Did Tom Cruise miss out on one of summer 2025’s biggest roles because of his stunt reputation?

Tom Cruise has always sought to redefine the limits of a film. Be it hanging off an airplane in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation or doing a HALO jump from 25,000 feet, his commitment to self-performed stunts is unrivaled. This, and other stunts of his, have wowed audiences and etched a mark on action filmmaking as we know it.

With that said, this very reputation might have impacted his chances for landing a role in one of the most highly anticipated movies of summer 2025: F1. Kosinski, who is known for his work on Top Gun: Maverick, directs the film, which features Brad Pitt. F1 circles around the glamorous world of Formula One racing. Regardless of the box office success, Tom Cruise has proven, alongside his previous works with Kosinski, that his absence from the cast list is telling.

The claim puts into perspective whether Cruise’s vigorous style of stunt work, for good or bad, is useful in some of the more extreme and dangerous productions. In examining such an environment, could his staunch devotion towards doing it ‘for real’ be considered reckless in the highly regimented world of professional motorsports?

The need for controlled precision

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning Source: Paramount

When it comes to Formula One, it is strctly regulated and any form of ‘creativity’ can have drastic ramifications for a driver’s safety. Kosinski, the Director, seemed worried about blending Tom Cruise’s over-the-top stunt style and remarked, “Tom always pushes it to the limit, but at the same time is super capable and very skilled… But yeah, I could see Tom maybe scaring us a little bit more.”

Action-vehicle supervisor Graham Kelly complained,

“We’d have had a crash. Tom pushes it to the limit. I mean, really to the limit. That terrifies me.”

These actions and statements capture the level of devotion a performer has to a role while showcasing how such fervor can create hurdles to a project that is so closely linked to motorsports.

Brad Pitt: A calculated choice

On the other hand, Brad Pitt's portrayal of the character Sonny Hayes, a driver taking a lap around their career in motorsport, was approached differently by him, with both restraint and excitement. During the filming of the movie, Pitt's training included driving real F1 cars at 180 mph on actual F1 circuits. His understanding of safety protocols made him a pleasant presence on set.

Pitt's instincts at the wheel were complemented by Hamilton, who serves as a producer for the film alongside being a 7-time World Champion in Formula 1. Hamilton remarked that the actor’s driving did not compromise the safety of filming, thus enhancing the genuineness of the production. The film needed to strike the right balance between safety and authenticity, especially when portraying the sport of Formula One racing.

Tom Cruise's Cruise control: When star power meets the limits of safety

Tom Cruise’s unrivaled dedication to performing his own stunts has undoubtedly changed the landscape of action films, although it has made directors rethink his casting in any role with a general “safety” guideline. With regard to F1, the focus on controlled accuracy combined with its integration with the real-world motorsport required a different approach—one which Brad Pitt was perfectly placed to deliver.

As with F1, Hollywood will set its sights on the fast-paced world of Formula One racing on June 27, 2025. It remains to be seen whether Pitt will establish a new standard for depicting racing films or whether Tom Cruise’s absence will be felt.