The Movie Tom Cruise Ruined by Hijacking: “This Is Very Much a Film of Two Halves”

Tom Cruise has built a career on intensity. Whether hanging off the side of an Airbus in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation or enduring the punishing discipline of Stanley Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shut, the actor has long been celebrated for his fearless dedication. That same commitment, however, has also sparked controversy—nowhere more infamously than on the set of 2017’s The Mummy, a production that was meant to launch Universal’s ambitious “Dark Universe” franchise but instead collapsed under the weight of Cruise’s overbearing influence.

A Franchise-Building Experiment Gone Wrong

Directed by Alex Kurtzman, The Mummy was envisioned as the opening chapter in Universal’s shared monster universe, a sprawling cinematic world that would bring together iconic figures like Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Invisible Man. On paper, the project seemed poised for success: a big-budget reboot with Cruise as its action-driving lead, pairing his star power with the studio’s legendary horror roots.

But from the beginning, cracks began to show. Kurtzman, primarily known as a writer and producer, had never directed a tentpole film of this size. That left room for Cruise to step in—and, according to reports from crew members, take over almost entirely.

“Before Tom and After Tom”

Accounts from those involved suggest that the production quickly became Cruise’s film, not Kurtzman’s. Supervising art director Frank Walsh described it bluntly: “This is very much a film of two halves: before Tom and after Tom. I have heard the stories about how he drives everything and pushes and pushes, but it was amazing to work with him. The guy is a great filmmaker and knows his craft. He will walk onto a set and tell the director what to do, say ‘that’s not the right lens,’ ask about the sets, and as long as you don’t fluff what you’re saying to him … he’s easy to work for.”

Cruise reportedly took control of script revisions, action sequences, and even the final cut. In effect, he sidelined Kurtzman, transforming the director into a figurehead while he personally steered the production.

The Premiere Silence

If there was any doubt about who had been in charge, it was erased at the film’s premiere. Standing on stage, Cruise delivered a lengthy speech on the importance of collaboration while Kurtzman remained silent at his side, visibly overshadowed as the cast and crew looked on. For many, that silence spoke louder than words, a quiet acknowledgment of the imbalance that had defined the film’s troubled production.

Fallout for Kurtzman—and the “Dark Universe”

When The Mummy finally hit theaters, it was savaged by critics and rejected by audiences. What was meant to be the launchpad of a blockbuster franchise instead became its tombstone. Universal quietly scrapped plans for future installments, while Kurtzman’s career took a significant hit—an outcome many argue was unfair, given how little control he ultimately had.

Whether Kurtzman ceded authority willingly or was simply steamrolled by Cruise remains unclear. But what is certain is that the project became less about resurrecting Universal’s monsters and more about showcasing Cruise’s iron grip on filmmaking.

A Film of Two Halves

Cruise’s perfectionism has often been an asset, driving him to deliver extraordinary stunts and memorable performances. On The Mummy, however, it proved destructive. As Walsh put it, the movie became “a film of two halves”: one before Cruise took over, and one after. In the end, neither half lived up to its promise, leaving The Mummy as a cautionary tale of what happens when star power eclipses collaboration.

Would you like me to frame this as a Hollywood industry cautionary tale (with more emphasis on Universal’s failed “Dark Universe” experiment) or as a character study of Cruise’s perfectionism and how it both builds and breaks films?