The following contains spoilers for The Franchise season 1 episode 6, “Scene 110: Baptism of Fire,” now streaming on MaxThe Franchise’ssixth episode included a surprise “cameo” by Tom Cruise and Christopher Nolan that plays into the overarching plot of the episode.The Franchisehas been a cutting parody of the blockbuster filmmaking industry, poking fun at some of the bigger controversies that have boiled just under the surface of the Hollywood hype machine. However, while the series has been having fun expanding their own parody offranchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s largely avoided directly bringing in real-life figures.
This changes in “Scene 110: Baptism of Fire,” which turns a possible appearance by Christopher Nolan into a major plot beat. The entire episode builds to this development, which occurs at the end of the storyline and plays out in an unexpectedly silly way. The Nolan “cameo” brings out a similar reference to Tom Cruise, who also ends up briefly on the set of the in-universe superhero filmTecto. Even if the supposed cameo inThe Franchise’s industry parodyis just a gag, it does quietly fulfill a longstanding fan wish for the pair to work together on a project.
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The arrival of Christopher Nolan on the set ofTectosets up chaos acrossThe Franchise’s sixth episode, leading to a surprisingly funny “cameo” from stand-ins for the director and Tom Cruise. This sends most of the cast into a spiral as they attempt to finish an arduous week of night shoots. Ultimately it’s Dag who ends up meeting Nolan, who makes a good impression on him and gets Nolan to introduce her to Tom Cruise. The episode ends with the three of them (as well as Bryson) heading out to breakfast.
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The Franchisedoesn’t actually bring Tom Cruise and Christopher Nolan into the comedyfor a quick gag. Instead, the episode utilizes a pair of uncredited extras to fill the role. However, the gag is a well-executed one, with the extras actually looking very similar to the real-life Cruise and Nolan. The Cruise stand-in even gives a convincing impression of the actor as he compliments Bryson on his eye patch and notes he wore one for an entire film as well (referencing his 2008 World War II film,Valkyrie).
Christopher Nolan & Tom Cruise’s “Cameos” Fulfill A Longtime Director-Actor Collaboration Wish
The FranchiseImagines A World Where Cruise & Nolan Work Together
The Franchisehas been a pretty spot-on satire of the world of film, accurately taking digs at the industry while including plenty of sly references to actors and directors. The gag continues that trend, quietly referencing the fact that many cinema fans wish thatTom Cruise and Christopher Nolan would collaborate on a project. It seems like in the world ofThe Franchise, the pair are actively pursuing such a team-up, potentially even considering Dag’s suggestion of a film that puts dinosaurs in space.
It’s a fun gag that finally (even if only technically) brings Cruise and Nolan together…
It’s one of the best gags in the episode, especially since it’s third-assistant director Dag who ends up impressing two of the film world’s biggest names instead of any of the executives, producers, directors or stars actually on set. It also speaks to Dag’s unique role in the show as someone unbothered by the presumed importance of position and title, potentially setting her up to escape the production ofTectoin better shape than anyone else in the show. It’s a fun gag that finally (even if only technically) brings Cruise and Nolan together for an episode ofThe Franchise.
The Franchise
Cast
The Franchise is a Max original comedy television series that follows a film crew as they document their increasingly chaotic and hectic work on a Superhero film franchise. Acting as a satire on the industry, the show looks to lampoon the process and the sometimes unreasonable expectations of keeping a long-standing franchise alive and kicking.
