Tom Cruise has been a huge part of blockbuster cinema for several decades now, and his latest film Top Gun: Maverick promises to continue this trend. The actor has been involved in plenty of huge franchise hits, alongside a couple more arthouse picks throughout the years.

Ranker has put together an exhaustive list of Tom Cruise's best movies to date, as voted for by the site's users. The final result is a versatile mix of action, drama, and even sci-fi that even the industry's best actors would struggle to match.

Minority Report (2002)

Characters from the 2002 film Minority Report.

Steven Spielberg's prophetic examination of the future in Minority Report has been endlessly discussed since the film's release, and yet still manages to feel relevant and topical. The film explores a dystopian future where police use psychic technology to arrest criminals for crimes that they will commit in the future.

RELATED: Tom Cruise's 10 Most Iconic Movie Quotes

When Cruise's character finds himself convicted of a crime he hasn't yet committed, he soon begins to realize just how dangerous and problematic this new technology is. It's a thrilling watch - and one that has plenty of rich and philosophical ideas at its heart.

Risky Business (1983)

Tom Cruise in Risky Business

Risky Business was one of Tom Cruise's first major film roles, in which he plays a high school senior who turns his family home into a brothel whilst his parents are away. As the name would suggest, it's an extremely risky comedy that often walks the line between funny and uncomfortable, but does it in a consistently entertaining way.

It's this bold and edgy humor that leads many to call Risky Business one of the best teen comedies of the 1980s, with Tom Cruise's charm and charisma holding the whole thing together. It's a movie that probably wouldn't stand a chance of getting made today, which adds to the nostalgia and affection that many have for it.

The Last Samurai (2003)

Tom Cruise is The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai isn't your typical Tom Cruise blockbuster, but it still contains a lot of the action and combat that audiences have come to associate with the actor. The story follows US soldier Nathan Algren, who is tasked with training the Japanese army to fight a Samurai rebellion.

Like many action movies of this era, The Last Samurai is held together by some truly bold and visionary direction that allows its thrilling set-pieces to stand out from the crowd. It has a very distinct voice and style that makes the story feel totally new and innovative.

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Ethan Hunt on a bungee line in Mission Impossible.

Mission: Impossible and its sequels are the films with which Tom Cruise has become most synonymous, with Ethan Hunt quickly becoming one of the most iconic and beloved characters in the genre. The films follow Agent Hunt, whose work for the Impossible Missions Force takes him on an assortment of life-threatening adventures.

Within the Mission: Impossible movies are an assortment of Tom Cruise's most daring stunts to date, most of which are actually performed by the actor himself. It's these authentic action sequences that allow the franchise to thrive, even when some of the instalments suffer from a weaker story.

The Firm (1993)

Tobin Bell and Tom Cruise in The Firm

The Firm is one of Cruise's most famous thrillers to date, telling the story of an ambitious young lawyer who finds himself caught up in a dangerous murder case after accepting a job from a seemingly corrupt law firm. It's one of the actor's most gripping and engaging films, with a story that is sure to have any viewer on the edge of their seat.

RELATED: 10 Best Directors Tom Cruise Worked With

The Firm was one of the first films to propel Cruise into the '90s action flick' phase of his career, for which he's probably become most famous. He makes an extremely compelling protagonist, always keeping the audience on their toes and navigating the story in a unique way.

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Jerry pointing in Jerry Maguire

Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire tells the story of the titular sports agent who is forced to reevaluate his life after losing his job. The film follows Jerry as he attempts to get back on his feet, chronicling the trials and tribulations that he faces along the way.

Jerry Maguire is often cited as one of Tom Cruise's best roles to date, not just because of his excellent performance but also thanks to Crowe's compelling script and unique writing style. The film is so much more than a regular sports movie, blending genres effortlessly with a story that appeals to all audiences.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Tom Cruise on the battlefield in Edge of Tomorrow

Doug Liman's Edge of Tomorrow served as a kind of return to the sci-fi genre for Cruise, whose work had been taken up by Mission: Impossible for several years at this point. The film imagines a futuristic world where a US soldier is caught in a time loop during Earth's war against an alien species.

Tom Cruise stars alongside Emily Blunt in the film, and the pair have fantastic chemistry together in every scene they share. They bring a much-needed human element to the story, grounding the narrative in reality rather than fiction. It's for this reason that so many people see Edge of Tomorrow as one of the best original-concept sci-fis of recent years.

A Few Good Men (1992)

Tom Cruise as Lt. Kaffe in court in A Few Good Men

Aaron Sorkin's screenplay for the courtroom drama A Few Good Men is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of the genre, and it's easy to see why. Brought to life by excellent performances from Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson, it weaves an intricate and detailed narrative that's impossible not to lose yourself in.

RELATED: 10 Underrated Tom Cruise Movies You've Probably Never Seen

Alongside being a thrilling legal drama, A Few Good Men is also an insightful examination of America's wartime behavior and the morality of how the state treats prisoners of war. There's much more to the story than just what appears on the surface, which makes the story infinity more compelling.

Rain Man (1988)

Ray and Charlie wearing matching suits in Rain Man

When self-motivated car dealer Charlie realizes that his late father's fortune is being given to the mental institution housing his long-lost brother Raymond, he decides to check Raymond out of the facility and return him to Los Angeles, where he hopes to regain his father's money.

Despite the immoral and ambiguous story at the heart of the film, Rain Man still manages to be one of Cruise's most gripping and emotional films to date, mostly due to the strength of Marrow & Bass's screenplay and their effective character work over the course of the story.

Top Gun (1986)

Tom Cruise giving a thumbs up in Top Gun

Top Gun is viewed by many people to be one of Tom Cruise's best films of all time, likely because of how strongly ingrained the film is with '80s charm and nostalgia. The story follows top pilot Maverick as he navigates the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, coming into conflict with the other pilots and fighting for the affection of his flight instructor Charlie.

Although some audiences see the film as a little dated, there's no denying that Top Gun has always been a huge hit with critics and audiences alike. It represents a certain brand of blockbuster filmmaking that we don't really see anymore - and one that many fans hope to see return this year with Top Gun: Maverick.

NEXT: 10 Movies To Watch To Get Excited For Top Gun: Maverick