When it comes to returning to ground he’s already covered, there’s one Cruise film that seems like a natural choice for a sequel: “Edge of Tomorrow.” The 2014 film, also sometimes called “Live Die Repeat,” is based on a book by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and co-stars Cruise and Emily Blunt as two military leaders tasked with helping to save the world from aliens called Mimics. Only, their mission is interrupted and complicated when Cruise’s character, Major Bill Cage, gets caught in a time loop after exposure to alien blood. The film was well-received, and /Film’s own review called it a movie that takes “a rewarding time travel conceit” and “builds upon that construct in a way we’ve never seen, managing to entertain with humor, action and suspense.”
Despite not making as much of a splash as expected in America, “Edge of Tomorrow” was a moderate financial success upon release, with a global box office gross of $370 against a budget of $178 million according to Box Office Mojo. Those aren’t “Top Gun: Maverick” numbers by any means, but with Cruise’s knack for punching up sequels, they’re enough to warrant a second installment. The cast and crew apparently agreed as well: in 2016, a sequel was announced with “Race” screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse reportedly attached to the script, and original film director Doug Liman returning behind the camera. The project has since seen further script changes, with rewrites from both Jez Butterworth and Matthew Robinson over the years according to IGN.