Tom Cruise has had more than his fair share of iconic movie roles over his nearly four-decade long acting career: from the out-of-his-element Joel Goodsen in Risky Business to the uber-macho fighter pilot Maverick in Top Gun, his name has been associated with some of the best moments in modern cinematic history.
Of course, with a body of work as prolific as Cruise’s, there are bound to be more than a few roles left on his personal cutting room floor. He’s only one man, and he hardly has time to take care of everything on his plate. Though he may appear to be an unstoppable force in films like Mission Impossible or Edge of Tomorrow, he can’t exactly keep that up at all times. Though fans would certainly love to see him take on every role that he is offered, that, much like many of the missions in which he partakes, is simply impossible.
That said, he’s turned down more than a few roles in which he may have been a shining star, and it’s amazing to see just what this action star has refused in the past. From an appearance in an ultra-famous dance flick to a leading role in a well-known Will Smith vehicle, he could have been an even more titanic force in Hollywood than he already is had he only said yes to these fifteen roles. It’s strange to think that, had he signed on to some of these projects, he may even have ruined the careers of some of his colleagues before they even started.
