Risky Business? NASA and Tom Cruise Talk Movie Shoot in Space

NASA and Tom Cruise have had discussions about shooting a film at the International Space Station, NASA’s administrator, Jim Bridenstine, said on Tuesday.

The message highlighted NASA’s growing interest in finding additional commercial ventures for the space program during the Trump administration. But it follows a variety of earlier attempts to produce entertainment in space that have failed to get off the film lot or the launchpad.

Deadline, a Hollywood trade publication, first reported on Monday the possibility of an out-of-this-world Tom Cruise movie. Deadline said it would be an action-adventure, but not part of the “Mission: Impossible” film series that Mr. Cruise has starred in since 1996.

Deadline reported that the project also involved SpaceX, the rocket company started by Elon Musk, but that the film was still in its early stages and no movie studio was involved yet.

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.

NASA declined to provide additional details. “Not at this time,” Matthew Rydin, the press secretary for Mr. Bridenstine, wrote in an email. “We will say more about the project at the appropriate time.”