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In the late '80s, Tom Cruise wasn't just famous; he was untouchable. Between 1986 and 1988, he released "Top Gun," "The Color of Money," "Cocktail," and "Rain Man," a box office rampage that turned him into a global icon. Studios wanted him, directors needed him, and audiences adored him.
So what was Cruise doing hanging out on the dusty New Mexico set of a modestly budgeted Western with a bunch of cowboys? It turns out he was quietly making movie history.
The Coolest Blink-and-You 'll-Miss-It Cameo Ever
Released in 1988, "Young Guns" starred Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Dermot Mulroney. It was Gen X's version of a Western, loud and stylish, with a cast so packed with up-and-coming stars that it could've been a magazine photo spread.
Cruise, who was friends with Estevez, dropped by the set just for fun during filming. But when you've got one of the biggest stars in the world hanging around, you don't not use him.
As the story goes, someone had a lightbulb moment: hand Tom a costume, throw him into a scene, and kill him off dramatically. And just like that, Cruise became a nameless, quick-to-die cowboy in one of the film's gunfight sequences.
The shot is fast, chaotic, and hard to catch unless you're actively looking for him. He's wearing a mustache, a hat, and is blown off his horse in a spray of bullets.
Why Would Cruise Do That?
According to Sensacine, it wasn't even officially credited. Cruise had nothing to prove at that point; he was between hits and probably enjoying the chance to be on set without carrying the film. It also speaks to the camaraderie of that era's Hollywood, where stars showed up for each other, and sometimes that meant taking a blank bullet for the scene.
And Cruise has always been down for a bit of chaos. He's the guy who does his stunts, learned how to fly fighter jets, and climbed the Burj Khalifa. Getting thrown off a horse in a dusty Western seemed like light work.
Would "Young Guns" have made it to $56 million without Cruise's covert cameo? Maybe. But having a golden-laced box office talisman on your set sure doesn't hurt.
Made for just $11 million, "Young Guns" was a hit. It was stylish, fast-paced, and gave Westerns a Gen X glow-up. Its success spawned a sequel ("Young Guns II," 1990) that nearly matched its predecessor in box office numbers, even without the secret sauce of a Tom Cruise cameo.
Over the past few years, whispers have been growing louder, and many wonder if a third "Young Guns" movie could be on the way. In 2021, Emilio Estevez hinted at "Guns 3: Alias Billy the Kid," a long-gestating continuation.
We've seen stranger things happen in Hollywood. If Maverick can fly again, maybe that anonymous cowboy from "Young Guns" has one more ride left in him.