Edge of Tomorrow 2 Is Now Closer Than Ever Thanks To Tom Cruise's New Deal

The long-awaited Edge of Tomorrow 2 might now be closer than ever thanks to a new deal between Tom Cruise and Warner Bros. Tom Cruise continues to be one of the most popular and profitable action stars in the film industry, a spot he has maintained since the 1980s, beginning with his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Tony Scott’s Top Gun. Cruise’s popularity continued throughout the 1990s thanks to Mission: Impossible and other projects outside the action genre, as with the comedy-drama Jerry Maguire and the psychological drama Eyes Wide Shut.

Based on the 2004 novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and directed by Doug Liman, Edge of Tomorrow takes the audience to a future where most of Europe is taken over by an alien race. When Major William Cage (Cruise) is forced to join a landing operation against them, he finds himself in a time loop. Despite Edge of Tomorrow’s critical and commercial success, a sequel has been lost in limbo for years, but Cruise’s latest studio deal can finally make Edge of Tomorrow 2 happen.

Tom Cruise Has History With Warner Bros. (But Not In A Decade)

Cruise Last Worked With The Studio On The Original Edge Of Tomorrow

Warner Bros. has announced a new deal with Tom Cruise through which they will jointly develop and produce “original and franchise theatrical films” starring Cruise, beginning in 2024. This isn’t Tom Cruise’s first time working with Warner Bros., and this deal marks his big return to the studio. Warner Bros. is the studio behind some of Cruise’s biggest movies, such as Risky Business (which is widely considered his breakthrough role), the horror movie Interview with the Vampire (where he played Lestat), Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, and Magnolia, for which Cruise got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Cruise’s last project with Warner Bros. was Edge of Tomorrow, in 2014, so his return to the studio could be the push that Edge of Tomorrow 2 needs to finally happen. Since Cruise’s new deal with Warner is to make movies both franchise and original, and Edge of Tomorrow being the last big success they had together, it’s a good sign for Edge of Tomorrow 2.

After Edge of Tomorrow, Cruise’s career has been mostly focused on expanding other franchises, mostly the Mission: Impossible one, but having him back again with Warner makes the expansion of Edge of Tomorrow a lot more likely.

Edge Of Tomorrow 2 Has Been Kicked Around For Years

All Original Players Have Expressed A Desire To Continue The Story

Despite not having an open ending, Edge of Tomorrow left the door open for a sequel as Cage fulfilled his mission and was thrown back to the past, though with a much brighter future. In 2016, Doug Liman signed on to direct the sequel, and that same year, he said Edge of Tomorrow 2 would “revolutionize how people make sequels” as it was “a sequel that’s a prequel” (via Collider).

The following year, the title for the sequel, Live Die Repeat and Repeat, was revealed, and Cruise and Blunt were said to be reprising their roles, but the project began to face a couple of obstacles, mostly the schedules of Blunt, Cruise, and Liman. Tom Cruise’s deal with Warner Bros. can put an end to the scheduling conflicts that have been delaying Edge of Tomorrow 2, and if Blunt and Liman are still up for it, Live Die Repeat and Repeat could finally be on its way to moving past pre-production hell.

Tom Cruise Is Doing More Sequels Lately

Cruise Has Had Disappointments And Great Successes With Recent Sequels

Tom Cruise Sequels:

Unlike a number of other high-profile Hollywood stars, Tom Cruise spent many years of his career largely avoiding franchise filmmaking. He kept the Mission: Impossible movies going, but the idea of him wanting to return for Edge of Tomorrow 2 was exciting because of how rare it was to have him return to a role. However, in recent years, Cruise has shown more of a willingness to make sequels which has had mixed results.

Following his box office success in bringing the character of Jack Reacher to the big screen, it seemed like a perfect franchise to carry on. However, the first attempt at a sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, was a financial and critical failure that ended those franchise plans and led to the character being rebooted as a television series with Alan Ritchson in the lead role.

While that was a disappointment for Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick proved to exceed nearly everyone's expectations as a long-awaited follow-up movie. Decades after the 1986 original, Top Gun: Maverick saw Cruise return to the role of hotshot pilot Maverick in a film that became the highest-grossing movie of Cruise's career. Not only that, but it was a critical success as well, with it even earning a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.

With Mission: Impossible 8 also on the way, it is clear that Cruise is no longer as hesitant to make sequels. Even with missteps like Jack Reacher 2, Cruise has a better track record with sequels than most actors. If Edge of Tomorrow 2 does indeed happen, it is safe to say that it is because Cruise sees it as a worthwhile project and not a mindless cash grab.

The Edge Of Tomorrow Cast & Crew Still Talk About Making The Sequel

Tom Cruise And Doug Liman Keep The Discussion Alive

One of the major fears that could threaten Edge of Tomorrow 2 actually happening is the interest in those involved. The movie was a big blockbuster, but many of the people involved have gone on to bigger movies and bigger success elsewhere which could suggest that they would lose interest in a project that is now a decade old. However, those fears are apparently unfounded as the cast and crew of Edge of Tomorrow still talk about the potential sequel.

Director Doug Liman recently discussed the idea of Edge of Tomorrow 2 and revealed that it is a subject that he and Tom Cruise bring up frequently (via Variety):

“We love that world... Tom and I just actually rewatched it about two months ago, because I hadn’t seen it in 10 years. I was like, ‘Wow, that is a really good movie.’”

Though those involved with the original have certainly kept busy over the last decade, it is reassuring that they still have so much passion for the project. That bodes well for Edge of Tomorrow 2 happening as they have maintained their interest in pushing it forward. However, it also bodes well for the quality of the project. If they remain dedicated to this idea even though they have other franchises and big movies to make, it suggests they are committed to making a sequel that is worth the wait.

When Edge Of Tomorrow 2 Would Likely Arrive

Several Key Players Of Edge Of Tomorrow Have Busy Schedules

While the hope of Edge of Tomorrow 2 is being kept alive after all these years, the next thing fans want to know is when they can expect the movie to arrive. With no official announcement made about Edge of Tomorrow 2 being in production, there is obviously no release date set. However, looking at the people involved in the movie and their schedules ahead, it is clear that there will still be a wait for the much-anticipated sequel.

Unsurprisingly, Tom Cruise will likely be the biggest hurdle to work around in terms of scheduling Edge of Tomorrow 2's production. The actor has a variety of movies on the horizon, including Mission: Impossible 8 which is currently in post-production. He is also collaborating with Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu on an upcoming untitled project as well as working with Scarlett Johansson on his latest movie with Christopher McQuarrie called The Gauntlet. There are also some rumored Cruise projects to consider, including Top Gun 3 and his much-talked-about space movie.

Director Doug Liman is also attached to that space movie with Cruise, making it a choice between that or Edge of Tomorrow 2 for their next project together. However, Liman also has plenty of other movies on the horizon, including the sci-fi film Luna Park and the mountain climbing drama Everest starring Ewan McGregor. Emily Blunt is also staying busy with The Smashing Machine with Dwayne Johnson on the way as well as the possibility of working with Steven Spielberg on his new sci-fi movie The Dish.

With all those upcoming projects in mind, it seems clear that should Edge of Tomorrow 2 be announced as going into production now, it likely wouldn't be until 2027 (at least) that the sequel hits theaters.