There’s Always Something Lurking in the Deep. In This Case? Max Landis’s Ghost.
When a movie spends ten years treading water, survives a scandal, hemorrhages stars and directors, and still resurfaces with Tom Cruise at the helm—you stop calling it a film. You call it a resurrection ritual.
Welcome to Deeper, the supernatural thriller that refuses to die.
Originally penned by Max Landis (yes, that Max Landis), the script for Deeper was once a Hollywood hot potato. Passed between studios, tainted by controversy, and nearly sunk by a budget that now swells past $200 million, this story was dead in the water—until Cruise strapped on a diving tank.
Now, under director Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, American Made), and with Ana de Armas joining as co-lead, Deeper is officially back in the spotlight. Deadline confirms the project is moving forward—potentially without Warner Bros., who reportedly bailed due to budget bloat.
So, what the hell is Deeper? Picture this: A disgraced astronaut—played by Cruise, obviously—descends into a newly discovered ocean trench, only to find something… unexplainable. It’s The Abyss meets Event Horizon, if both were filtered through the Cruise/Liman playbook of high-concept thrill rides and stunts that defy basic human biology.
Oh, and they’re actually doing underwater dive training for this. Of course they are.
Why This Matters (More Than You Think):
Deeper isn’t just another Cruise action vehicle—it’s a litmus test for what post-scandal IP still sells. It echoes a broader industry pattern: once-troubled projects being sanitized and repackaged once the public heat cools. Just like how The Flash limped to screens despite Ezra Miller’s off-screen chaos, or how Bohemian Rhapsody shrugged off Bryan Singer’s directorial fallout.
The difference? Cruise is Cruise. And Cruise sells redemption arcs—whether it’s his character’s or the movie’s. He’s Hollywood’s last bankable daredevil, and he’s betting Deeper will be more Top Gun: Maverick than The Mummy.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: while Cruise, Liman, and McQuarrie (now revising the script) might be turning Deeper into blockbuster gold, they’re doing so on the bones of a script that studios once exorcised for good reason. Landis’s alleged abuse allegations (reported by The Daily Beast and The Hollywood Reporter in 2017–2018) torpedoed his career—and justifiably so. MGM dropped the film after paying a hefty seven-figure sum.
Hollywood didn’t forget. It just waited.
Where This Could Go:
Let’s be clear—narratives can change. Deeper could dazzle. Cruise’s brand of death-defying sincerity might turn this soggy IP into a surprise smash. Or it might collapse under the weight of its own backstory, like Waterworld with a darker past and no gills.
But here’s a final thought: when you spend $200 million chasing what lies beneath, you better be sure you’re not digging up something you meant to leave buried.
Would you dive this deep for a comeback? Or let this one sink? Drop your take below.
