wannabe cowboy with weight problems, he's once again trying to save the world - albeit apparently from himself. He'll be supported by a strong ensemble: Other roles feature German Hollywood star Sandra Hüller as well as Jesse Plemons, John Goodman, and Riz Ahmed.
The riddle about the film's content will finally be revealed on October 1st, when "Digger" opens in German theaters. But Cruise has clearly accepted the mission to generate curiosity until then. And: Alejandro González Iñárritu famously managed with his film "The Revenant" to even elevate unlucky Leonardo DiCaprio to the ranks of Oscar winners. Cruise is still waiting for a regular golden statuette; last year he received "only" an honorary Oscar for his body of work.
