In 2006, after a 14 year relationship, Tom Cruise and his production company were fired by Viacom/Paramount Pictures chairman, Sumner Redstone. Redstone made it perfectly clear that the move was solely due to Cruise's erratic behavior, claiming Cruise single-handedly cost M:I:3 $150 million in lost revenue. Almost immediately, Cruise and his production partner, Paula Wagner, were offered a minority stake in United Artists, in hopes the pair could resurrect the studio co-founded by Charlie Chaplin. Yeah, that's not really working out. Page Six says:

Last year's UA/Cruise movie "Lions for Lambs" was made for $35 million, but it grossed only $14.9 million. Now, another starring vehicle, "Valkyrie" - in which he plays a Nazi who tries to kill Hitler - has been pushed back for the third time, to February 2009. "Valkyrie" has not had good buzz and has already cost UA and MGM close to $90 million - and director Bryan Singer is still not finished shooting. Plus, execs are said to be perplexed about how to market the melodrama."

Man, what a year it's been for Tom Cruise. An artist's rendition of his 2008 includes Tom Cruise wearing roller skates and a rocket on his back, and a train tunnel painted on the side of a mountain.

Tom Cruise in a photo-op with his daughter, Suri: