Fact Check: Is Tom Cruise returning as Les Grossman in a Tropic Thunder sequel? Viral poster debunked

A poster for the supposed sequel to the 2008 film Tropic Thunder featuring Tom Cruise has been making its rounds online. It had fans speculating if the actor would reprise his role as Les Grossman in the film. Tropic Thunder, directed by Ben Stiller, also starred Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., along with Stiller and Cruise.

The poster was uploaded to Facebook by a user named YODA BBY ABY on Monday, April 7, 2025. The user claimed that Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., and Ben Stiller will reprise their roles in the sequel, which will supposedly release in June 2025.

However, the Facebook post and movie poster claiming that Tom Cruise is reprising his Les Grossman role in Tropic Thunder 2 are fake.

YODA BBY ABY is a known parody account on Facebook, which describes its page as "100% satire and fake." Hence, the Tropic Thunder sequel claims made by the account shouldn't be taken seriously. Additionally, there is no official confirmation from the production if the movie is getting a sequel or which actors will be there if the sequel does happen.

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Will Tom Cruise's Tropic Thunder ever get a sequel?

So far, there is no confirmation yet if Tom Cruise's 2008 movie Tropic Thunder will ever get a sequel. However, there's a lot of interest in the project from its writers, director, and actors.

Ben Stiller, who directed, co-wrote, and starred in the movie, has previously stated that he wouldn't say no to making the second installment of Tropic Thunder. He spoke to Extra TV on January 14, 2025, and said that he "wouldn't not make it today."

"I wouldn't not make it today. Somebody should be making movies that are that out-there," he told the publication.

He also revealed that he had some conversations with Tom Cruise about a movie starring the latter's foul-mouthed studio executive character Les Grossman over the years. While he admitted that there is "nothing in the works," he said that he would like to do the project with Tom Cruise, who he considers a "great movie star."

Tom Cruise also addressed a possible Les Grossman spinoff during an interview with Comic Book in 2022, saying that it "could be fun."

Meanwhile, Justin Theroux, who co-wrote the script with Stiller and Etan Cohen, also seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of bringing back Tropic Thunder to the big screen. During his press run for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Theroux discussed the possibility of a Tropic Thunder sequel with Comic Book in August 2024.

"I have some stuff already churning that I'd love to do, but I'll keep it a secret... Listen, if an idea strikes me, like it struck Tim [Burton for the Beetlejuice sequel], where it's like, 'Oh, this could be a sequel,' I'll definitely do a sequel," he added.

While a Tropic Thunder sequel remains uncertain, the spinoff film starring Cruise as Les Grossman was announced in 2010, per Deadline. An exclusive article from the outlet in June 2010 mentioned that Paramount was planning a Les Grossman film and that they had "secured the life rights for Grossman."

Cruise was reportedly "in the talks" for the project, and Michael Bacall was slated to write the script. Esquire also published in August 2022 about the Mission Impossible star and his frequent collaborator, Christopher McQuarrie, being "fixated on Les Grossman."

However, according to the story, it remains unclear if they are planning to create a whole movie based on the character or borrow and include it in other projects.

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Tropic Thunder is available for streaming on Paramount+ with a subscription.