Clint Eastwood Once Eyed Tom Cruise for His Musical That Ended up With 8 Oscar Nominations

While Clint Eastwood and Tom Cruise have never worked together, they almost did in a musical drama that eventually won an Oscar in 2019.

Clint Eastwood has worked on many modern-day classics and has won the Oscar twice as a director.
While he has worked on various genres, the musical is a genre that he has only worked on twice.
Eastwood almost directed the remake of A Star is Born and had reportedly approached Tom Cruise before it fell through.

The past two years have seen a sense of finality with both Clint Eastwood and Tom Cruise. While Eastwood directed his final film, Juror #2, at the age of 94 last year, Cruise is reportedly done with his tenure as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Sadly, both Hollywood legends have never collaborated on a film.

However, they almost came close to working on a project that seems unlike both of the action legends. Eastwood was reportedly linked to a remake of the musical drama A Star is Born and was eyeing Cruise to play the lead role. However, it never materialized, and Bradley Cooper finally took the reins and made it his directorial debut.

Clint Eastwood hoped to cast Tom Cruise in his remake of A Star is Born

Clint Eastwood on the sets of Bird | Credits: Warner Bros.

Clint Eastwood has worked on musicals before, but it has not been as prominent as the Westerns, war dramas, and action genres in his filmography. While his first musical directorial was the drama Bird, he adapted the popular jukebox musical Jersey Boys, which had won the Tony Award, in 2014.

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Eastwood was almost going to make another musical two years prior with a remake of A Star is Born, which the ace filmmaker was attached to direct. As reported by Deadline, the Gran Torino star was supposed to cast Beyonce in the lead role and was eyeing a bunch of male stars, including Tom Cruise.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born | Credits: Warner Bros.

Other stars in the running were names such as Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Jon Hamm, and, surprisingly, even Eminem (presumably due to his work on 8 Mile). A remake was first conceptualized with Will Smith in mind, who reportedly chose Michael Mann’s Ali over this. Other actors such as Jamie Foxx and Paul Walker were then considered for the role.

Eastwood eventually dropped the project and handed it over to Bradley Cooper, who not only starred in the film but also took on the role of director for the first time. Lady Gaga was roped in to star opposite him, and A Star is Born was released in 2018 to positive reviews. It was nominated for eight Oscars and won Best Original Song.

Tom Cruise admitted to being jealous of Clint Eastwood

Tom Cruise in Magnolia | Credits: New Line Cinema

Tom Cruise has worked with many legendary actors of the past. Be it with Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men or Jason Robards in Magnolia, or Jon Voight in Mission: Impossible. Cruise has always held his own among stalwarts. But, he has never worked with Clint Eastwood, and after the latter’s retirement, this mission might just be impossible for real.

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However, Cruise has admitted to being jealous of Clint Eastwood, especially after the release of his Oscar-winning directorial debut, Unforgiven. The revisionist Western, which also saw Eastwood play the lead role, was the perfect film for the actor/filmmaker at his age and his image as a Western legend. Cruise recognized this (via Vanity Fair).

I wish I had that great story of Clint Eastwood with Unforgiven. He had this script, and he put it away for 10 years, and then went and directed this movie and starred in this movie. And just had a culmination of an entire career…That was just perfect for him. And so I don’t have that Unforgiven. I don’t have it.

Now, someone just has to make a revisionist espionage thriller that can cast a much older Tom Cruise in a Mission: Impossible-esque role, and the actor would get his wish. The actor did mention at the Cannes Film Festival that he would want to act in action movies till he is 100 (Eastwood seems to have tapped out at 94).