Pat McAfee may be on the verge of taking his career in a surprising new direction: the big screen and as Hollywood may be calling louder than ever, he’s even received some golden advice from Tom Cruise.
The former NFL punter turned media figure has the been linked to the possibility of appearing in The Mosquito Bowl, a World War II film directed by Peter Berg and written by Buzz Bissinger.
However, despite the enthusiasm of Endeavor’s CEO, Ari Emanuel, in February, the 38-year-old TV personality is yet to confirm his spot adding business matters are before any commitments.
And the speculation surrounding his acting ambitions reached another level when he welcomed Tom Cruise to his show, bringing the Mission Impossible star onboard to promote Final Reckoning, the eighth installation.
The legendary actor shared his insights on preparing for war roles, offering McAfee a detailed blueprint for what lies ahead as he cashed in on some firsthand expert knowledge.
“Be present… prepare, prepare, prepare… sometimes for years,” Cruise advised. “Some of the films that I made, like Rain Man, took 2 years. Born on the 4th of July, over 2 years. Mission movies [MI series] or Samurai [The Last Samurai], I spent 2 years preparing for them.
“So, just be present. And find things that interest you with that character.”
Though no contract has been signed, McAfee appears to be seriously weighing his next move. His past comments, combined with Cruise‘s encouragement and Berg‘s ongoing interest, suggest that this transition is more than a passing idea.
McAfee‘s cinematic interests also hint at someone who takes storytelling seriously and he has a well-documented appreciation for film, celebrating flicks such as Armageddon to Casino, Remember the Titans, and Bad Santa.
Meanwhile, Peter Berg‘s Mosquito Bowl continues to evolve following visits to Okinawa and Parris Island for data gathering. The movie could adopt multiple formats, from film to commercial content-potentially creating a role McAfee is well-suited to fill.
When is Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning in cinemas?
In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team race against time to stop the rogue AI known as the Entity. Hunt must recover a sunken Russian module named the “Rabbit’s Foot” to prevent a nuclear apocalypse.
As betrayals and global threats escalate, Ethan’s team faces deadly missions across London, the Bering Sea, and South Africa. Sacrifices are made, secrets are revealed but who wins?
The film received positive reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, reaching an 80% approval rating, and had its world premiere in Tokyo, Japan on May 5 before then appearing at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
The movie is due to release in the United States on Friday, May 23 and it will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
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