Dear Tom Cruise..

Open Letter. Just a few points to cover:

My Dear Tom

First: just to say: I am a big fan. It was the fact that you excelled in white collar professional roles whilst incorporating action skills and occasional character work, too. THE FIRM is one of my all time favourites!

Second: I admire your work ethic. It is unbeatable, both as actor and producer.

Third: Sure, move to Birmingham, UK. I am happy to give the guided tour! In return? I want Nicole Kidman’s phone number. Or Rebecca DeMornay’s? Asking for both would be greedy. Just kidding. Sorta 😉 The city is friendly, vibrant, cinematic, growing and you will be able to find, as LAST SAMURAI sought, that ‘small measure of peace’.

4/iv/d..: MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE does NOT have a character arc to close. Ethan Hunt does not have a journey. These are serial adventures, with Ethan as vehicle for said. Indeed, you could run and run with this, like Harrison Ford with Indiana Jones, right into your 80s and beyond! Make Mr Hunt the new IMF boss, as mooted over a decade ago. Whatever. But DON’T KILL HIM OFF! Iron Man, James Bond, Wolverine, Han Solo: all dead. Be original and let Ethan Hunt live. 

Above all: stay safe, well and happy. And with stunt personnel and CGI, you don’t NEED to do such dangerous scenes on film anymore. Best of luck with the opening weekend figures on TOP GUN: MAVERICK.

Sincerely

James x