Chapter 458: Back to the Forefront II

Unbeknownst to Tom Cruise, maybe he really was just fated to go down this faith.

So, even when he was more blindsided by his wife's request than the camera's blinding lights... he really didn't seem to mind.

And since the Church did promise benefits for any of the tasks he would do for them, he still obliged with what has been requested.

But, in all honesty, he doesn't really expect his upcoming introductions and connections brokering to lead to much.

Though, he did see why his new church wanted to pull Mr. Creed in.

After all, Creed Pictures may seem like any other non-major production company out there... but he himself had taken on a role in their Top Gun for certain reasons.

The success of the previous Back to the Future film formed a major part of that decision.

And with Top Gun breaking out as well... there's no denying that Tom's bet hit the jackpot and this production company and its projects had great odds in them.

However, that's not all, as unlike how relatively clueless he previously was... he did come to know of new stuff that refreshed his understanding of things.

For starters, there was that picture book that the production valued dearly. It was also the very book that served as the foundation for a box-office film to build and champion upon.

And linking to that very picture book is the very boy that he toured around the base with. With that very boy alone linking to many other popular picture books... such as comic books.

Comic books that then make way for some valued toys and then paved even more way for some talked-about cartoons that are still making rounds during light conversation to this day.

There's even music mixed somewhere in there... so yeah...

It was a really straightforward connection from one to the next... but such basic information doesn't really get around unless you actively dig for it and if you're curious enough...

Tom himself only personally went down on this rabbit hole when Flight and Fight became a thing.

Specifically, because of that little voice-over trickery that went under his nose and his agent being angry and hungering for the potential royalties he could have gotten.

Which was then that he realized how expansive the little game actually was. Not just raking in some extra publicity for the movie, but raking up plenty of money and even influence as well.

Such was the Top Gun video game, which apparently is made in another Creed endeavor and circles back to that boy again.

Being at the center of such an encompassing brand that dominates many fields of entertainment, there's no denying that the kid's the real superstar. At least in Tom's opinion.

However, that just made it all the more problematic for his new Church, which somehow also got wind of all these info, and also suddenly wanted to pimp themselves out.

His character's talents in 1983's Risky Business weren't necessarily his... and considering the aptitude and attitude of their target, it all seemed to be a lost cause.

Mr. Creed is highly crafty and the little one was too unreadable to even be intrigued by whatever they have to say.

But maybe that'll make the scientologists all the more motivated. Since they're a group that believes in reincarnation and whatnot...

And even when Tom thought that that was all bogus before, how else would one make sense of a little kid being able to helm all these impressive feats at that young of an age?

Maybe the boy had L. Ron Hubbard's spirit in him or maybe even someone else... someone even better!

But, yeah, he felt a bit crazy when it came to this train of thought... and perhaps it's best to just go with the flow. Then, just go enjoy this movie's first screening as he can.

All the while with his new wife in hand...

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Accordingly, with the male and female lead having paced around the place, the other Top Gun cast also trickled in, one way or another.

But, unlike their main star that had odd tendencies and thoughts, the rest were more normal. Or more formal, considering the venue.

Like Val Kilmer, who wasn't as antagonistically ice-cold like Iceman to anybody. Just subtly referencing that he's a man who'll break 1,000 chains.

Then there's Anthony Edwards, the famous Goose, who droned on about the upcoming 'Summer Heat' and expecting for there to be nerds out for revenge, again.

Following close was the Viper or Tom Skerritt, along with his wife. Yet he still let out some pandering about some 'Poker Alice' that's coming soon enough, just like his 'Maid to Order' and then going into 'The Big Town'.

The Jester or Michael Ironside was also here together with his wife Karen, to somewhat raise his profile. Especially when he had four movies that he was and would be part of, during just this year.

Making him have the earlier Extreme Prejudice and just the recent Hi Mary Lou of Prom Night II, released the same day as the movie called Ford, which is about both The Man and The Machine.

Leaving him with just Nowhere to Hide for next month and suffice it to say, he was booked as can be but being invited to attend a high-profile premiere such as this was not bad at all. Good even.

Which was a sentiment that was shared by the others...

Like the Chipper, Adrian Pasdar, who was actually chipper than most of his sub-cast as he has two projects for the year. Namely, the March-released Made in USA... and Near Dark that's coming soon... in October.

Then sliding in is Slider or Rick Rossovich, who's had the chance to work with Steve Martin in 'Roxanne'. Aspiring that after the action-heavy Terminator and Top Gun, he'll be able to branch off into either romance and comedy.

Not far behind is Hollywood himself... or Whip Hubley, who'll be starring in a film called Russkies, which should hopefully catch eyes in the current state of the Cold War. Hopefully... appearing in this publicity ramp will do him greater than good as well.

Faring off worse than those ahead of them are Wolfman and Cougar, the feral callsigns that respectively belong to Barry Tubb and John Stockwell. Coincidentally enough, they are both part of the Billionaire Boys Club.

The unfortunate parts of this fact are the factoids that this was just a miniseries for the small screen and that they were no billionaires at all. Why else would they try hard to capitalize on this whole parade?

At the very least, they were balancingly fortunate to have been called upon. Not unlike Sprawl or Brian Sheehan, who had no projects that they knew of and were no-shows at this event as well.

Of course, trailing behind them was another one with a call sign, going by Merlin, but his name is none other than Tim Robbins. Who is currently just in the mix of what to feel, for he was part of a prior production that kind of rivalled Creed... namely Howard the Duck.

Consequently, that should have soured potential armistice but then Creed bought Marvel, so here he was... invited along on something that he didn't want to pass up...

And then came Sundown... or Clarence Gilyard, who has his next minor role set in 'Off the Mark', a comedy he's hoping to not be off the mark at all.

But even if it does, he's here to capitalize on the opportunity. However, probably unlike the others, he's been told by his agent that Creed Pictures offered him a role in another project of theirs... and he'd die hard if he's not grateful enough to put in the work while he's here.

Smiling, waving, posing for the camera, and praising expectations for the film of the evening...

In a way, they were not just rising names that were selfishly raising their profiles hard... they were also raising the profile of the premiering film in return.

So, try as they might when back at the forefront again, but Back to the Future II is still to benefit.