'You saved Hollywood's ass': Steven Spielberg credits Tom Cruise for rescuing movie theatres with Top Gun: Maverick

At the Oscar nominees luncheon earlier this year, iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg and A-list actor Tom Cruise shared a memorable moment when Spielberg recognized Cruise's immense contribution to the survival of the theatrical movie business during the pandemic era. Spielberg's heartfelt comments, originally shared on Instagram by director Kartiki Gonsalves, have since gained much attention.

Spielberg lauded Cruise, stating: "You saved Hollywood's ass, and you might have saved theatrical distribution," referring to the actor's blockbuster sequel "Top Gun: Maverick". Spielberg further accentuated his point by adding, "Top Gun: Maverick might have saved the entire theatrical industry."

The film, "Top Gun: Maverick," is the second to cross the billion-dollar mark at the worldwide box office in the midst of the global pandemic, following the success of "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Despite the tremendous success of "No Way Home," it was noted that the Marvel movie's allure lay in its cast, which featured three generations of Spider-Man actors. In contrast, the success of "Top Gun: Maverick," the sequel to the 1986 classic, was not a guaranteed outcome, but the movie surprised everyone by becoming an unprecedented hit, thanks to strong word-of-mouth promotion and repeat customers.

Spielberg and Cruise, both contenders for the Best Picture category in this year's Oscars for their respective films "The Fabelmans" and "Top Gun: Maverick," had attendees of the nominees' luncheon buzzing with their reunion. Cruise's outstanding success in reviving the theatrical movie business garnered him accolades not only from Spielberg but also from several other Oscar nominees.

"Top Gun: Maverick" earned six Oscar nominations, while "The Fabelmans" clinched seven. The Oscars aired on ABC on March 12.