Plasticine
Member
Variety has had it in for Cruise for years, so this narrative fits right into their wheelhouse.
Universal is to blame - they should never have given this project to Kurtzman. They needed a director with a strong vision, experience behind the camera and with dealing with a star of Cruise's caliber, and instead they picked a yes-man.
Cruise had final director approval. Sure, Universal is at fault for ceding that much control to Cruise to land him for the franchise. But, ultimately, Kurtzman and everything else was Cruise's choice. Tom just made some bad choices this time out.