Tom Cruise’s sea‑level epic ‘Deeper’ on hold amid $275 million budget clash

Tom Cruise’s New Film Put on Hold

Tom Cruise’s upcoming underwater action film Deeper has been paused by Warner Bros. due to budget disagreements. The film, directed by Doug Liman, was expected to start filming in summer 2025. It features Cruise and Ana de Armas exploring a dangerous trench in the deep sea.

The film’s production cost reached $275 million, which Warner Bros. refused to approve. They instead wanted to lower the budget to $230 million. Because of this, Cruise’s team began talks with other studios that might be willing to take on the full budget request.

Warner Bros. Refuses Full Budget

Warner Bros. had been working with Tom Cruise on Deeper, but its leadership decided not to move forward at the current $275 million price tag. Sources say the studio is only willing to fund the project if the cost can be reduced by $45 million.

This has caused a major delay in the movie’s schedule. Warner Bros. had already spent time and money developing the project. Now, Cruise may need to start over with a different studio, which will add even more delays to the underwater action thriller.

Universal Pictures Enters Talks

Tom Cruise has reportedly turned to Universal Pictures after Warner Bros. paused Deeper. Universal is rumored to be open to the $275 million budget. If a deal is reached, production could restart quickly since the team had planned to begin filming in summer 2025.

Universal has worked with Cruise before, including on the 2017 film American Made. That was his last non-franchise movie before Deeper. The studio may now take a big risk on Cruise’s next original story, which involves ocean depths and a hidden danger.

Underwater Plot and Cast Setup

In Deeper, Tom Cruise plays a disgraced astronaut sent on a secret mission into a new ocean trench. Ana de Armas joins him as they dive into the deep sea. During the mission, the team finds a hidden and dangerous presence below the surface.

The movie combines science fiction, mystery, and action. It’s directed by Doug Liman, who has worked with Cruise on Edge of Tomorrow. The ocean trench and the forgotten threat give the film an eerie and tense atmosphere not found in typical action films.

Doug Liman Leads Direction Again

Doug Liman, who directed Edge of Tomorrow and American Made, is set to direct Deeper. He has a long working history with Tom Cruise. Liman is known for shooting on location and taking risks with big scenes. His vision for Deeper includes filming realistic underwater sequences.

His style often mixes high action with emotional depth. Liman and Cruise are expected to create a grounded yet thrilling story. However, the large budget is partly because of Liman’s plan for real underwater scenes instead of computer graphics.

Pause Disrupts Studio Schedules

The budget conflict has affected more than just Cruise and the studios. Set designers, camera teams, and other crew members were already preparing for filming this summer. With the pause, these workers are now on hold or looking for other projects.

Some sets were reportedly in the early stages of construction. Delays like this can lead to increased costs later. Restarting production could mean lost time and needing to rebuild some sets or renegotiate contracts with the crew, especially if the film moves to another studio.

Mission: Impossible’s Role in Caution

Warner Bros. may be cautious because Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning had a budget close to $290 – $400 million and earned just $566.8 million worldwide. That film, despite being part of a major franchise, didn’t make enough to ease studio concerns.

With Deeper not being part of a known franchise, it carries more financial risk. Studios often prefer investing in sequels or films with existing fans. A high-budget original story, especially one filmed underwater, is seen as risky in today’s movie market.

Cruise’s First Original Film Since 2017

Deeper would be Tom Cruise’s first movie not linked to a franchise since American Made in 2017. Since then, he has focused on established franchises like Top Gun and Mission: Impossible. This film marks a return to original storytelling for the actor.

Original films without existing fan bases often struggle to earn as much as franchise films. Cruise seems willing to take that risk. The delay makes it unclear when or if Deeper will move forward, but the actor remains committed to getting the film made.

Tom Cruise’s History With Stunts

Tom Cruise is known for doing his stunts, which have helped make his action movies unique. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, he jumped out of a plane at 25,000 feet and flew helicopters in dangerous scenes. Cruise’s dedication adds realism to his movies.

For Deeper, he planned to shoot underwater scenes without using green screens. He previously trained for long underwater takes during Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, where he held his breath for over six minutes. His extreme stunt work pushes budget and safety standards higher.

Ana de Armas’s Growing Career

Ana de Armas has become a major name in Hollywood. After roles in Knives Out and No Time to Die, she earned critical praise for playing Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. That film got her a Best Actress nomination at the 2023 Oscars.

Working with Tom Cruise in Deeper would be her first big action-adventure film with him. Her presence in the cast helps market the movie to international and younger audiences. Studios often choose co-stars like her to balance star power and bring new viewers.

Underwater Scenes Raise Film Costs

Filming underwater requires special equipment like waterproof cameras, safety divers, and complex lighting systems. Actors need scuba or freediving training, and underwater sets must be built in tanks or natural locations. All of this adds huge costs to the production budget.

In Deeper, realistic underwater scenes are a core part of the story. That means weeks of filming in water, making it more costly than regular movie sets. These challenges are part of why the film’s budget ballooned to $275 million before filming even began

Liman’s Scrapped Space Movie Plans

Before working on Deeper, Doug Liman had planned to film a movie in space with Tom Cruise. That project, developed with NASA and SpaceX, was announced in 2020 but delayed due to technical and cost issues. It would have been the first movie shot in space.

That project’s delay may have influenced Deeper’s underwater direction. Both ideas show Cruise and Liman’s interest in extreme, real-world filming environments. Liman’s push for realism often results in higher costs, which studios sometimes resist without guaranteed profits.

Top Gun: Maverick Set High Bar

Tom Cruise’s biggest recent hit was Top Gun: Maverick, which earned nearly $1.5 billion in 2022. The film received strong reviews and was praised for using real fighter jet footage. It became the highest-grossing movie of Cruise’s career.

After that success, Cruise hoped to keep making large-scale original films. However, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning underperformed in 2023, leading studios to hesitate on large budgets. Deeper is now caught in this shift, with studios uncertain about spending big again.

Why Studios Prefer Franchises

Studios often prefer movies with built-in audiences, like Marvel or Fast & Furious, because they feel safer investments. New stories like Deeper don’t come with fans or merchandise deals, which makes them riskier.

When a movie costs more than $200 million, studios want to be sure it will make a profit. If it fails, the losses are huge. That’s why Warner Bros. may have stepped away from Deeper. The film’s unique setting is exciting, but it’s not a guaranteed success.

Underwater Thrillers Are Rare

There are only a few big underwater thrillers in Hollywood. The Abyss (1989) and Underwater (2020) are examples, but both had mixed box office results. These movies are hard to make and often cost more than they earn.

Deeper could have joined this rare group of deep-sea films. Its mix of action and sci-fi made it different, but risky. The lack of successful underwater action films in recent years may have made studios more nervous about approving such a high budget

Tom’s honored this past December—see Tom Cruise receives Navy’s top civilian honor.

Warner Bros. Freezes Other Projects

Deeper isn’t the only project Warner Bros. has delayed in 2025. The studio has paused or canceled several large-budget films recently to cut expenses. Titles like Wonder Woman 3 and a planned Harry Potter reboot have faced budget scrutiny, too.

These decisions show that Warner Bros. is reviewing its entire lineup. Even with a star like Tom Cruise, the studio isn’t taking chances on expensive original stories right now. If Deeper does get made, it will likely happen with a different studio, like Universal.

Want to know why Tom’s still ruling the box office in 2025? Check out The unstoppable box office reign of Tom Cruise.

What do you think—should Cruise dive in or bail out? Drop your thoughts below!

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.