Deeper, a film starring Tom Cruise, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and set largely underwater, was canceled shortly before the start of filming. It was announced that the production, which was to be directed by Doug Liman, had been shelved by the studio.

Tom Cruise’s Deeper Cancelled

Deeper was considered one of the most ambitious projects of Cruise’s career. The script revolved around a former astronaut being sent to a newly discovered deep ocean trench and his struggle with an unknown force. The film was expected to push boundaries in terms of both technical challenges and production design.

The film, which also stars Ana de Armas, was initially budgeted at $200 million. However, the production team requested a $275 million budget. Following this increase, Warner Bros., which held the rights to the film, withdrew from the project entirely. Following this decision, the entire production was canceled.

Tom Cruise’s recent box office performance is believed to have been a contributing factor to the cancellation process. While the last two Mission: Impossible films surpassed the $500 million mark, they fell short of their massive budgets. This has led studios to be more cautious about the resources they allocate to Cruise’s projects.

Deeper would be the third project Cruise and director Doug Liman have collaborated on. The duo previously collaborated on Edge of Tomorrow and American Made. Liman was also set to direct Cruise’s planned space travel project.

With Warner Bros.’ withdrawal from the project, it remains to be seen whether Deeper will be cancelled entirely or acquired by another studio. However, given the current budget, the project is unlikely to materialize in the near future.