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.