Tom Cruise sees film resurgence and recalls racing history

Actor Tom Cruise is seeing a resurgence in interest regarding his 2003 film, ‘The Last Samurai’, which has climbed to the number four spot on HBO Max’s top ten movies list. The film's popularity follows viral comments from Cruise, who praised the artistry and cultural significance of the Bushido code and traditional Japanese history depicted in the epic.

In a separate appearance on the ‘On Film… With Kevin McCarthy’ podcast, Kenneth Branagh recounted a past experience racing at the Willow Springs racetrack. Branagh described a high-speed encounter involving Cruise and the late Paul Newman, noting that Cruise drove him to the track in a vehicle he compared to a ‘spaceship’ before handing the keys over to Branagh to pilot.

Cruise also reflected on the creative risks taken during the production of ‘The Last Samurai’ and ‘Days of Thunder’, noting the global appeal and international success of such unconventional projects.