In 2012, Tom Cruise played a singer in a hair metal musical – and the critics hated it
Tom Cruise starred as fictional 1980s rock star Stacee Jaxx in the 2012 film adaptation of the musical "Rock of Ages." The film became critically reviled, marking a significant departure from the stage musical's success. This mattered because it represented a major Hollywood studio attempting to bring a thriving Broadway and West End phenomenon to cinemas, yet failing to replicate the stage show's appeal.
The film was directed by Adam Shankman and also starred Catherine Zeta Jones, Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin, with celebrity guest appearances. It shifted away from the stage production's self-referential humour towards straightforward comedy, with Cruise's character deliberately conceived as a mash-up of Axl Rose, Keith Richards and Jim Morrison. The original stage musical had begun as an amateur production in an LA bar in 2005, progressing to Broadway in 2008 and London's West End in 2011, before the film's release in 2012.
- Tom Cruise starred in critically reviled 2012 adaptation of "Rock of Ages"
- Stage musical originated as LA bar production in 2005, reached Broadway
- Film replaced stage show's satirical humour with straightforward comedy approach
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"Rock of Ages" was a stage musical that began as a small production in a Los Angeles bar in 2005 and became successful enough to transfer to Broadway in 2008 and London's West End in 2011. In 2012, a major Hollywood film adaptation was released, starring Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, a fictional rock star inspired by 1980s rock icons. The film, directed by Adam Shankman and also featuring Catherine Zeta Jones, Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin, received poor critical reviews.
Tom Cruise played the lead role in a film version that shifted away from the stage show's self-aware, referential humour towards more straightforward comedy. The character he played was designed as a blend of real-life rock musicians including Axl Rose, Keith Richards and Jim Morrison. The film featured various celebrity guest appearances alongside its main cast.
The film's critical failure mattered because it represented a major example of Hollywood struggling to successfully translate a thriving stage phenomenon to cinema. Whilst the stage musical had found audiences and longevity in theatres in multiple cities, the film adaptation could not replicate that appeal for cinema audiences or critics.