Showbiz411

The hunt for Tom Cruise continues: the man so many consider “the biggest star in Hollywood” is remaining off limits to press for his latest film, “Jack Reacher.” Even though “Reacher” has pretty good reviews, and should be a Christmas hit for Paramount Pictures, Cruise is keeping it low key. He’s skipping the entire press junket for “Reacher” this weekend in New York.

A call sheet went out to press today and the “available” talent will be Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo (who told me recently how much he loved working with Cruise on the movie), plus author of the “Reacher” books Lee Child, and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie.

But no Cruise. Tom is making an appearance in Pittsburgh tomorrow afternoon at a “premiere” for “Reacher”–he’ll likely sign autographs and wave and smile, sort of like the politician in Robert Altman’s classic film “Nashville.” Next week he appears on both David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, which are usually live shows and not taped in advance. But Cruise will otherwise not be available for interviews on “Reacher.”

So far “Reacher” has six positive reviews and one extremely negative one on rottentomatoes.com. It has good buzz. But the real reviews from all the junketeers won’t come until after they’ve seen the movie this weekend and registered their reactions–which may not be until right before the movie opens next Friday, December 21–the same day the world is supposed to end.

Meantime Paramount is riding high with “Flight”– which should be nominated for Best Picture, it’s excellent–and David Chase’s rocking musical  “Not Fade Away” which premieres Tuesday and will be a welcome addition to the Christmas releases.

PS I’ve never read these “Reacher” books, where the main character is supposed to be six foot five. If Cruise is good in the role it won’t matter. Jack Reacher is a fictitious character. It’s a non issue. If Reacher were a basketball player it might be a different story. But he’s not.

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.