# Tom Cruise vs The Martians **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019 "2004-08-15T23:47:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/41 "2004-10-13T22:51:36Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > You are not alone, Mrs. Prefect and myself love Mars Attacks. And I also hope it is a faithful rendition of the book. So do I, in fact it’s the only Burton flick I like - I think It’s the fact that the Martians are just complete bastards – “We come in peace” ZAP-Zappipy-ZAP-Zap-Zap! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/42 "2004-10-13T23:38:59Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > There will be no romantic interest for Tom Cruise in the movie. This will be to avoid losing either the gay or the female demographic. Why not have Tom Cruise’s romantic interest be a female Martian? I mean, you know they’re just going to turn these “alien” Martians into sexy and/or scary humans with green skin. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/43 "2004-10-13T23:41:05Z")
Huh. I always thought _Independence Day_ ripped off _Footfall_ a lot more than it did _War of the Worlds_. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/44 "2004-10-13T23:44:52Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > _Sky Captain_ looks to be damned cool, and if it turns out to _be_ cool, then I’ll have no worries about him screwing up _Princess of Mars_. And now that two months have elapsed since this was posted, we **know** that _Sky Captain_ is damned cool. Unfortunately, we also know that it didn’t rock the box office as much as was hoped. What impact will _Sky Captain_’s lackluster gross have on _Princess of Mars_? ---
**Author:** ![Waccoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Waccoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waccoe)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/45 "2004-10-13T23:47:09Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Why not have Tom Cruise’s romantic interest be a female Martian? Don’t be daft - women are from Venus. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/46 "2004-10-13T23:55:06Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Why not have Tom Cruise’s romantic interest be a female Martian? I mean, you know they’re just going to turn these “alien” Martians into sexy and/or scary humans with green skin. But if you do that, then you’ll be putting Cruise with a more lifelike CGI creation, and we can’t have that, now can we? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/47 "2004-10-14T00:12:13Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > I also hope it goes along the lines of the book and is set in England. > > I fear the following plot: The martians will invade us because our probes are spreading germs on their planet. The germs are killing them off so they are fighting back for their survival. Tom Cruise somehow gets a message from them or figures it out from some evidence he finds. He tries to explain to everyone that the Martians are only defending themselves. Near the end, humans kills the Martians but Tom Cruise feels all guilty because humans are barbaric and the poor Martians were only trying to defend themselves. And the reason the Martians just can’t overcome us is… _love_. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/48 "2004-10-14T00:13:58Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > And the reason the Martians just can’t overcome us is… _love_. And they were looking for it in the wrong place. ::taps skull:: Oh wait, we have a smiley for that. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/49 "2004-10-14T01:37:22Z")
Martians are nothing to sneeze at. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/50 "2004-10-14T02:30:37Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Well, that’s $10 of my money Spielberg won’t be getting. > > Why Tom Cruise? Why? Oh, they get their money, whether you go or don’t. I might also ask: Why Spielberg? Why? What, at the end will the tripods split open, liberating ET and an army of cute muppets, while daiseys sprout in the fields and bolts of sunshine shoot out of everyone’s arseholes? Fuck that noise. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/51 "2004-10-14T02:37:37Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Why not have Tom Cruise’s romantic interest be a female Martian? I mean, you know they’re just going to turn these “alien” Martians into sexy and/or scary humans with green skin. Star Trek did it! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/52 "2004-10-14T03:55:13Z")
> [@MysteriousSmell](#): > > …As Tim Burton did with Planet of the Apes, they’ll have to come up with another twist ending (err…hopefully there will make sense though, unlike T. Burtons craptastic “ending”). That wasn’t Tim Burton’s ending. That was in the book. As an avid lifelong H.G. Wells fan I enjoyed the first WOTW movie, but would adore a WOTW movie properly done. Correct time, place, mood, story, etc… Then maybe they might try a The Time Machine without screwing that up. PS…I LOVED Island of Dr Moreau with Val Kilmer and friends. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/53 "2004-10-14T13:55:32Z")
**Gorsnak** , you just insulted one of my favourite sci-fi books, _Footfall_. Take that back, dude… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/54 "2004-10-14T14:09:54Z")
> [@vinryk](#): > > **Gorsnak** , you just insulted one of my favourite sci-fi books, _Footfall_. > Take that back, dude… 😃 I did nothing of the sort. I love Footfall. I never said ID ripped it off _well_. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/55 "2004-10-14T14:48:55Z")
Well, Halloween is coming up. Maybe I should break out my CD of the ‘38’ Mercury Theatre version of WOTW. I recommend hearing it in entirety to everyone. Of course, hindsight does take away much of the effect. But still a great presentation. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/56 "2004-10-14T14:50:57Z")
It’ll probably put paid to them trying to do a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen sequel based on vol II at the very least. Unfortunately, if that was done accurate to the book, it would trounce anything Spielberg could come up with. Who’s betting a lot of the ideas from that wind up in there? I hate Tom Cruise. At least they won’t have to make the Tripods too tall in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/57 "2004-10-14T15:20:01Z")
Well for those of you who want faithful there is always [this version coming soon.](http://www.pendragonpictures.com/WOTWKEY.html) What I’ve read is that this was in production pre 9/11. After that day some thought they shouldn’t make the film but the film makers went ahead in secret. They gave the film a different name so nobody knew it was in production. They say their version is really faithful to the book. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/58 "2004-10-14T15:48:06Z")
I was over at IMDB and from a couple of threads with people reporting trailers being shot and so on it looks like Spielberg’s doing something along the lines of the Orson Wells version. > **[IMDb: Ratings, Reviews, and Where to Watch the Best Movies & TV Shows](https://www.imdb.com/)** > > IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming... > **[IMDb: Ratings, Reviews, and Where to Watch the Best Movies & TV Shows](https://www.imdb.com/)** > > IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming... ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/59 "2004-10-14T15:59:04Z")
Sorry. Make that **Welles** and [another link](http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1097215838126760.xml) ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019/60 "2004-10-14T17:11:29Z")
I’m surprised to see such violent distaste over the casting, when the directing is what’s really gonna screw this production. Now hold on; wait for me to get behind my tomato-proof shield…there. OK: I think Tom Cruise is a decent actor when he puts his mind to it, and I thought he did a fine job in “Minority Report”. [splat. splat-splat] I know you don’t agree [splatta-splat], but what fucked M.R. wasn’t the acting [kasplat. splapity-splat], but the candy-ass pussy feel-good ending, with indeterminism (and free will, by extension) preserved and all the precogs living happily ever after in a country home. This _totally_ wrecked the paranoid, dystopian vibe of Dick’s original story, and I walked out of the theater one pissed-off individual despite what I felt was the films excellent visuals and promising development (barring that horrific crying scene) up until the shittastic ending. Spielbung simply can’t do dark. He’s constitutionally incapable of leaving his audience unsettled after the credits. The problem wasn’t the actors [megasplat], it was the goddamn mucking with the story and its resultant sentimentality and wimpy resolution. It’s typical Spielbuggery, and I’ll have not part of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-vs-the-martians/260019.md?page=4)