Is Tom Cruise Co-Directing the New Star Wars Film? Sources Say He Had a Hands-On Set Visit

Tom Cruise has unexpectedly contributed to the next big Star Wars film, not as an actor but as a spontaneous camera operator during a lightsaber duel.

The surprise moment was revealed when the Hollywood star visited the set of Star Wars: Starfighter; director Shawn Levy said the actor ended up wading into a muddy pond to help film a sequence that will appear in the finished movie.

The Mission Impossible actor arrived on the Starfighter set in November 2025 while director Shawn Levy was shooting a lightsaber duel in a waterlogged location. Cruise, who had flown in from London, told the crew he simply wanted to watch the filming.

Instead, when Levy jokingly suggested Cruise should 'jump on one of the cameras', the actor took him at his word.

Levy later described the moment, saying, 'Last week Steven Spielberg was here. And now Tom Cruise is wielding a camera, ruining his very nice shoes'.

According to Levy, Cruise stood 'up to his ankles in mud and pond water', concentrating on framing shots of the duel with a digital camera. The director added that part of what audiences will see in the film was literally 'shot by Tom'.

The New Star Wars Film

Star Wars: Starfighter is a major upcoming entry in the Star Wars canon, set for release on 28 May 2027.

Unlike more recent Disney-era sequels, it is a standalone story not directly tied to the Skywalker saga, set five years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Sources say the narrative centres on a starfighter pilot and his nephew, offering an entirely new corner of the galaxy for audiences.

The film stars Ryan Gosling, with an ensemble cast including Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Amy Adams, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings.

Levy, known for films like Free Guy, Deadpool & Wolverine and episodes of Stranger Things, is aiming to make a classic Star Wars film with new characters and storytelling. He has previously described the story as fresh and original while retaining the emotional heart that made the original trilogy iconic.

Is Tom Cruise Co-Directing?

What makes Cruise's appearance particularly noteworthy is that he won't actually appear on camera as a character, and he's not co-directing it with Levy either.

He only helped out behind the camera for one lightsaber duel scene as a fun, impromptu contribution, and his involvement was limited to that single moment on set. It does not make him a director or co-director of the movie.

Cruise and Levy's Friendship

Cruise and Levy share a long-standing professional friendship, driven by their admiration for each other's work. They first collaborated on the Night at the Museum sequels, during which Cruise visited sets and offered input behind the scenes. Over the years, Cruise has often praised Levy's ability to blend action and humour, calling him 'one of the most inventive directors' he's worked with.

Levy also feels the same about Cruise's creativity, which explains why He felt comfortable letting Cruise handle a camera for a Star Wars scene. There have been long‑running rumours among fans about Cruise appearing in Star Wars, but this moment confirms his connection in a different way: a supporter of his friend, Levy.

Star Wars: Starfighter is now in post‑production after filming wrapped in December 2025, with anticipation building for its 2027 release. Fans will be tuning in to see which scene is filmed by Cruise.