Tom Cruise’s Perfect DCU Role Is Closer To Happening Than Ever Before (2024)

Tom Cruise has never been closer to joining the DC Universe than he is now, and a major career update explains why that is the case. In recent years, it has become abundantly clear how the days of movie stars — actors who could guarantee a movie would perform well simply by being in it — are behind. While Marvel Studios and DC have had plenty of successful stories of actors becoming huge names after joining their respective cinematic universes, few have had the fortune to remain consistent outside Marvel or DC over the years.

One of the last remaining bona fide movie stars in Hollywood is, without a doubt, Cruise. The actor is one of the most popular action stars to ever exist, and Top Gun: Maverick was one of the movies that helped bring the audience back to theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to his impressive skills, action experience, and charisma, Cruise has been fancast as multiple superheroes over the years. However, the actor is now closer to appearing in future DCU movies and series than ever before, and that could lead to the perfect DC role for Cruise.

Tom Cruise Has A Franchise Deal With DC’s Parent Company

Cruise's New Deal Could Lead To A DC Debut

While Cruise has yet to sign on for a superhero movie, the actor's new career update could lead to a DC role for him in the future. That is because Cruise has a major deal in place with DC's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. It was reported in January that Cruise closed an overall deal with Warner. As part of their joint venture, Cruise will star, develop, and produce "a mix of original productions and franchise fare," as revealed by the company's press release. That mention of franchise projects is interesting.

One of the biggest franchises Warner owns is DC. With James Gunn and Peter Safran working on bringing their ten-year plan for the new DC Universe to life, Cruise's new overall deal could include developing DC movies. While the actor has not appeared in a prior DC project, Cruise did create some ties to DC Studios last year. Cruise was one of the Hollywood insiders who got to watch DC's The Flash movie before its release. The actor not only liked the movie but reached out to director Andy Muschietti to let him know about it, showing excitement for DC.

Why Tom Cruise Would Be The DCU’s Perfect Hal Jordan

Green Lantern Is The Ideal Role For Tom Cruise

Cruise is perhaps the best possible actor to play Hal Jordan in the DCU. The star's time in the Top Gun franchise has cemented him as one of the most popular casting choices to play the Green Lantern over the years. While Ryan Reynolds ended up playing Hal Jordan in 2011's Green Lantern — which did not work — and the character was entirely absent from the DCEU, Hal Jordan has been confirmed to be one of the canon characters of the new DCU. In fact, the Green Lantern's debut project has already been announced, and it received a major update recently.

Hal Jordan will be one of the two main Green Lanterns, alongside John Stewart, in the DCU's Lanterns series. The project has just received its biggest update yet, with the trio of Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy, and DC Comics writer Tom King serving as the creative force of the DC series. Described as a show in the vein of True Detective, Lanterns will focus on a major mystery with ramifications for the entire DCU. Cruise has plenty of roles in his career that have dealt with darker stories and shocking reveals, making him great for Lanterns.

Adding to that, Cruise's role in the Top Gun franchise showed just how perfect of a fit he is for Hal Jordan. Like the Green Lantern, Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a fighter jet pilot who oozes charisma and has a knack for danger.Top Gun: Maverick showed a new side of the character as Maverick served in a mentor role to a new generation of pilots, which could also fit the Green Lantern, as Hal Jordan is the original Green Lantern Corps member from Earth, and Cruise could take on younger Green Lanterns under his wing in the DCU.

The DCU’s First Green Lantern Casting Makes Tom Cruise’s Hal Jordan Possible

Guy Gardner Will Appear First

While Hal Jordan could eventually become the most important Green Lantern in the DCU, as he is in the comics, he will not be the first to debut. Lanterns currently has no set release date or a filming start revealed. Before Hal Jordan and John Stewart arrive on the small screen, the third modern Green Lantern from Earth, Guy Gardner, will arrive on the big screen next year. Nathan Fillion is set to play Guy Gardner in 2025's Superman, with Gunn revealing the actor will sport the character's iconic red hair and bowl cut.

Interestingly, Fillion is 53 years old, making him older than what would have been expected for Guy Gardner at the start of the DCU, especially since the DCU's Superman actor, David Corenswet, is only 30. Since Hal Jordan is older than Guy Gardner in the comics, if the DCU were to replicate that, then Cruise would fit the age range for Hal Jordan. At 61, Cruise's Hal Jordan could serve as the mentor to a wide array of Green Lanterns from Earth, which could include unconfirmed characters for the DCU like Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz, and more.

What Tom Cruise Has Said About Playing A Superhero

Cruise Has Made A DC Future Possible

As Cruise has been the favorite among fans for a few superhero roles over the years, including the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, the actor has said his piece about the matter. Cruise is open to playing a superhero. The actor revealed that as long as he feels he can contribute to the project, and he thinks "an audience would like to see it, and they're going to be entertained by it," then Cruise would be open to hearing ideas for superhero projects.

With his new overall deal to be part of franchises at Warner and Cruise being open to superhero roles, his casting as Hal Jordan is the closest it has ever been to happening. It remains to be seen if Lanterns will go for older stars when casting Hal and John Stewart. If that ends up being the case, then it is hard to picture a better actor to play the Green Lantern Hal Jordan than Tom Cruise.

Lanterns (DCU)

Lanterns is a detective show based on DC Comics' Green Lanterns. It started as an HBO Max series centered around Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, and Simon Baz. However, James Gunn confirmed that the project was redesigned to focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the new interconnected DC Universe franchise.

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

HBO Max