Tom Cruise Could Learn a Few Things From Sam Elliott — IndieWire’s Movie Podcast (Screen Talk Episode 152)

This is not the best moment in Tom Cruise‘s career. The 54-year-old actor is at the center of the much-maligned reboot of “The Mummy,” an ill-advised attempt by Universal to kickstart its Dark Universe franchise, and many of his upcoming credits — from another “Mission Impossible” movie to a “Top Gun” sequel — suggest he’s either stuck in a loop or drawn to projects beneath his abilities. What did he go wrong?

We have some ideas, and they start with Sam Elliott. The actor’s tender performance is at the center of “The Hero,” which opens this week. While Elliott’s much further along in his career, his filmography demonstrates his ability to remain active as he continues to develop his career through multiple eras. Cruise (and other movie stars struggling to remain relevant) could learn a few things from Elliott’s career path.

That’s one focus of this week’s Screen Talk, in which Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson also discuss the surprise Oscar season prospects for “Wonder Woman” and the struggle for “Okja” to be seen in theaters.

Listen to the full episode above.

Screen Talk is available on iTunes.

You can subscribe here or via RSS. Share your feedback with Thompson and Kohn on Twitter or sound off in the comments. Browse previous installments here, review the show on  and be sure to let us know if you’d like to hear the hosts address specific issues in upcoming editions of Screen Talk. Check out the rest of Indiewire’s podcasts on iTunes right here.

Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Festival newsletters here.