Tom Cruise: Hollywood superstar to be honoured with a BFI Fellowship and career retrospective

• The British Film Institute has announced its latest BFI Fellowship.
• Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is set to be honoured with the institute's highest honour.
• The Fellowship comes as the BFI plan a month-long tribute to the Mission: Impossible star.

The British Film Institute (BFI) has announced that actor and producer Tom Cruise will be honoured with its highest accolade, a BFI Fellowship.

Announced earlier this afternoon, the BFI Fellowship is the highest honour awarded by the institute in recognition of outstanding contributions to film and television with recipients considered individuals who have demonstrated exceptional talent, vision, and impact in the industry.

Throughout his career, Cruise has built a long association with the United Kingdom, collaborating with acclaimed filmmakers on numerous projects with renowned directors such as Ridley Scott (Legend), Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut), Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire), Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow), and Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible.)

The Fellowship also recognizes Cruise's unwavering support for the cinematic experience, having consistently encouraged audiences to seek out films, not only his own, on the big screen, advocating for the unique power and magic of cinema.

His films have also brought in hundreds of millions in box office revenue worldwide, demonstrating his ability to draw audiences to theatres.

Speaking about the honour, Cruise said: “I am truly honoured by this acknowledgement. I’ve been making films in the UK for over 40 years and have no plans to stop. The UK is home to incredibly talented professionals — actors, directors, writers and crews, as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world.

I’m grateful for all the BFI has done to support UK filmmaking and this incredible art form we share.”

BFI Chair Jay Hunt spoke how the “thrill” of honouring the Hollywood superstar and how much he has brought to the United Kingdom as a producer: “Tom has brought so much to the UK as a producer through choosing to make many of his films on our shores, where he is welcomed by our crews who step up to help make his cinematic visions a reality.

In doing so, he also supports our studios and puts our locations on a world stage, in the process creating jobs and inspiring the next generation of film talent. He is, of course, also simply one of the world’s great actors and a true movie star.”

The BFI Fellowship will be presented to Tom Cruise at the BFI Chair’s Dinner in London on May 12 2025 with events and the Fellowship forming part of a month-long BFI celebration of Cruise’s film career.

A season of 27 films featuring Cruise will be screened at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX throughout May 2025.

What’s your favourite Tom Cruise film and do you think his work in the United Kingdom is worthy of a BFI Fellowship? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment down below.