Tom Cruise Says AI Is Coming, But People Still Want ‘Real Things’. Is That Cinema’s Biggest Selling Point?

Hollywood has spent years making movies bigger, louder and more spectacular. Now, as artificial intelligence begins to reshape how films can be created, one of its biggest stars is making a case for something deceptively simple: reality.

“People want to see real things,” Tom Cruise said during a conversation at BAFTA’s headquarters in London, where he discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on cinema. “People want that experience. They’re going to movie theaters. I always believe in humanity,” he added, according to Variety.

The comments offer an intriguing entry point into the world premiere of Digger, Cruise’s upcoming film, which took place at Leicester Square on September 23. The evening featured Prince William and Princess Catherine, a star-studded cast and a special charity connection. But beyond the red carpet, Cruise’s remarks touched on a question facing the entire film industry: when technology can increasingly create convincing images, what makes the experience of watching a film valuable?

What Tom Cruise means when he says audiences want ‘real things’

Cruise did not suggest that artificial intelligence could be kept out of filmmaking. “You know, it is coming and it’s going to happen,” he said, acknowledging the technology’s arrival before turning to what he believes audiences continue to seek.

His emphasis was on the experience itself. Cinema, in this view, is not merely a sequence of images that can be generated or reproduced. It is a performance, a production and a shared encounter between a film and its audience.

That distinction is particularly relevant as AI raises questions about the future of acting, visual effects and other aspects of film production. Cruise’s comments do not lay out a specific position on how the technology should be used, but they suggest that the industry’s relationship with audiences cannot be reduced to technological capability alone.

The question is not simply whether AI can make a convincing film. It is whether audiences will value the human effort, creative decisions and theatrical experience surrounding it.

Why Prince William and Kate Middleton attended the Digger premiere

The London premiere also brought the film industry’s relationship with public institutions into focus.

Prince William and Princess Catherine attended the world premiere of Digger at Leicester Square, where they met Cruise, director Alejandro González Iñárritu and members of the cast, including Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons.

The event was also this year’s Royal Film Performance, organised by The Film and TV Charity, with proceeds donated to the cause.

Cruise thanked the royal couple for their support of the arts, saying: “We want to thank the royal highnesses for supporting this event, and just to tell them that we love them and we really appreciate what they do for the arts, for this country and for the world.”

The occasion combined a major film launch with a charitable purpose, placing cinema within a broader cultural setting rather than treating the premiere solely as a promotional exercise.

What is Digger about, and when does it release?

Digger follows Cruise’s titular character, described in the film’s synopsis as “the most powerful man in the world”, as he attempts to prove himself humanity’s saviour before facing the consequences of a disaster he caused.

The film marks Cruise’s latest collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu. At the premiere, Cruise described working with the director as one of his great career dreams.

“Alejandro, you are one of one, and I have so admired your films from the very first one,” he said, adding that the opportunity to work with him had been “a pleasure”.

Cruise also praised the character Iñárritu had created, saying he had never seen anything like it and describing the filmmaker’s mind as extraordinary.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2 through Warner Bros. Pictures.

As Digger approaches its theatrical release, Cruise’s comments on AI offer a wider frame through which to view the film’s arrival. The technology may change how movies are made, but the question of why audiences gather to watch them remains central.

For Cruise, that answer lies in the enduring appeal of real experiences and human craftsmanship. Whether audiences share that conviction in an increasingly AI-driven entertainment landscape is a question the industry will have to answer on the big screen.

(With inputs from ANI)