Tom Cruise Gears Up for The Mummy—Check Out His Best Roles

From Top Gun to Edge of Tomorrow, we revisit the action star's biggest movies

By Julianna Ress Jun 08, 2017 8:11 PMTags
The Mummy, Tom Cruise, Jake JohnsonChiabella James/Universal Pictures

Calling Tom Cruise a familiar face would be quite the understatement.

The 54-year-old actor has taken the big screen most often in thrilling fashion, having taken on a number of action roles over the course of his more than 30-year career, the most recent being his role as Nick Morton in The Mummy.

The monster movie finds Cruise's Morton at odds with an ancient, vengeful princess.

The action star transcended time in Edge of Tomorrow, protected his children from an alien invasion in War of the Worlds and of course, Cruise's Ethan Hunt continuously proved the mission possible in the six installments of the Mission: Impossible series.

However, Cruise's versatility doesn't end at action-adventure. The bona fide superstar moved us to tears in romances like Jerry Maguire, and got us up and head-banging in musical-comedy Rock of Ages.

Whether it's for his crazy stunts or on-screen charisma, Cruise has certainly earned a spot in modern Hollywood royalty.

In celebration of the release of The Mummy, we took those old records (DVDs) off the shelf and dove into the best of Cruise's extensive filmography, and it's safe to say he had us at "hello."

The Outsiders

Two years after his debut movie, Tom Cruise appeared in The Outsiders, which is about his character Steve Randle and his fellow Greasers who take on the rival Socs. 

Risky Business

With his parents away, Cruise's teenage Joel is ready to play, and then some in this iconic movie that really put him on the map.

Top Gun

He's got the need for speed! Cruise's Maverick is a fighter pilot working to graduate at the top of weapons school in this classic '80s film. 

The Color of Money

Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) teaches cocky, but talented Vincent (Cruise) how to hustle pool, which inevitably helps him make an unlikely comeback.

Cocktail

A bartender (Cruise) finds love while slinging drinks in Jamaica in this flick.

Rain Man

After his father dies, selfish Charlie Babbit (Cruise) embarks on a cross-country road trip with his brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) who is autistic. 

Born on the Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July follows a paralyzed Vietnam veteran (Cruise) who becomes a human rights activist. 

A Few Good Men

Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Cruise) wants the truth when a group of Marines are on trial for murder. 

The Firm

Mitch McDeere (Cruise) is a young lawyer who after accepting an offer from "The Firm" discovers there is a much darker side to his new employers.

Interview With the Vampire

Vampire Lestat (Cruise) takes a plantation owner (Brad Pitt) under his wing after turning him in this movie from 1994.

Mission: Impossible

Cue the theme music! Cruise first took on the role of American agent, Ethan Hunt in the 1996 film, which has grown into a six-movie franchise. 

Jerry Maguire

Show me the money! When he's down to his last client, sports agent Jerry Maguire (Cruise) will do just about anything to keep the star athlete happy. 

Eyes Wide Shut

In Stanley Kubrick's last film, Cruise plays a doctor who finds himself in danger after attending a mysterious sex party. 

Magnolia

The 1999 film earned Cruise a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Frank T.J. Mackey, who is one of many characters interrelated in this story of love, forgiveness and more in the San Fernando Valley.

Mission: Impossible II

In the sequel, Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) goes to Sydney, Australia in order to destroy genetically modified disease.

Vanilla Sky

Talk about a bad dream: A rich playboy (Cruise) experiences an alternate reality after a car accident. 

Minority Report

The head of the Pre-crime division, Chief John Anderton (Cruise), must clear his name after one of his Pre-Cogs predict he will commit a murder. 

The Last Samurai

A Civil War veteran named Nathan Algren (Cruise) travels to Japan and is captured by Samurai forces. 

Collateral

A hitman (Cruise) enlists a cab driver (Jamie Foxx) to chauffeur him from hit to hit. 

War of the Worlds

When aliens attack, Ray (Cruise) fights for his family's survival. 

Mission: Impossible III

In the third Mission: Impossible film, Agent Hunt (Cruise) must deal with a dangerous arms dealer who threatens his and his fiancée's lives.

 

Lions for Lambs

The actor plays a senator campaigning for president in this 2007 war thriller.

Tropic Thunder

Nice moves! Cruise's character, Hollywood mogul Les Grossman steals the show in the 2008 comedy. 

Valkyrie

Cruise's Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg leads the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hilter in the dramatized historical film. 

Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol

In 2011, Cruise reprised his role once again, this time his character Ethan goes rogue to clear his organization's name after the IMF is shut down.

 

Rock of Ages

The New York native plays a rocker living it up on the Sunset Strip during the '80s in this Broadway show turned movie. 

Jack Reacher

A former soldier named Jack Reacher (Cruise) is on the run after being implicated as the shooter in a sniper's rampage in Pittsburgh. 

Edge of Tomorrow

Two soldiers travel through time to defeat extraterrestrials attacking Earth, over and over again. 

Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation

The fifth Mission: Impossible film focuses on Ethan (Cruise) and his team eradicating the Syndicate, which is a group dedicated to destroying the IMF.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Jack Reacher (Cruise) must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy that could clear his name in the action film's 2016 sequel.

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View More Photos From Tom Cruise's Best Roles

Cruise has continued to charm in the days leading up to The Mummy's release. On Tuesday, he and Jimmy Fallon acted out mummy-themed plays written by children. And on Wednesday, the actor joined James Corden on The Late Late Show to show off their joint business venture, aptly named Tom's Cruise on the River Thames Corden.

The Mummy hits theaters Friday, June 9.

(E!, NBC and Universal Pictures are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)