Just as his fab comic turn in Tropic Thunder has critics going nuts, the star is making other headlines. First, the good news: his film Valkyrie, which was moved from this year to next (never a good sign) has now been moved back again, snagging a December 26 opening. This either means that the movie is awesome–Christmas is traditionally for award-nominee sure things like There Will Be Blood–or that producers want to hide it among the biggies. (Execs say it’s a purely commercial decision, made after a screening went well.) We’ve got our fingers crossed: at the moment, Mr. Cruise is on our good side. Even if there’s no Oscar, a hit would be great.
But also: Mr. Cruise’s longtime producing partner Paula Wagner is leaving United Artists, which she and Cruise joined in 2006. She will retain a stake in the company, while Mr. Cruise is said to be staying on.
