Tom Cruise Is Going Into Space For His Next Movie

NASA announced on Tuesday that they’re working with Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise to film a movie that takes place on the International Space Station (ISS), The Hill reported. The agency confirmed the new movie it will take place on the actual ISS, not a Hollywood set. They also told the publication that Cruise will stay at the station while the movie is filming.

Some wealthy individuals who could afford a trip into space have visited the ISS before, but Cruise will be the first actor to make the trip, according to The Hill. However, this new project isn’t the first movie to be filmed in the space station — or in space — according to CNN. In 2002, a documentary released in IMAX theaters — which was narrated by Cruise — was filmed in the ISS. A science-fiction movie called Apogee of Fear was also filmed in space by Richard Garriott, an entrepreneur whose father was an astronaut.

NASA stated they see the project as a way to get the next generation of big thinkers excited about space travel. Deadline reported on Tuesday that the film will be a “narrative feature film – an action-adventure.” The joint project between Cruise and NASA will be the first film in the action genre to be filmed in space, per Deadline.

As of right now, it’s unclear how Cruise will actually be traveling into space, CNN reported. Currently, Russia is the only country with a spacecraft capable of carrying passengers. However, SpaceX and Boeing have been working for several years to develop a craft capable of the trip. Crew Dragon, SpaceX’s attempt at a passenger ship, is expected to make its first trip to the ISS in May.

Deadline reported that Cruise was in discussions with Elon Musk — the man behind SpaceX and the Crew Dragon spacecraft — about the movie project. They posited that Cruise is planning to make the journey to the space station in Crew Dragon if the first trip is successful.

According to CNN, Cruise and the film crew may not be alone on SpaceX’s craft. If its flight is successful, SpaceX and Boeing plan to sell tickets for trips to space. Of course, those tickets would carry a massive price tag. SpaceX has said it plans to charge $50 million for a seat on the historic vessel.

More details are expected to be released about the project after Crew Dragon’s maiden manned voyage takes place later this month.