Steven Spielberg tells Tom Cruise he saved the “Hollywood A**” for turning down the direction of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and has no regrets

MATadminFebruary 14, 2023

Steven Spielberg apparently credits Tom Cruise for “saving Hollywood” with theatrical release Top Gun: Maverick.

Fabelmans The director caught up with Cruise at the Oscar nominees’ luncheon and their encounter was captured in a video that has now gone viral. Spielberg congratulated Cruise on reaching a “milestone” by bringing audiences back to theaters last year.

“You saved a ** of Hollywood,” Spielberg can be heard saying in the video shared by first-time Oscar nominee Karthiki Gonsalves, director of the documentary short. The Elephant Whisperers. “And, you can save theatrical distribution. Seriously. ‘Maverick’ may have saved the entire theatrical industry.

Top Gun: MaverickDirected by Joseph Kosinski, released in May 2022 and grossed over $1.48 billion worldwide.

Steven Spielberg tells Tom Cruise to his face, “You saved Hollywood’s ass. And, you can save the theatrical delivery. Seriously MAVERICK could save the entire theater industry.” I need to go to bed. pic.twitter.com/nYbWbgadM7

— Amanda (@Maristome) February 14, 2023

In a separate interview, Spielberg says he has no regrets about turning down the directorial offer Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneThe film that established the entire franchise.

“There were several films that I chose not to make,” Spielberg told “RRR” director SS Rajamouli during a conversation in India (via Insider). “They offered me ‘Harry Potter’ and I turned down the first ‘Harry Potter’ basically to spend the next year and a half with my family, raising my young children.”

Spielberg continued, “So, I sacrificed a great franchise — one that I’m very happy to look back on today — to be with my family.”

Chris Columbus eventually directed the first adaptation of the JK Rowling book series which was published in 2001. Columbus also directed the sequel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which was released the following year.

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