The American Film Institute (AFI) announced on Wednesday, October 21st, that Tom Cruise will receive the 52nd AFI Lifetime Achievement Award next year to recognize his brilliant achievements in the film industry, including four Oscar nominations and starring in several of Hollywood’s highest-grossing films.
According to reports from City News Agency, the award ceremony will take place on April 24, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. A tribute evening will be held for Cruise, and the proceeds from the event will support the institute’s art and education programs.
AFI Board of Trustees Chair Kathleen Kennedy said, “Tom Cruise is a global icon. As an actor and producer, he brings extraordinary passion to every project he is involved in. I especially admire his unwavering belief in the power of film to unite hearts. His dedication has made him an exceptional ambassador for American cinema worldwide. The American Film Institute is honored to present him with the 52nd Lifetime Achievement Award.”
According to AFI data, the 64-year-old Cruise has starred in films with a total global box office revenue of nearly $13 billion.
Some of his notable works include “Risky Business,” “Top Gun,” “Rain Man,” “A Few Good Men,” “The Firm,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Collateral,” and the “Mission: Impossible” series.
He also starred in the 2022 release of “Top Gun: Maverick,” which became his highest-grossing film of his career.
Cruise has received critical acclaim for his performances in films such as “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Jerry Maguire,” earning him Best Actor nominations at the Oscars. He also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for “Magnolia.” Additionally, as a producer of “Top Gun: Maverick,” he received his fourth Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
In 2025, Cruise was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony.
Among his other honors are acknowledgments from the Cannes Film Festival, the Producers Guild of America, and the French Legion of Honor.
According to AFI’s data, Cruise starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film “Digger” and is set to reprise his role as race car driver Cole Trickle in “Days of Thunder 2.”
The AFI Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 1973 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of the art of film—a recognition acclaimed by critics, industry peers, and audiences.
Past recipients of the award include John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, George Lucas, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman, and Francis Ford Coppola.
Eddie Murphy received the 51st Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre in April 2026. The award ceremony was broadcast on the Netflix platform in May of the same year.
Founded in 1967, the American Film Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to film education, preservation, and the advancement of film arts. Its projects include the AFI Conservatory, AFI FEST, and the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.