Tom Cruise may soon revive one of his most unexpected and beloved characters: Les Grossman. The actor is currently in serious discussions about a potential Tropic Thunder spinoff centered around the foul-mouthed, high-powered Hollywood executive he portrayed in the 2008 comedy.
Director Christopher McQuarrie revealed the news during an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast while promoting Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. McQuarrie, 56, said he and Cruise, 62, have been actively exploring how to bring Grossman back to the screen.
“The conversations we’ve had about Les Grossman are so f—ing funny,” McQuarrie shared. “We’re talking about it. We’re having very serious conversations about it, and how best to do it.”
Cruise’s portrayal of Grossman—known for his oversized hands, explosive tirades, and unforgettable dance moves—was a surprise hit in Tropic Thunder, which was directed by Ben Stiller. The character quickly became a fan favorite and even sparked speculation about a spinoff for years.
While working on The Final Reckoning, McQuarrie said that brainstorming Grossman ideas served as a welcome escape from the intensity of filming. “Just to be sitting at a breakfast table not talking about the movie we’re making for a minute is such decompression,” he said. “Riffing with Tom playing Les Grossman at the table, it was one of the real joys of making this movie.”
Cruise is currently back in theaters as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, which received a five-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere. In a video shared by The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner, Cruise expressed his gratitude to the crowd and praised McQuarrie, who has directed four films in the franchise.
“You’ve gone beyond our expectations,” Cruise said, calling McQuarrie “absolutely brilliant.”
As Mission: Impossible continues its run in theaters, Cruise fans may soon have even more to look forward to if Les Grossman returns to the big screen. Meanwhile, Tropic Thunder is currently available for streaming on Paramount+.
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