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Tom Cruise Might Become the First Civilian to Spacewalk at the ISS
Universal is game to send Cruise into space for a proposed action film, but plans aren’t official yet
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Daily Correspondent
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Astronauts spend years undergoing rigorous training before they make their first trip into space. And before becoming astronauts, they usually already have years of experience in related fields, such as engineering, geology, aeronautics, physics, medicine and biology; many have doctorates or have seen military combat.
But for actor Tom Cruise , a trip to space might just be another day at the office. Cruise hopes to shoot scenes for an as-yet-untitled action film at the International Space Station (ISS) in the near future. If he succeeds, he’d become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station,” according to Donna Langley , chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.
In a lengthy interview with the BBC ’s Katie Razzall, Langley reveals a few more details about the proposed movie, which is “still an aspiration at this stage,” per the BBC.
“Tom Cruise is taking us to space, he’s taking the world to space,” Langley tells the BBC. “That’s the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom.”
![tom cruise space ship Tom Cruise at press conference](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/28SY3E6TIhnw6P45PAqdM9C7yII=/fit-in/1072x0/filters:focal(2610x1628:2611x1629)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/48/b9/48b9102c-dd9c-4073-815a-e284d57a0dc1/gettyimages-1405340141.jpg)
Cruise and director Doug Liman , who worked together on the 2014 movie Edge of Tomorrow , pitched the idea for the new film to Langley on a Zoom call during the pandemic. Though she didn’t share too many specific details about the plot, the general gist is that the storyline “actually takes place on earth, and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.”
Cruise is already known for doing many of his own stunts, including some potentially dangerous ones , so it comes as no surprise that he’s willing to take a rocket to the space station for the sake of cinema. As Daniel Kreps writes for Rolling Stone , it’s unclear whether Cruise would actually go inside the ISS or just walk around outside of the orbiting laboratory.
NASA, for its part, seems willing to collaborate on the movie. Though he has since deleted the tweet, former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote in May 2020 that the agency is looking forward to working with Cruise. “We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make NASA’s ambitious plans a reality,” he wrote. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, which is working with NASA on a number of projects, replied that the project “should be a lot of fun!” As Deadline ’s Mike Fleming Jr. reported at the time, Musk, Cruise and NASA were all reportedly working together to make the film a reality.
Despite his lack of official astronaut training, Cruise does have some cinematic experience with space and aviation. In 2013, he played a futuristic drone technician who must defend Earth against alien invaders in Oblivion . He also narrated the 2002 Imax documentary Space Station 3D . One of his most popular air-and-space-related films, of course, is Top Gun , the 1986 flick about Navy fighter pilots. Cruise also recently starred in the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick .
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Since the space station’s launch nearly 24 years ago in 1998, ISS crewmembers have made just 253 spacewalks —in other words, they’re not something NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), Roscosmos or any of the other major space station partners take lightly. Spacewalks are inherently dangerous and, as such, NASA has a whole slew of rules and guidelines around them. As Paola Rosa-Aquino writes for Space.com , they’re also expensive and time-consuming—whenever possible, crewmembers try to use robotic arms to work outside the ISS.
Sometimes, though, astronauts (and Russian cosmonauts) have to go on spacewalks as a last resort. They typically have very specific reasons for leaving the space station, such as performing maintenance or installing new equipment. NASA calls these adventures “extravehicular activities.”
Wearing highly specialized suits outfitted with life support gear, crewmembers depart the space station through a special set of airlock doors. They remain attached to the space station via tethers, and they usually spend five to eight hours in space while completing their objectives.
Astronauts must complete special training before they undertake spacewalks. They spend a lot of time at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, they practice spacewalks in a 6.2-million-gallon pool in which they neither sink nor float. For every hour a crewmember will spend on an ISS spacewalk, they must spend seven hours in the pool, per NASA . They also train via virtual reality technologies that simulate extravehicular activities.
If Cruise ever does make it into orbit, there is another thing he’ll have to keep in mind: remembering to focus in the face of the vast cosmos. And that’s not necessarily an easy feat, as NASA astronaut Mike Fincke told CNN ’s Ashley Strickland last year.
“It’s really truly breathtaking,” he told the publication. “The only thing between you and the rest of the universe, seeing the whole cosmos of creation, is the glass faceplate of your visor on your helmet, and it’s just awe-inspiring.”
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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.
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A talk with Tom Cruise as the astronauts cruise around the planet.
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By Kenneth Chang
- Sept. 17, 2021
Maverick has called space.
The Inspiration4 crew has talked to the actor Tom Cruise: Maverick was the call sign of his fighter pilot character in the 1986 movie “Top Gun.”
Rook, Nova, Hanks, and Leo spoke to @TomCruise sharing their experience from space. Maverick, you can be our wingman anytime. pic.twitter.com/5YTfyRZhrd — Inspiration4 (@inspiration4x) September 17, 2021
Like the Top Gun character, the four astronauts orbiting Earth have their own call signs. Jared Isaacman, the billionaire underwriting the mission, has flown fighter jets and already had a call sign: Rook, short for rookie. As part of the training for flying to orbit, Mr. Isaacman took his crewmates up in the air for fighter jet flights so they could experience high-G forces during sharp turns.
The other three crew members chose their own call signs. Hayley Arceneaux is Nova, Sian Proctor is Leo and Christopher Sembroski is Hanks.
Mr. Cruise also has space dreams. In May 2020, Jim Bridenstine, then the administrator of NASA, confirmed that the space agency had talked with Mr. Cruise about shooting a film on the International Space Station.
Since then, there has been no update about the progress of the movie or when Mr. Cruise may blast off. But he will return to the cockpit in a sequel called “Top Gun: Maverick,” now expected to be released in May 2022.
But if he does go, he will probably not be the first actor shooting a movie in space. A Russian actress and a director are scheduled to visit the space station next month to make a movie named “Challenge,” about a surgeon sent to orbit to save the life of a Russian astronaut.
Kenneth Chang has been at The Times since 2000, writing about physics, geology, chemistry, and the planets. Before becoming a science writer, he was a graduate student whose research involved the control of chaos. More about Kenneth Chang
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Everything to Know About Tom Cruise’s New Movie Set in Actual Space
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CGI won’t be necessary when it comes to Tom Cruise’s newest project. The actor has fought aliens in robot suits, traveled to the depths of the galaxy, and has flown numerous types of planes and jets, all with the help of movie magic. But when it comes to the space walk he’s set to take for his new film with director Doug Liman, the plan is this time for it to be the real deal.
Universal Pictures is backing Cruise and Liman’s new movie, which plans to film at least some scene in actual space. Donna Langley, the chairman of Universal told the BBC that the hope is for Cruise to head up in a rocket to the International Space Station and from there, to be “the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station.”
To help with that goal, Liman and Universal have enlisted both SpaceX and NASA. Liman also reportedly has a budget of around $200 million, according to Variety . Cruise, apparently, is said to be getting anywhere from $30 to $60 million for his role as the star and producer of the film.
Cruise and Liman originally pitched the film, which doesn’t yet have a name, to Langley during the pandemic over Zoom. Langley clarified that the majority of the movie will actually take place on earth. Cruise will play “a down-on-his-luck guy who finds himself in the position of being the only person who could save Earth” and he will eventually have to “go up to space to save the day.” As of now, there isn’t much more information on the plot of the movie, or the timeline for its filming.
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Tom Cruise Movie Reportedly Has an Actual Space Walk in its Sights
First, though, he has to actually get to the International Space Station.
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Climbing the world's tallest building didn't take him high enough, nor did jumping back into the cockpit of a fighter jet , apparently. At some point, Tom Cruise will be headed to space for a movie set aboard the International Space Station , and filming will reportedly involve a real-life space walk.
Cruise is known for performing many of his own outrageous stunts, but a space walk would top them all. If it happens, he would become the first civilian ever to venture outside of the International Space Station for a casual stroll some 250 miles above the Earth.
Variety is reporting that the head of Universal Pictures, Donna Langley, told the BBC that "hopefully" Cruise will add that space walk to his list of accomplishments. "We have a great project in development with Tom, that does contemplate him doing just that," she said in an interview with the BBC.
In 2020, then-NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed that the space agency would be working with Cruise on a film aboard the space station.
There have been 253 space walks outside the ISS since 1998, according to NASA . All have been performed by professional, qualified astronauts like Samantha Cristoforetti , who holds the world record for the longest space flight by a European. Cruise has performed some impressive stunts and played adventurous roles, but it's safe to say he will be the most novice space voyager to walk outside the ISS to date.
Little is known about the movie so far, including a potential plot and projected filming or release dates. Universal didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Will Tom Cruise perform a spacewalk while shooting film on space station?
Cruise reteams with "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman for a possible trip into space
![tom cruise space ship Oblivion](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeYVWFJE8mRzkNa9UjN48b-320-80.jpg)
Anyone who has ever seen Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise hanging off jet airplanes, scaling skyscrapers, or zooming through traffic on a motorcycle in countless action blockbusters knows he's truly a man without fear.
But his signature daredevil DNA doing his own insane stunts might be put to the test for one of his next film projects as he experiences a zero-gravity spacewalk that could jangle his steadfast nerves in unimaginable ways.
Donna Langley, Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, wants to send international leading man Tom Cruise up into Earth orbit for a space-based action thriller that was originally pitched to her back in 2020 by Cruise and director Doug Liman.
Per the BBC , the basic story outline begins on terra firma , with the " Top Gun: Maverick " star then ascending into the heavens via a rocket to the International Space Station where the down-on-his-luck character's arc requires him to complete a dangerous spacewalk to save the planet.
Video: Tom Cruise talks space with NASA astronaut Victor Glover
According to a BBC News interview, this movie is still in the development stages but if it does get a green light by Universal, Cruise will add the distinction of being "the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station" to his storied career.
![tom cruise space ship Edge of Tomorrow](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WeRaUcAGq9bXNXvLYRc38i-320-80.jpg)
Cruise, who narrated the 2002 IMAX documentary "Space Station 3D," has ventured into the realm of science fiction several times in his lifetime, the most notable titles being director Cameron Crowe’s "Vanilla Sky," "Minority Report" and "War of the Worlds" for director Steven Spielberg, "Oblivion," directed by "Top Gun: Maverick's" Joseph Kosinski, and "Edge of Tomorrow" on which he worked with Liman, the same filmmaker who boldly proposed sending Cruise up into space.
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Although delivering Cruise beyond the bounds of gravity outside the space station is a risky proposition that would require some pricey insurance bonds put up by Universal, Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA (who worked together on private spaceflights to the International Space Station on Axiom Space's Ax-1 mission earlier this year) seem to be onboard the ambitious idea so we'll keep you informed on any new developments as they're announced.
Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook .
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].
Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.
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Tom Cruise to ‘Yes, And’ Himself Off the Face of the Earth
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Tom Cruise has painted himself into such a corner with his stunts that the only way out is to leave the planet entirely. How do you top climbing the Burj Khalifa for Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol ? Cling to the side of a jet plane as it takes off in Rogue Nation . How do you top riding the outside of a jet plane in flight? Film an action scene inside of a real NASA plane in free fall from 25,000 feet for The Mummy . How do you top acting mid-free-fall? Do it again, but ditch the plane and just skydive 106 times to get the right shot for Fallout . How do you top that ? Become “the first civilian to do a spacewalk outside of the space station.” This stunt will “hopefully” be filmed for an upcoming action movie set in space , according to Universal chairman Donna Langley. Langley told the BBC that the project is in development with Doug Liman attached as director. The project was first announced in 2020, when NASA confirmed that it would be collaborating with Cruise and Liman to film aboard the International Space Station. However, Elon Musk is, unfortunately, involved .
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Screen Rant
Tom cruise gives careful update on his outer space movie.
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Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise offers a careful update about his ambitious plans for a new film which would see him launched into space. First announced in May 2020, the untitled project is set to reunite Cruise with his Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman and reportedly involves using Elon Musk’s SpaceX program to allow him to shoot scenes set aboard the International Space Station. While Cruise’s journey into space was originally planned for October 2021, it has since been pushed back allowing the Russian-made film The Challenge to become the first time a professional actor has been filmed in space.
Variety spoke with Cruise about the out-of-this-world project during his red-carpet appearance at the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One New York premiere.
Suggesting that he still does not know when the project will finally see him shot into outer space, he revealed that both he and Liman have been diligently working on their plans stating " I don't know yet. We've been working on it diligently, and we'll see where we go. "
How Going Into Space Is The Next Natural Step For Tom Cruise
With a career spanning over four decades, Tom Cruise has consistently proven himself an audience drawcard with few equals. Between strapping himself into the cockpit of a $70 million Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet to climbing the world’s tallest building, Cruise has regularly put himself into increasingly risky situations in order to deliver some of cinema’s most memorable moments. Moreover, Cruise’s insistence on providing audiences with real-life stuntwork over digital wizardry has also continued to deliver healthy box-office returns at a time when other big-budget blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are struggling.
With Cruise constantly upping the ante and challenging himself to perform even bigger and better stunts, it was only a matter of time before he set his sights on space. Having already used nearly every conceivable Earth-bound aircraft, the only next logical step available to the daredevil actor would be to climb into a rocket and leave the planet behind entirely. While it is now too late for Tom Cruise to make the first film in space , what is already known about Cruise's plans would suggest that he is set on becoming the first civilian to perform a spacewalk at the International Space Station.
Related: Tom Cruise's Huge Space Movie Plan Can Complete A Wild Career Trend
While Cruise’s latest update does not provide much of an indication of when audiences can expect to see his extra-planetary escapades for themselves, it seems the star is still keen to see his plans eventuate. With his latest action-packed efforts in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One already drawing considerable praise, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact Tom Cruise 's most ambitious film will have when it finally arrives from beyond our world’s atmosphere.
Source: Variety
Tom Cruise's Space Movie Will Film Aboard the International Space Station
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Why Was Doc Holliday Always Sweating in 'Tombstone'?
This gripping psychological drama is based on a real-life tragedy, ‘trap’ is about to capture a domestic box office milestone.
Just a day after announcing a partnership with Elon Musk ’s SpaceX to film a movie in actual outer space, international (and soon to be interplanetary) movie star Tom Cruise has negotiated a deal with NASA to film aboard the International Space Station. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the news of the organization’s partnership with Cruise on his official Twitter account, which is a sentence I never expected to write.
As reported by Variety , the project will be a feature-length action-adventure film, but will not be an installment of Cruise’s popular Mission: Impossible series. I can only hope that Cruise is secretly teaming up with Vin Diesel to play the villain in the 10th Fast and Furious film and finally bring that franchise to outer space where it belongs. There are no further details about the movie at this time, so my baseless and borderline irresponsible speculation is currently as good as anything.
Cruise has been going through the greatest midlife crisis in history over the past decade, throwing himself into incredible stunt sequences like scaling the Burj Khalifa, clinging to the side of a cargo plane during takeoff, and performing several HALO jumps for his Mission: Impossible films. Launching himself into space for our enjoyment was the logical next step, although I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Cruise turns 58 this year, and there’s no telling when filming on this project will actually begin. In fairness, the oldest person to go to space was John Glenn at the age of 77, but he was a veteran astronaut, and Cruise is a handsome man who can run fast. Still, I absolutely cannot wait to see what kind of movie comes out of this madness.
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Tom Cruise gets sneak preview from SpaceX’s 1st private crew
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This photo provided by SpaceX shows the passengers of Inspiration4 in the Dragon capsule on their first day in space. They are, from left, Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Chris Sembroski and Sian Proctor. SpaceX got them into a 363-mile (585-kilometer) orbit following Wednesday night’s launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. That’s 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. (SpaceX via AP)
In this photo provided by Inspiration4, Elon Musk, front center, poses with the all-amateur crew before departure to Launch Complex 39A for a launch into space, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, at Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Standing behind Musk, from left to right, are Chris Sembroski, Jared Isaacman, Sian Proctor and Hayley Arceneaux. (John Kraus/Inspiration4 via AP)
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Tom Cruise got a sneak preview of what it’s like to circle Earth in a SpaceX capsule.
Representatives for SpaceX’s first privately chartered flight revealed Friday that the actor took part in a call with the four space tourists orbiting more than 360 miles up. Thursday’s conversation, like the entire three-day flight, was private and so no details were released.
“Maverick, you can be our wingman anytime,” came the announcement from the flight’s Twitter feed. Cruise starred as Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 1986 film “Top Gun.” A sequel comes out next year.
Last year, NASA confirmed it was in talks with Cruise about visiting the International Space Station for filming. SpaceX would provide the lift, as it does for NASA astronauts, and like it did Wednesday night for the billionaire up there now with his two contest winners and a hospital worker.
Their flight is due to end Saturday night with a splashdown in the Atlantic off the Florida coast.
The four showed off their capsule in a live broadcast Friday. They’re flying exceedingly high in the automated capsule, even by NASA standards.
SpaceX got them into a 363-mile (585-kilometer) orbit following Wednesday night’s launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. That’s 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. It’s so high that they’re completing 15 orbits of Earth daily, compared with 16 for station astronauts.
Until this all-amateur crew, relatively few NASA astronauts had soared that high. The most recent were the shuttle astronauts who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope over multiple flights in the 1990s and 2000s.
To enhance the views, SpaceX outfitted the Dragon capsule with a custom, bubble-shaped dome. Photos of them looking out this large window were posted online, otherwise little else had been publicly released of their first day in space.
Besides talking space with Cruise, the four capsule passengers chatted Thursday with young cancer patients. Hayley Arceneaux, a childhood cancer survivor, led the conversation from orbit with patients from the hospital that saved her life almost 20 years ago: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A 6-year-old-boy wanted to know if there are cows on the moon — like in the nursery rhyme.
“I hope there will be one day. Right now, no, there aren’t,” replied another passenger, Sian Proctor. “We’re going to go back to the moon soon and we’re going to investigate all kinds of things about it.”
The video linkup was not broadcast live, but shared by St. Jude on Friday. Seeing the Earth from so high is “so beautiful,” Arceneaux told them.
Now a physician assistant at St. Jude, Arceneaux is the youngest American in space at age 29.
Pennsylvania entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, 38, purchased the entire flight for an undisclosed amount. He’s seeking to raise $200 million for St. Jude through the flight he’s named Inspiration4, half of that coming from his own pocket.
The two other Dragon riders won their seats through a pair of contests sponsored by Isaacman: Chris Sembroski, 42, a data engineer, and Proctor, 51, a community college educator.
During the broadcast Friday afternoon, Sembroski played a ukulele that will be auctioned off for St. Jude. “You can turn your volume down if you wish, but I’ll give it a shot,” he said.
Proctor, who is an artist, showed off a drawing in her sketchbook of a Dragon capsule being carried by a mythological dragon away from Earth.
All four share SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s quest to open space to everyone.
“Missions like Inspiration4 help advance spaceflight to enable ultimately anyone to go to orbit & beyond,” Musk tweeted Thursday after chatting with his orbiting pioneers.
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Mission Possible: How Tom Cruise's plan to film in space fits NASA's trajectory
As nasa looks to inspire, a film set on the international space station is the next logical step.
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As two American astronauts get set to lift off into history on the first privately built rocket ship on Saturday, Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is preparing his own launch into the record books.
The 57-year-old action star is preparing for a feature length film to be shot on location in the International Space Station and directed by Edge of Tomorrow filmmaker Doug Liman. NASA and SpaceX will be collaborating on the venture.
NASA is excited to work with <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomCruise</a> on a film aboard the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a>’s ambitious plans a reality. <a href="https://t.co/CaPwfXtfUv">pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv</a> — @JimBridenstine
For an actor known for performing his own stunts, space represents the final frontier of Cruise's career, said film critic Jason Gorber.
"His entire brand is for him as an action hero to bring us along for the journey," he said. "We need to see him struggling. We need to see him running with his hands pointed."
![tom cruise space ship tom cruise space ship](https://i.cbc.ca/1.5591116.1590786600!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/jason-gorber.jpg)
Indeed, as Cruise has gotten older he's focused less on the acting feats that brought him to Hollywood's attention and more on daring widescreen stunts.
For Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Cruise hung off the side of an Airbus cargo plane as it lumbered into the sky. In his most recent film, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Cruise broke an ankle while filming a rooftop chase scene. In the footage, Cruise can be seen hitting the side of the building, pulling himself up and hobbling forward to finish the shot .
In a world where computer graphics make such self-sacrifice unnecessary, Gorber said we crave reality even more.
He said the actor's approach is, "'I'm going to put myself in danger for your entertainment,' and we get a visceral thrill from that."
Boldly filming in zero-G
Up until now, the closest Hollywood has come to portraying the effects of space would be the 1995 film Apollo 13 . For the movie starring Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon, director Ron Howard shot scenes of zero gravity by filming short excerpts in NASA's KC-135 aircraft. By flying in a parabolic arc, the Boeing jet creates the feeling of weightlessness 25 seconds at time. In the end the cast and crew of Apollo 13 logged 612 zero-G flights .
WATCH | Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon try a test flight aboard the "vomit comet":
While shooting in space seems the apogee of Cruise's ambitions, it's also a sign of an increasing level of openness from NASA itself. In recent years there's been a new wave of films about space exploration made with administration's co-operation, such as The Martian , the Apollo 11 documentary and the Ryan Gosling film First Man .
In 2017 alone, NASA was involved in a record 143 documentaries, 25 feature films and 41 TV programs according to NASA's Houston We Have a Podcast . Now with new missions to Mars and the moon in the works, NASA is actively looking for ways to capture the public's attention.
Where space itself is the special effect
While putting a movie star in orbit may help NASA, it also fits the current trajectory of big budget blockbusters. As smaller films move to streaming services, the big screen has become the realm of so-called "event" films, the kind of movies that simply have to be seen in a theatre.
"We live in strange times where the entire theatrical experience is undergoing enormous stress," Gorber said. "But one thing that brings people in is spectacle. What better spectacle would there be than Tom Cruise floating in the International Space Station?"
According to reports, there's already a first draft of a screenplay for the space film, but no major studio attached. Even if Cruise finds the financing and books a seat on a SpaceX flight, making a movie in space will be an entirely different kind of mission, said video game entrepreneur Richard Garriott.
![tom cruise space ship tom cruise space ship](https://i.cbc.ca/1.5591130.1590794536!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/richard-garriott.jpg)
He would know. Garriott paid millions to spend 12 days on the ISS, where he created his own short film, The Apogee of Fear .
First there's the environment. Garriott points out space stations are filled with buzzing and humming equipment built to keep humans alive. "Quiet on the set" does not apply.
Then there's the issue of orbital dynamics. While working with the astronauts who appeared in his film, Garriott quickly learned the futility of blocking out a scene.
"If you decide you want to move a foot to the left, you start moving to the left and you keep going to the left because of Newton's laws and mechanics," he said. "Setting up and completing shots is considerably more difficult in zero gravity."
WATCH | Apogee of Fear, the first narrative film shot in space:
But as a son of a NASA astronaut and artist, Garriott is excited about the opportunities. He said private companies such as SpaceX have already dropped the cost of access space tenfold. "As the flight frequency becomes greater it also becomes safer and cheaper. so people can start looking to space to live, work and even create art."
While the idea of escaping the bonds of Earth to sell popcorn might sully the grander mission for some, self-professed space geek Gorber isn't bothered.
"We have always lived vicariously through the adventures of others," he said. "So to have Cruise go up, he's not only doing it for our entertainment, but he's doing it for us, in a true sort of sense."
![tom cruise space ship tom cruise space ship](https://i.cbc.ca/1.5528559.1586467114!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/iss-interior-columbus-lab.jpg)
With both Cruise and director Liman currently committed to other projects, it will be years before the project gets off the ground.
In the meantime, as one of few private citizens who's experienced the awe and isolation of circling 400 kilometres above the Earth, Garriott hopes the eventual film will show viewers the challenges and pleasures of the experience, "And therefore increase their own aspirations to explore."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Senior entertainment reporter
Eli Glasner is the senior entertainment reporter and screentime columnist for CBC News. Covering culture has taken him from the northern tip of Moosonee Ontario to the Oscars and beyond. You can reach him at [email protected].
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Tom Cruise Is Making a Movie in Space With SpaceX and NASA
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Greetings, earthlings. Welcome to another edition of The Monitor , WIRED’s entertainment news roundup. This time around we have news about a Labyrinth sequel (nearly 35 years later, but we’ll take it), a new pandemic-ready movie that was shot on an iPhone, and Tom Cruise's plans to film in space. Here, let us explain.
As you might recall, a few weeks ago we told you about some rumors flying around Hollywood suggesting that Tom Cruise wanted to shoot a movie in space with the help of NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX . Turns out, there was something to them after all. Per a report on Deadline , director Doug Liman, who directed Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow , is on board to helm a new action film that will enlist the help of NASA and SpaceX for at least some of the filming.
Little is known about the plot, but Deadline’s report notes that Liman wrote the first draft of the script and Cruise is a producer on the film. Given the current pandemic and the training Cruise and others will likely have to go through, there’s no telling exactly when the film could start production, but it looks like this one might actually happen. Let’s see if we can get #SendTomCruiseToSpace trending.
Speaking of surprising news, Labyrinth is getting a sequel. Deadline is reporting that Scott Derrickson will direct the follow-up to the 1986 Jim Henson classic. The movie, which has the backing of the Jim Henson Company, will be written by Maggie Levin, who wrote and directed the “My Valentine” installment of Hulu’s Into the Dark . Derrickson recently stepped away from the sequel to his Marvel film Doctor Strange over creative differences.
If there’s one movie that encompasses Right Now, it might be IWeirDo . The rom-com and debut feature from Taiwan’s Liao Ming-Yi was filmed entirely using an iPhone XS and features two soulmates—a girl who is a germophobe and a guy who is almost constantly washing his hands. Oh, also you’ll be able to watch its premiere online due to the coronavirus . The film is opening the Far East Film Festival , which typically takes place in Udine, Italy, but this year is happening online as that country continues to deal with Covid-19. The festival will take place June 26 to July 4, and IWeirDo will premiere on Italian site MyMovies .
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Universal Circling Tom Cruise-Doug Liman Film to Shoot in Space (EXCLUSIVE)
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Universal Pictures is in negotiations to land Tom Cruise ‘s new film, a project set to make history as the first narrative feature shot in space, insiders tell Variety .
The movie, which will be directed by former Cruise collaborator Doug Liman , made waves in May for its record-chasing ambition and for recruiting the full cooperation of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and NASA, who will house the production on the International Space Station.
This kind of innovation does not come cheap. Sources said the production budget has been set at $200 million in the most optimistic projections. Cruise could earn somewhere between $30 million and $60 million, according to insiders. This would cover his services as a producer and star, and also be comprised of significant first-dollar gross participation over a windfall up front.
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Representatives for Universal had no comment. A Cruise representative had no immediate comment on the matter.
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The inherent marketing value around a global event like this is obvious. Similar to the recent historic launch of SpaceX’s Dragon crew vessel, the entire world will watch as Cruise is rocketed into space, forcing natural curiosity around the results. The stakes are also high from a filmmaking standpoint. As one person familiar with the project put it, “you can’t be sure what you’re going to get up there, and you have one shot to do it.”
A major issue for any company considering the project is insuring Cruise and the filmmaking team, as no scripted production has ever conceived of shooting action sequences outside of Earth’s orbit. The movie is also said to not yet have a script.
At least two of the major streaming platforms were not invited to bid on the project, according to another insider, citing a strong preference from filmmakers to roll out the pic as a splashy theatrical event with a traditional studio.
To call the film an investment on Universal’s part would be an understatement. Cruise must still finish production on the latest “Mission: Impossible” film, which was stalled thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, before he heads directly into the eighth installment of the Paramount franchise.
Given his production schedule and what several insiders familiar with the project noted as considerable prep time for the cinematic feat, 58-year-old Cruise could be well over 60 by the time he straps into the SpaceX Dragon vessel and jets to the ISS to make his call time on set.
Liman and Cruise have previously collaborated on the films “Edge of Tomorrow” and “American Made.”
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How Much Of Tom Cruise’s Space Movie Is Actually Going To Be Set In Space?
Tom Cruise is looking to make history filming a movie in space, but just how long will he actually be there.
![tom cruise space ship Tom Cruise as Pete Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KSxWzKU4e97JB9yA3Waip-320-80.jpg)
Tom Cruise isn’t just a massive movie star but he’s a movie star that is so dedicated to his craft that he rarely, if ever, lets a stuntman take over. Cruise has hung from helicopters, done HALO jumps, and jumped off mountains for the Mission: Impossible franchise , and reports are that an upcoming Tom Cruise movie will literally put the actor in space. Now we have a bit of an idea just how much of the movie would put Cruise in space, and while it's not a lot, it should be enough.
In an interview with the BBC , Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Donna Langley talks about the project, which would film in and around the International Space Station, and yes, I do mean, around, as the movie, if it happens as planned, would make Tom Cruise the first civilian to do a spacewalk. Langley explains…
I think Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He's taking the world to space but yeah, that's the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom that does contemplate him doing just that, yeah, taking a rocket up to the space station and shooting and hopefully being the first civilian to do a space walk outside of the space station.
Langley says that that the project is in development, and that it “contemplates” Tom Cruise flying up to the space station to film this movie, so this is clearly far from a done deal. There are likely going to be a lot of potential hurdles in the way of Tom Cruise filming in space and doing a spacewalk, and that’s on top of all the regular hurdles that every major Hollywood production has to overcome in order to actually become a movie.
It perhaps unsurprising to learn that the entire idea of “Tom Cruise goes to space” came directly from the actor himself. Not only is Cruise willing to do all his own stunts , he clearly enjoys doing them and wants to push the envelope and try new things. I suppose after you’ve done a HALO jump for a Mission: Impossible movie , the only way to top that is to increase the altitude until you’re literally in space.
Assuming this movie does happen, however, fans will apparently need to wait a bit for all the cool outer space action. Langley reveals that it’s only the finale of the movie that takes place in space, but that will of course make the end of this particular movie one for the record books. Langley continues…
It was Tom directly, and he collaborates very closely with a director called Doug Liman. And during the pandemic, he asked for a Zoom call with us and got on onto the call and said, 'Guys, I've got this great project and and here it is.' So the majority of the story actually takes place on Earth and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.
To be fair, getting an entire movie of Tom Cruise in space was going to be a tall order. Of course, once Tom Cruise gets a taste for making movies in space, he may decide he wants to push the envelope even further, and maybe then we will get the first movie shot entirely in outer space where Tom Cruise becomes the first civilian to pilot a shuttle. I’m not betting against it.
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Tom Cruise Gives Update on Plans to Film a Movie in Space: 'Working on It Diligently'
The actor's latest film "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" is in theaters now
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Tom Cruise is still charting his work trip to space.
Back in 2020 it was revealed that the actor was planning to film a movie in outer space .
While at the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One premiere in New York City this week, Cruise, 61, was asked about the status of the space-exploring film.
“We’ve been working on it diligently,” he teased to Variety . “We’ll see where we go.”
The project was first announced by NASA back in 2020, days after a report came out claiming Cruise was looking to space for cinematic inspiration.
NASA director Jim Bridenstein led the charge: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”
Elon Musk , founder of SpaceX , tacked onto the excitement. “Should be a lot of fun!" Musk replied in a tweet.
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Weeks later, Deadline reported that the project had confirmed Doug Liman to direct . Cruise and Liman previously worked together on 2014's Edge of Tomorrow and 2017's American Made .
Two years later, Universal Pictures executive Donna Langley confirmed the movie’s production in an interview with BBC News .
“I think Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He's taking the world to space," Langley said. "That's the plan. We have a great project in development with Tom that does contemplate him doing just that, taking a rocket up to the Space Station and shooting and hopefully being the first civilian to do a space walk outside of the Space Station."
The upcoming film, which Langley said Cruise pitched to her over a Zoom call during the pandemic, has a budget in the area of $200 million, according to Variety .
Stefania M. D'Alessandro/Getty
“During the pandemic he asked for a Zoom call with us and got onto the call and said, 'Guys, I've got this great project and here it is,' " Langley said. "The majority of the story actually takes place on Earth and then the character needs to go up to space to save the day.”
While Cruise works “diligently” on his space film, he is currently rolling out his latest Mission: Impossible movie. While Dead Reckoning Part One can be found in theaters now, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie admitted that Part Two is yet to be completed. “We finish this tour, and on our way back to the U.K. we stop to scout along the way. We hit the ground running as soon as we get back,” McQuarrie told Variety . “I get two days of vacation between here and Tokyo and I’m back on.”
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- Trivia There were ten days of location shooting in Iceland, where daylight lasted virtually 24 hours. Joseph Kosinski wanted to make a film that was very much based in daylight, considering that a lot of classic sci-fi movies like Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982) were shot in near darkness.
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Jack Harper : If we have souls, they are made of the love we share... undimmed by time and bound by death.
- Crazy credits The Universal logo features the Earth in its ruined state in 2077 in the film, with the logo's letters rusted. The Tet space station is seen orbiting the world.
- Alternate versions The film's IMAX release presented the film open-matte, at an aspect ratio of 1.90:1, meaning there was more picture information visible in the top and bottom of the frame than in normal theaters and on home video.
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Disney Destiny 2025 cruise: Disney, Marvel and Pixar heroes and villains collide on impressive new ship
Everything you need to know about disney cruise line's disney destiny ship, setting sail november 2025.
It's a battle of good versus evil on the newest addition to Disney Cruise Line. Disney Destiny , which sets sail November 2025, brings a "Heroes and Villains" themed adventure to the sea, featuring characters pulled from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Disney Parks.
"For the Disney Destiny, we will introduce brand-new cruise experiences inspired by the legends and legacies of some of Disney’s most iconic heroes and villains," a statement from Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line, reads. "From the dining rooms to the staterooms and everywhere in between, guests aboard our new ship will be surrounded by extraordinary storytelling paired with the signature service and family-fun adventures that are hallmarks of a Disney Cruise vacation."
For the first time in Disney Cruise Line history a Marvel superhero will be the signature stern character, with a sculpture of Spider-Man and his Spider-Bots. Featured in the Grand Hall will be a statue of T’Challa from Black Panther.
Where is the Disney Destiny cruise ship sailing?
Disney Destiny will set off on its maiden voyage from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida next year. Its inaugural season will consist of four and five-night cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean, including visits to Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
What's new on the Disney Destiny cruise ship?
New dining experiences are set to be a highlight aboard Disney Destiny, including Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King . Animals and nature will be featured through lighting and special effects, including a back wall that will transform from sunrise to sunset during each guest's meal. Performances will include “Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata,” and a mash-up of “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Be Prepared."
Edna Á La Mode Sweets will be the location for a sweet treat. Based on Edna Mode’s lab from The Incredibles movies and inspired by the Auntie Edna short film, the lab's sewing equipment is replaced with a sweet-making machine with gelato, ice cream, cookies, candies, and specialty treats to eat.
While AquaMouse was the first-ever Disney attraction at sea, a 760-foot water ride on the Disney Wish , a new AquaMouse storyline will debut on Disney Destiny. Mickey and Minnie take guests on a trek to the peak of Villain Mountain and have to sing a silly song to thwart the villains they come in contact with on the way.
What can adults do on a Disney Destiny cruise?
For all the Cruella de Vil fans, this cruise is for you. Disney Destiny will feature De Vil's piano lounge. It's described as a "lavish" bar with trendy and chic cocktails and wines, featuring a Hollywood Regency-inspired aesthetic and a black, white and red colour palette.
Cask and Cannon pulls inspiration for the Pirates of the Caribbean attractions at Disney Parks, a pub filled with "treasures." Live televised sporting events will be shown at the pub, which will also have a menu of rare rums, and "bootlegged brews" served pirate-style.
For the Marvel fans, Doctor Strange elements hit the seas with The Sanctum, a lounge for coffee, cocktails and entertainment.
What do the staterooms and suites look like on Disney Destiny?
There's one thing you can always count on from a Disney cruise, the staterooms and suites will look gorgeous, and that's certainly the case for what we've seen for Disney Destiny.
Each stateroom is set to include custom artwork featuring the journeys of famous Disney legends.
Concierge guests on the ship will receive a "premium level of dedicated service and access to exclusive areas and amenities." That will include the concierge lounge and access to the private sun deck. The concierge staterooms and suites will include Fantasia- inspired watercolour-style artwork.
Seven ocean view rooms will be decorated with elements from The Incredibles and feature floor-to-ceiling views.
The royal suites include the Hercules -themed Hero Suites with Greco-Roman design features and the IncrediSuites where mid-century modern aesthetics meet The Incredibles.
The penthouse Destiny Tower Suite, with almost 2,000-square-feet of space, will honour Iron Man with its industrial Tony Stark-inspired design. It will also have a full kitchen and private ensuite elevator.
Most staterooms will have the Disney Cruise Line’s split-bath concept and several connecting door option are available for larger groups.
When can you book a Disney Destiny cruise?
Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club members can book a Disney Destiny cruise as early as Sept. 6, with bookings opening to the general public on Sept. 12.
The pricing of the Disney Destiny cruise is currently not available.
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5 great reasons to take norway’s coastal voyage this fall.
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Havila and Hurtigruten coastal cruise ships visit Norway's Hjørundfjord in the fall.
Embarking on the 12-day coastal voyage along Norway's rugged coastline is a stunning experience at any time of the year. However, there are compelling reasons why an autumn voyage offers exceptional opportunities that you won't want to miss.
Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages are the two companies sharing this historic route today. Both operate coastal cruise ferries to the exact same route and timetable, but depart on different days from Bergen.
From the vibrant colors to the start of the Northern Lights season, here are five reasons why you should consider a Norwegian coastal voyage in the fall.
Enjoy Norway’s Fall Colors
Norway's landscapes are already famous for their breathtaking beauty, but in the fall, they transform into a vibrant medley of reds, oranges, browns, and yellows. The coastal journey offers an unbeatable view of this seasonal spectacle.
The fjords, mountains, and forests all come alive with autumnal colors, providing a picturesque backdrop for your voyage. To top things off, a dusting of snow is likely the farther north you venture.
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Whether you're a photographer or just a lover of natural beauty, the fall foliage in Norway is a sight to behold.
The Start Of Northern Lights Season
Fall marks the beginning of the Northern Lights season in Norway . As the nights start to lengthen, the chances of witnessing the magical aurora borealis increase.
Cruise ship passengers trying to photograph an aurora borealis display in Northern Norway.
“When the autumn equinox arrives, displays of the Northern Lights can be enhanced due to the alignment of the Earth’s magnetic field, and the magnetic components of the incoming solar wind,” explains Tom Kerss, Hurtigruten’s chief aurora chaser .
“In October, we get a great balance between dark nights and relatively pleasant temperatures, before the challenging cold of the Arctic winter arrives,” he adds.
Kerss highlights another reason why those interested in the night sky should consider a fall visit in 2024: “In late October, about a month after the equinox, you can enjoy the Orionid meteor shower. Combining meteor-hunting with aurora-chasing is a next-level experience for any keen stargazer.”
The coastal voyage provides an excellent opportunity to see the Northern Lights away from the light pollution of cities. So good is that opportunity that both Hurtigruten and Havila offer a guarantee of seeing the natural phenomenon.
Hurtigruten Norway CEO Hedda Felin explains: “If the Northern Lights do not occur within sight of the ship during your round-trip voyage, Hurtigruten will give you a 6-day southbound or 7-day northbound voyage for free.”
In 2024, Hurtigruten’s northern lights promise starts earlier than usual in mid-September. “The policy extension will allow thousands of guests to feel more confident experiencing the phenomenon that is on many travellers’ bucket lists,” explains Felin.
A Bonus Visit To The Hjørundfjord
On voyages departing Bergen between September 1 and October 31, the coastal voyage itinerary includes a special detour to the Hjørundfjord.
Hurtigruten and Havila ships take a detour into the stunning Hjørundfjord in September and October.
This fjord is less crowded and offers serene, majestic views that are perfect for those looking to experience the tranquility and grandeur of Norway’s natural landscapes.
The Hjørundfjord's dramatic scenery, combined with the fall colors, makes for an unforgettable experience for guests, explains Lasse Vangstein from Havila Voyages : “The steep mountains that drop directly into the fjord, the at-times still water, waterfalls down the hillsides and small communities make it a must-see.”
Although the fall route to the Hjørundfjord replaces the Geirangerfjord trip from the summer timetable, Vangstein says both tourists and locals often consider the Hjørundfjord to be as beautiful, or even more so.
“We get good feedback from our guests on both the scenery and the optional excursions where you can go e-biking, hiking to a mountain farm or visit the hidden gems of the area,” he adds.
It’s Cheaper Than Summer
Traveling in the fall often means lower prices compared to the peak summer season. Coastal voyages in Norway are no exception.
Reduced rates on both Hurtigruten and Havila cruises, combined with fewer tourists, mean you can enjoy the same stunning scenery and unique experiences at a lower cost.
MS Richard With is one of the Hurtigruten fleet of coastal cruise ferries in Norway.
For example, the full 12-day roundtrip voyage with Hurtigruten costs at least $3,500 per person in mid-June, while the fares drop to under $3,000 in September and October.
This makes fall an ideal time for budget-conscious travelers who still want to make the most of their Norwegian adventure.
Authentic Norway
Fall is a quieter season in Norway, allowing for a more authentic and intimate experience with less attractions specifically set up for tourists. The reduced number of tourists means you can enjoy the local culture, cuisine, and traditions without the crowds.
From visiting small coastal towns to exploring local markets, you'll have the chance to see a side of Norway that is often overshadowed by the summer rush. This is particularly evident during port calls with longer durations, such as Trondheim, Bodø, Svolvær, Tromsø, Honningsvåg, and Kirkenes.
It’s also true in the fjord region. Vangstein says that unlike some of Norway’s more famous fjords, the Hjørundfjord has been untouched by mainstream tourism: “It remains a tranquil haven with natural beauty and authentic villages far from the typical tourist routes.”
Havila’s coastal cruise ferries operate on battery power while in the Hjørundfjord, an emission-free and silent mode of travel. “Because we believe in taking care of this beautiful area,” adds Vangstein.
However, be prepared for the weather. Rainfall is possible year-round along the Norwegian coastline, but fall is the wettest season. Come prepared, dress appropriately, and enjoy the authentic charm of Norway in the fall.
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Psst. Hey, sailor. Are you looking for a good time? Then have I got a cruise for you.
Virgin voyages has created a wholly new experience on the seas. or perhaps it’s an unholy new experience..
![tom cruise space ship The Scarlet Lady, one of the ships in the Virgin Voyages fleet.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I6UIZGZ3JFG5BJT2SUPWL6RKV4.jpg?auth=28013e810965c41266296f5b837feac4c9668f399373554eb8b8df2c1f19454f&width=1440)
B ARCELONA — I knew my week aboard the Virgin Voyages ship Scarlet Lady would be different. Still, I had no idea how absolutely, mind-blowingly different the experience would be from other cruises I’d taken. And I’m not simply referring to the giant inflatable octopus that spewed fog or the frisky couple that invited me to join them in their cabin for a nightcap.
Before I boarded the Scarlet Lady, here’s what I knew about Virgin Voyages: It was adults only — sorry, kiddos. I was told it catered to young travelers who liked to party (more on this later). There’s also an onboard tattoo parlor. There was a food hall instead of a buffet, no cruise director, and tips and Wi-Fi were included in the price tag. Also, the striking design of the vessel looked more like a hotel or apartment building than a traditional ship.
Once we sailed out of Barcelona for an eight-day cruise to southern France, Palma de Mallorca, and Ibiza, it didn’t take long to notice some key differences between Virgin and other cruise lines. The most striking difference for me was the diversity among passengers. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen on a cruise ship.
There was a range of ages (Virgin states the average passenger age is 46), a broad mix of races and sexualities, and a healthy blend of couples and solo cruisers. Seeing such a medley of individuals on a single vessel was refreshing. The ship’s come-as-you-are (except if you have kids) message seems to have spread relatively quickly and also found a rabid audience. Virgin currently has three ships, each designed for roughly 2,700 passengers, with a fourth debuting next year.
I booked my cruise on the recommendation of friends. Still, it didn’t hurt that Virgin was named Condé Nast Traveler’s Best New Cruise in the World, along with racking up honors for Cruise Critic’s Best Overall Cruise Line, Best Cabins, Best Dining, Best Service, and Best Value-For Money. The starting rate for cabins on my cruise was $2,500 for the week for an inside cabin, and that price topped out at $15,000 for the biggest, most elaborate cabin on the ship.
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But I also loved the emotional intangibles that don’t earn awards from magazines and websites. This is a cruise line that treats solo travelers like ordinary holidaymakers rather than social pariahs and weird outliers. If I were an average traveling Tom considering a solo cruise, Virgin would be my pick.
Because I travel alone a significant amount of the time, I often see meet-ups for solo cruise passengers buried in the daily program of the ship’s activities. Sometimes, I’ll drop in the first night of these meetings to say hello, and by the second night, it’s crickets — that is, if there were crickets at sea. I often skip such pre-arranged events and meet people on ships more organically, meaning drunk on piña coladas on a chaise lounge at the pool or drunk on rum punch after dinner.
But solo travelers were much more than an afterthought on my cruise. When I got to my cabin on the Scarlet Lady, a prominently displayed, eye-catching card invited me to join other solo sailors during the departure celebration. I thought it would be a standard handshake and hello gathering, but this is where it got interesting. Someone from the crew had created a WhatsApp group for solo passengers. We scanned a QR code with our phones, and instantly, I was chatting with a couple dozen new friends.
![tom cruise space ship From left: Drag queens provide a bit of camp to the proceedings on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady. A group of solo sailors gather on Scarlet Night on the ship.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P2KKMFKBDBCXPFZ6JYDUH25BT4.jpg?auth=eb449c628795ffa2322f842b2129c582367765610720ed513d00f4335367327a&width=1440)
The solo travelers who populated the ship and the WhatsApp group were not timid about meeting new people. Plans were constantly made, photos were shared, and a rotating cast of characters was always present. You could do as little or as much as you wanted with the group. They were all friendly, snarky, fun, sassy, and ready for a good time. I spoke to one shy gent who had worried before going on the cruise that he would eat dinner alone every night. Instead, he was surrounded by fellow voyagers who pulled him out of his shell and onto the dance floor nightly.
When I excitedly described this setup to friends, a common question was, “Were they a bunch of losers? Who goes on a cruise by themselves?” Besides me (thanks for nothing, “friends”), many people enjoy solo travel. A woman was celebrating her birthday, a recently divorced dude looking to shake up his routine, and a terminally ill woman looking to travel to as many places as possible. Everyone had a story, and I loved hearing them. I don’t know if the solo traveler groups are this robust on other Virgin Voyages, but it was popping on my Mediterranean sailing.
You can also form social connections of another kind (wink wink, nudge nudge).
One night, while walking back to my room, I asked a fellow solo seafarer why some rooms had upside-down pineapples on their doors. I learned it’s the universal code for swingers on all cruise ships (who knew?). They weren’t common on the Scarlet Lady, but I spotted a few. It was the first time I’d seen them on any ship. It’s an adults-only ship, so I suppose more people would take the opportunity to, perhaps, expand their horizons. I’m not saying that the Scarlet Lady was a love-the-one-you’re-with, “The Love Boat” key party at sea, but some passengers were extra friendly (more winks, more nudges).
The other benefit of being on an adults-only ship was that the entertainment was more sophisticated than the usual cruise offerings. I didn’t spot any watered-down Broadway shows but saw an edgy retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” called “Dual Reality.” Drag queens and divas led events, and there was an adult pajama party that was insanely fun and lasted late into the night.
![tom cruise space ship Eriko Jimbo, left, and Joella Ramos perform “UntitledDanceShowPartyThing” on the ship Scarlet Lady](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OCCWV2DH6743K7VJGI4C7AUPIU.jpg?auth=8c5c5c0987ede28d63b9ed5d4008f318d692fa618b427398ae8cf1469679ad8b&width=1440)
It may seem as if I’m focusing too much on shipboard culture and not enough on the meat and potatoes of a cruise, namely the cabins, food options, and excursions. Guilty as charged. But the atmosphere and vibe of the Scarlet Lady were so different from other cruises I’ve taken, and I think it’s vital for potential passengers to know. If you’re a traditionalist who enjoys talking to your butler every morning and evening, this is not your cruise. I barely saw my butler.
There were no hourly announcements on the PA system informing passengers of the next event. You keep track of the activities from an app on your phone. Unfortunately, the app tended to be glitchy, but it could usually be remedied by restarting my phone.
Even the rooms themselves were different from a run-of-the-mill ship. It was like staying in a hotel, although I thought there was a bit of wasted space. A comfortable couch could have occupied an empty corner, but I did enjoy the room’s sleek design. I viewed it as a place to sleep, not a place to lock myself away from the fun. This was a ship set up for socializing.
![tom cruise space ship A cabin on Virgin Voyages ship Scarlet Lady after turndown service.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YVTEEOA65RGA7IVQFDY3PLHAJA.jpg?auth=4b5904e994015a3decca4faf78657b0262ba81cc3a91d150c45e9a4158d4e5ff&width=1440)
The restaurant setup is also different from most cruise ships. There’s no main dining room. Instead, 20-plus restaurants are scattered around the ship, some more intimate than others. There are standards, such as pizza restaurants. Still, there’s also experimental fare, such as the Test Kitchen, where the menu is presented as an ingredient list, and chefs cleverly present those ingredients in unique ways. While chatting with a Russian couple, I had a mushroom dish, which was mushroom foam in the shape of a mushroom. I’m failing at the description, but it was wonderful. You can opt for the noodle restaurant, Korean barbeque, or Mexican. There’s a gelato stand instead of the standard cruise ship soft-serve machine. People love to complain about food on cruises, and I didn’t hear a complaint from fellow travelers.
I also heard no complaints about the ports of call. France and Spain in the spring were ideal, and a side trip from the French city of Marseilles to the tiny seaside village of Cassis had me swooning. Yes, we missed the stars arriving at Cannes by a day, but the town was still bustling.
Another key observation: although Virgin Voyages only launched in 2021 (delayed by COVID), I encountered a fierce brand loyalty I’d never experienced. I wondered if Virgin had planted people around the ship to tell me how much they loved it. During an unfortunate night at karaoke when my song was cut short by the drag queen/emcee/DJ, I talked to a couple in their 70s who were on their sixth Virgin cruise and planning another. A 20-something from Dubai was living on the ship for two months. A group of friends who met three cruises prior were now exclusively vacationing together and exclusively cruising on Virgin Voyages. None of them had cruised before Virgin.
When I asked past cruisers if Virgin was a party ship, I got a range of responses, from “Oh, hell yes” to “It’s whatever you want it to be.” There were events every night, but I paced myself. I knew I couldn’t take a full seven-night sprint at my advanced age. I reserved my energy for the Scarlet Party. Instead of a formal night, Virgin passengers dress in red and then hit the pool area to dance on deck, jump in the pool (fully clothed), and generally let loose. I forgot to pack a red ensemble, but thankfully, I found a red Adidas tracksuit in Mallorca.
Here I was, dressed like Ben Stiller from “The Royal Tenenbaums,” shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow passengers, decked out in red and listening to a DJ race through a selection of high-energy electronic dance-floor fillers. I had come to the party alone, and much like Billy Idol once sang, I was “Dancing With Myself.” Or so I thought. When I looked beside me, a woman was dancing along with me, and for the next hour, we wordlessly danced together, smiling and laughing. We connected through the convivial atmosphere surrounding us.
I had come on the cruise alone, but as it turns out, I was never alone. There was an unexpected openness among the passengers on the boat. Like an unexpected, friendly embrace. Those unexpected connections felt warm and as welcome as the surrounding Mediterranean breezes.
Christopher Muther can be reached at [email protected] . Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.
Cruise Etiquette: Tips for Finding Peace and Quiet on Crowded Cruise Ships
W hen I was a travel consultant in the early 2000s, the concern I would most often hear from potential first-time cruisers were about crowded ships: “I don’t want to be cooped up with all those people,” they’d groan.
At the time, the capacity of the industry’s largest ships was just over 2,600 passengers. Today, that’s considered medium-sized. The world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas , can set sail with 7,600 passengers onboard. With the industry reporting a return to pre-pandemic booking levels in 2023, there's enough cruising demand to fill these new mega ships—the Icon of the Seas ' inaugural voyage was nearly sold out just 24 hours after bookings opened, The Points Guy reported. While busy ships help create the fun-loving social atmosphere cruises are best known for, navigating crowded cruises can also lend itself to questionable passenger etiquette (nobody likes a pool chair hog).
Of course, not every cruise will sell out, nor are they all that big. As a rule of thumb, travelers should expect full ships during summer months and popular holiday and school break travel periods. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to determine if your cruise has been booked to capacity prior to its sailing (many a Reddit thread has been dedicated to cracking the code).
When anticipating how crowded a cruise ship may feel, the total number of passengers onboard doesn’t tell the whole story. To get a better sense of this, the cruise industry refers to something called the “space ratio,” which takes the total tonnage of the ship and divides it by the number of passengers the ship can accommodate. As one might expect, that ratio is lower on big ship cruise lines— Norwegian , Carnival , and Royal Caribbean generally have less space per passenger. It then increases on premium lines (think Princess , Holland America Line , Celebrity ), and tops out at the luxury end ( Crystal , Regent Seven Seas , Silversea ).
But how can passengers who aren’t booking a boutique cruise ship or a luxury line carve out quiet spaces to themselves onboard bigger ships—while still being respectful of other passengers? Below, find tried and true ways to find space on a crowded cruise ship, whether you're onboard a modern mega ship or an intimate expedition vessel.
The secret ‘ships within a ship’ on mega cruises
The most obvious way to secure your own quiet enclave is to book a balcony stateroom . While small, the value of this outdoor space shouldn’t be underestimated, particularly for itineraries rich with scenic cruising, like voyages to Alaska or the Baltic Sea . Several cruise lines also offer private areas of the ship for top-end suite passengers, including dedicated bars, restaurants, pools, and spas that are off-limits to other cruise goers, Tom Baker , the president of Cruise Center, tells Condé Nast Traveler.
These self-enclosed complexes, such as NCL's The Haven, Celebrity Cruises’ Retreat, and MSC’s Yacht Club, create a “ship within a ship” for higher-paying customers, Baker explains. That way, regardless of how busy your sailing proves to be, you can still enjoy yacht-like privacy—plus the fun-loving social atmosphere and amenities of a large cruise. Other ships have dedicated spaces for suite passengers such as Richard’s Rooftop on Virgin Voyages, or the Grills Lounge and Terrace on Cunard that are located throughout the ship. They may not rise to the same “ship within a ship” level of seclusion, but are still exclusive to qualifying guests.
The majority of passengers will spend their time at the ship's standard pool and deck areas, where you'll likely to come face-to-face with the age-old cruise etiquette question: Is it rude to save seats? In my many years of cruising, I've witnessed personal articles strewn across rows of prime pool seating while passengers slept in or lingered over breakfast, and large swaths of theater seats saved for late-arriving guests. When determining the appropriate time window for seat saving, look to the cruise line’s policy, or ask a nearby staff member: Carnival will remove guest belongings from pool loungers and store them at a nearby towel station if they’ve been left for longer than 40 minutes, for example, and Royal Caribbean will remove belongings if left unattended for 30 minutes.
To circumvent this awkward game of musical chairs, some lines offer premium deck spaces that all passengers—regardless of cabin category—can access for a nominal fee. On Princess Cruises, guests can book cushy lounge chairs from $40 per day in The Sanctuary, an adults-only sun deck with attentive deck servers and added amenities like fruit skewers and Evian facial mists. And on most Holland America Line ships, passengers can reserve cabanas at the private outdoor space, also called The Retreat, with exclusive bar service and ocean views (cabana rentals for two adults start at $75 per cabana on port days and $105 on sea days, and family cabanas for four adults start at $105 on port days and $165 on sea days). Even Seabourn , a luxury small ship cruise line that structures fares on a “mostly-included” model, offers the option to pay extra for premium deck seating in a zone called, yet again, The Retreat.
To find quiet escapes, explore on day one
All right, so pools and sundecks can be crowd-free for a fee—but what about the rest of the ship? Part of the fun of sailing on a cruise is wandering the ship for those quiet corners to relax on your own. “Finding nooks and crannies on ships is about exploring and discovering on day one. They might not be illustrated on the deck plans, but there are often hidden booths and seats spread around for a lovely retreat,” Jason Leppert, founder of the YouTube channel Popular Cruising , tells Traveler.
Veteran cruisers are easy to recognize—they'll lay claim to their favorite tables before the ship even disembarks and reserve the same spot early each morning. My very first sailing was on the Celebrity Millennium , and I quickly found the quietest spot for breakfast was in the Spa Café in the Solarium on Deck 10 each morning. On Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess , I often found the Wheelhouse Bar empty when I went for a pre-dinner cocktail, so that became a nightly ritual. And onboard Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic Explorer Islander II in the Galápagos , I wondered why more passengers hadn’t discovered the hammocks strung from the ceiling on the little-used Observation Deck that I often had entirely to myself for afternoon naps.
If you still have difficulty finding your groove on the ship after a round of exploring, consult the experts. Cruise ship crew members live and work aboard their ships for months at a time, so they know them incredibly well. Crew also have their thumbs on passenger habits. If you ask when a specific bar, lounge, or pool is most quiet, they’ll most likely be able to share their detailed observations.
Ultimately, there’s no way around the fact that ships are a vehicle of transportation, and like any vehicle, space is limited. Whether you’ve chosen an intimate yacht cruise , a high-energy expedition voyage , or a quick getaway on one of the industry’s new mega ships , odds are any passenger with an appetite for calm and an eye for seclusion can find their own little slice of peace and quiet.
Oil tanker attacked four times off Yemen, crew and vessel safe
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Universal is backing the film, which has a budget of around $200 million. When asked about his space-set movie at the "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" premiere in New York on ...
Universal is working on a movie that will be shot in space, making actor Tom Cruise the "first civilian to do a spacewalk" outside the International Space Station.
But for actor Tom Cruise, a trip to space might just be another day at the office. Cruise hopes to shoot scenes for an as-yet-untitled action film at the International Space Station (ISS) in the ...
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WireImage. Tom Cruise will "hopefully" become "the first civilian to do a spacewalk" outside of the International Space Station when he blasts off to space to shoot a new action movie with ...
Universal Pictures is backing Cruise and Liman's new movie, which plans to film at least some scene in actual space. Donna Langley, the chairman of Universal told the BBC that the hope is for ...
The star of Top Gun: Maverick is heading to space for his next death-defying role. Here's everything we know so far about the Tom Cruise space movie.
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Video: Tom Cruise talks space with NASA astronaut Victor Glover. According to a BBC News interview, this movie is still in the development stages but if it does get a green light by Universal ...
A Universal executive said that Tom Cruise will 'hopefully' be the first civilian to spacewalk outside the International Space Station for a new action film.
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Tom Cruise is getting a sneak preview of what it's like to circle Earth in a SpaceX capsule. Representatives for SpaceX's first privately chartered flight revealed Friday that the actor took part in a private call with the four space tourists orbiting more than 360 miles up.
As two American astronauts get set to lift off into history on the first privately built rocket ship on Saturday, Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is preparing his own launch into the record books.
Tom Cruise's space movie is still happening, and we finally have some new details about it.
Per a report on Deadline, director Doug Liman, who directed Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow, is on board to helm a new action film that will enlist the help of NASA and SpaceX for at least some of the ...
Universal is in negotiations to land Tom Cruise's new film, a project set to make history as the first narrative feature shot in space.
Tom Cruise is looking to make history filming a movie in space, but just how long will he actually be there.
Tom Cruise is still charting his work trip to space. Back in 2020 it was revealed that the actor was planning to film a movie in outer space .
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A crude oil tanker has reported four attacks off Yemen's port of Mokha during the last 24 hours, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Friday, and the vessel's manager said ...