Steven Spielberg thinks Tom Cruise ‘saved the entire theatrical industry’ with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Steven Spielberg credited Tom Cruise for saving Hollywood, during his candid interaction with the actor at this year’s Oscar nominees luncheon.

The blockbuster filmmaker, 76, praised Minority Report and War of the Worlds actor for saving the theatrical movie business with the Cruise’s 2022 hit Top Gun: Maverick.

“You saved Hollywood’s expletive and you might have saved theatrical distribution,” Spielberg said to Cruise in a video originally shared on Instagram by director Kartiki Gonsalves.

These uplifting remarks from the legendary director left the Mission Impossible star blushing.

Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick both are in the running for best picture at 2023 Oscars.

Top Gun: Maverick is nominated at the Oscars in six categories, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Song, and Best Visual Effects.

However, Top Gun: Maverick have a very slim chance to take home the Best Picture, as Everything Everywhere All at Once seems to be on top in that category.