Don’t even get me started on the comedic brilliance of Les Grossman in “Tropic Thunder” — it was so unexpected it practically made us forget it was Tom Cruise acting underneath all that makeup.
Turns out, Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie want to bring back Grossman for a potential standalone film. That’s what McQuarrie is telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Not only is there an idea, but he and Cruise are very serious about making this film:
The conversations we’ve had about a Les Grossman movie are so f*cking funny. We’re having very serious conversations, and how best to do it.
Cruise’s portrayal of Grossman in “Tropic Thunder” was a wildly unexpected and hilariously unhinged performance that stole nearly every scene he was in. As a grotesque caricature of a Hollywood studio executive, Grossman was foul-mouthed, egomaniacal, and unapologetically brash—a perfect embodiment of the film’s satirical edge.
Cruise, nearly unrecognizable in a fat suit and prosthetics, threw himself into the role with gleeful abandon, delivering a performance that was equal parts absurd and magnetic. While the character was intentionally over-the-top, he also served as a sharp jab at the ruthless, money-driven mentality behind the entertainment industry.
A Les Grossman movie could work if it’s reimagined smartly for today’s audience. However, the biggest challenge lies in translating a short, punchy side character into a lead role that can carry a 90-minute narrative.
Grossman worked in “Tropic Thunder” because he was a chaotic interjection — a jolt of wild energy. For a feature film to succeed, the character would need more depth, or at least a compelling story arc that balances his bombastic personality with a meaningful or satirical plot. Without that, the film risks becoming a one-note gag that wears out its welcome quickly.
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.