Glen Powell seems to be Hollywood’s new premier leading man, and he’s taking notes from the leading men that came before him. Powell is currently promoting his buzzy film from the 2025 release schedule, The Running Man, which features the movie star doing some pretty serious stunts. The Running Man trailer alone shows Powell being launched off of a bridge and being sent down an exploding elevator shaft. Apparently, the Anyone but You star actually did a lot of his own stunts and, to fans, his rationale for that sounds awfully similar to that of his former co-star, Tom Cruise.
Glen Powell Shares His Thoughts On Performing Stunts
Powell recently opened up about his budding movie-stardom, and working with Edgar Wright for the highly anticipated Running Man remake. The A-lister told The Guardian that he tried to do as many of his own stunts as possible, and he applies that to his other projects as well. Powell’s comments seem to indicate that his way of thinking is rooted in his love for the audience:
It really sells it because if the audience know that you are in peril, there is an inherent investment. I believe you have to give the audience their value in the ticket. If people are actively going to the theatre, getting a babysitter, maybe doing dinner, you’ve got to justify that ticket price.
This is a really grounded approach and shows that, for Glen Powell, making movies means more than just a paycheck. He goes into a film wanting to make something as tangible as possible, thinking about how viewers will respond and what justifies the price of admission. In other words, if he’s putting himself on the line to make a movie the best it could possibly be, he’s giving people good a reason to go to the cinema. Powell admitted that this idea came from Tom Cruise and how he thinks about making movies:
And that’s what Tom always talks about – you have to have skin on the line. If they’re showing up for you, you’ve got to show up for them.
Clearly, Powell learned a thing or two from working with the Mission: Impossible star. The 37-year-old may not be doing death defying stunts like the motorcycle jump from Dead Reckoning or strapping himself to a plane taking off like Cruise did in Rogue Nation. If Powell keeps this philosophy, he may be well on his way there. I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually see the star doing halo jumps on the big screen.
Fans Can’t Help Seeing The Tom Cruise Similarities
When Powell is just talking about how he feels about stunts, and not specifically referencing Tom Cruise at all, it’s hard not to compare the two actors. Even the way Powell talks about stunts and the audience’s moviegoing experience syncs up with his mentor’s line of thinking. One fan on X predicted this will likely bleed into the upcoming Top Gun 3, saying:
He’s gonna Tom Cruise himself for the next Top Gun and get a pilot license and learn how to fly the military planes himself with the camera guy behind him.
Another fan on X cheekily alluded to Powell’s thoughts in The Guardian’s interview sounding very familiar:
Gee, I wonder who he learned this from?
One fan on X even suggested that Powell may just be the next Tom Cruise after the Jerry Maguire star retires, saying:
More actors should have the Tom Cruise mindset. I’m glad we’ll still have Glen when Tom is done.
This is a mindset that various fans seem to appreciate, and one another user on X said he wishes other stars would adopt it:
I can appreciate it. Tom Cruise is 50+ and still doing his own stunts. It should be industry norm to do your own stunts 😭
Whether or not Glen Powell is the next Tom Cruise remains to be seen, as the former is just beginning his journey as a movie star. However, Powell’s approach to the medium certainly echoes that of Cruise, who seems to have just as much faith in Powell as fans do. This level of commitment and love for filmmaking speaks volumes, and I hope we see Powell get the same amount of recognition and acclaim his predecessors have as his star burns brighter.
You can see Glen Powell in The Running Man, which hits theaters on November 7th, 2025. Fans can also check out his career-defining Tom Cruise collaboration in Top Gun: Maverick, which is currently streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.