Tom Cruise and Elon Musk, courtesy of NME
An action movie star walks into a rocket made by a billionaire entrepreneur.
The set up for a punchline, or real events in 2020?
In a new update, SpaceX officials have confirmed that Tom Cruise will, in fact, head to space in 2021 to film a brand new movie at the International Space Station, as reported by NME.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has teamed up with Cruise to bring the idea to life, after reports from NASA earlier in the year hinted at the surprising partnership.
So it’s seemingly official, Tom Cruise and @DougLiman are slated for OCT21 @SpaceX #CrewDragon mission to @Space_Station for filming a movie in space! One seat still to be filled. I am available, just FYI. @elonmusk #SpaceX #SpaceMovie https://t.co/nxSZszWBC8
— Michael Hodges (@InSpaceXItrust) September 23, 2020
While the title of the film is not yet known, it will be directed by Doug Liman, acclaimed director of Edge of Tomorrow. The film will be the first ever movie to be filmed at the International Space Station, and it’s set to begin production with a “tourist mission” in October 2021.
In a tweet earlier this year, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote, “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!” He continued, “We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”
It’s yet-to-be-determined whether the movie will turn out to be the butt of a joke or a box office hit. One thing is for sure though: the 2020s are a strange, strange time to be alive.
