Cruise/Wagner's Response to German Ban

Yesterday, the German Defense Ministry announced its decision not to let Tom Cruise's film Valkyrie shoot on certain military locations. As Empire points out, Cruise had problems in Germany back when he was trying to shoot part of Misssion: Impossible III at the Reichstag, which is off limits to all productions (and had nothing to do with his belief in Scientology). However, this is the first time that the country has disallowed a film production access because of a cast member's religious (or cultish, as the Germans prefer to describe Scientology) beliefs. Here's the reply from Cruise's long-time producing partner Paula Wagner.

In a statement Ms. Wagner, chief executive of United Artists, said: "Aside from his obvious admiration of the man he is portraying, Mr. Cruise's personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie's plot, themes or content. And even though we could shoot the movie anywhere in the world, we believe Germany is the only place we can truly do the story justice."

According to Variety, Cruise has long butted heads with the German government. In 1996, German politicians called for a boycott of Mission: Impossible and other Cruise films (the first in the franchise earned $24.2 million in Germany; volumes two and three brought in $27.7 million and $10.4 million. respectively). Cruise met with U.S. Ambassador to Germany Dan Coats in 2002 in an attempt to get German officials to soften their views on the Church of Scientology, which has been officially monitored there since 1997.

Cruise and Co. maintain that they will shoot Valkyrie, about resistance hero Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (played by Cruise), who attempted to assassinate Hitler in 1944 using a bomb in a briefcase, in Germany. But where seems to be the question.

"Production is going ahead and the movie is going to be shot in Germany," UA spokesman Allan Mayer told Daily Variety. "As to what particular locations will be used, that's still being decided."