The star is promoting the final film in his action franchise, which has made billions of dollars and shoots overseas.
At a recent press event in Seoul for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise made sure the focus remained on the film itself.
During the event on Thursday, Cruise, his co-stars, and director Christopher McQuarrie promoted the highly anticipated final installment of the action franchise. When a reporter asked about former President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on movies shot outside the U.S. — and how the globally filmed Paramount production might be affected — Cruise tactfully redirected the conversation back to the movie.
A reporter, speaking through an onstage translator, asked, “I’d like to pose this question to anyone willing to answer. I watched the film and noticed it was shot in various locations worldwide, including Africa. As we’re all aware, President Trump has imposed tariffs on overseas productions. Is this film affected by those tariffs, and how much of it was filmed abroad?”
Cruise, off-mic, responded to the moderator, saying, “We’d rather focus on questions about the movie. Thank you.” The moderator, agreeing, noted that it was a “fair response” and moved the conversation to a new question.
Cruise’s representative has yet to respond to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for additional comment.
The Mission: Impossible franchise, which has grossed over $4 billion globally, is renowned for its international shoots. The latest installment, set to release in the U.S. later this month, was filmed in the U.K., Norway, and South Africa.
President Trump unveiled his tariff plan on Sunday, though the White House clarified the following Monday that no final decisions had been made.
“The movie industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other countries are offering various incentives to lure our filmmakers and studios away from the U.S. Hollywood, along with many other sectors, is being devastated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a coordinated effort by other nations, and therefore, a national security threat. It’s also, on top of everything else, messaging and propaganda! As a result, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to begin the process of implementing a 100% tariff on any and all movies entering our country that are produced overseas. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
Other films currently being shot outside the U.S. include Avengers: Doomsday and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Last year, productions like Wicked, Dune: Part Two, and Deadpool & Wolverine were also filmed abroad.
