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Before they were TomKat, she was Katie Holmes, seasoned television star of "Dawson's Creek" fame, steering her career toward the big screen.

Starring in her first major blockbuster film as Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" in 2005, the sky seemed to be the limit. But now that seven years have passed, the fact remains, Holmes has yet to star in a film on that level.

The question must be asked: Did Cruise's influence stunt Holmes' budding film career? Let us review the evidence:


Before she began dating Cruise, Holmes was making risky — but wise — indie films. She starred in the 2003 Sundance Film Festival hit "Pieces of April" as a punk girl trying to reconcile with her estranged family. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone noted: "It's Holmes who holds Pieces together . . . [she] nails every laugh without missing the dramatic nuances."

Holmes also appeared with Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire in "Wonder Boys" -- based on the funny and engrossing Michael Chabon novel of the same name — and Jason Reitman's critically-praised "Thank You for Smoking," opposite Aaron Eckhart. ("Smoking" was released after she began dating Cruise, and word spread that he demanded a topless scene featuring her be cut from the film. The movie's director denied this.)

Holmes became so engrossed in her romance with Cruise that she then took a three-year hiatus.


When Holmes came back to work in 2008, she arguably made her biggest career misstep. She starred in a comedy which flopped at the box office, "Mad Money," with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah (the New York Times called her character the film's "weakest link"). It was released the same year of Nolan's "Batman" followup, "The Dark Knight."

We don't know the whole story behind why Holmes didn't reprise her role as Bruce Wayne's longtime love, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal took over the role in the second film). But in an interview that year, Holmes indicated the decision was hers and not director Christopher Nolan's:  "I chose to do this movie ['Mad Money'], and I'm really proud of it." "Mad Money" didn't recoup its budget, grossing only $20.7 million. By comparison, "The Dark Knight" has now grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Also in 2008, she turned to Broadway, starring in Arthur Miller's "All My Sons," but it failed to get her noticed (she received mostly mixed reviews; the New York Post described her as "coltish").

She went on to star in a string of indie flops — "The Romantics," "The Extra Man," and 2011's "The Son of No One" (which reportedly prompted walk-outs during its Sundance debut because it was so bad). Her venture into the horror genre, 2010's "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," also failed to make much of an impact at the box office.  Her performance in last year's Adam Sandler comedy flop "Jack and Jill" also earned her a "Worst Supporting Actress" Razzie nomination (the awards celebrate the most terrible movies of the year).


Although she made waves for a few TV appearances (she had stints on "So You Think You Can Dance" and "How I Met Your Mother"), nothing ever took off on the small screen, either. She got panned by critics for playing Jackie Kennedy in the miniseries "The Kennedys" (which was pulled from The History Channel and later aired on Reelz).

Holmes has a few films on the horizon, in the early stages of development and production. Perhaps her newly found single white female status will reinvigorate her career.

Following Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's high-profile split, folks may be wondering what's next for the power couple formerly known as TomKat. Wonder no more. Here's a rundown on the projects they're working on for your viewing pleasure.

Tom Cruise

OK, so "Rock of Ages" was a bit of a bomb. According to Box Office Mojo, the $75 million musical has earned only around $32 million at the domestic box office as of Friday. Cruise, who did earn strong marks for his role as rock god Stacee Jaxx, is returning to the action genre in his next several flicks.

First up, "Jack Reacher." This one has potential. Cruise plays the title character, a homicide investigator and an ex-Army MP major, who must either clear or condemn a man accused of multiple murders. The movie is based on characters created by suspense author Lee Child. Reacher has appeared in 16 novels that have sold tens of millions of copies, according to the Wall Street Journal. So, yeah -- the fan base is there.

But there is a potential problem. As the WSJ explains, Reacher is a strapping fellow, standing 6 feet 5 inches tall. While Cruise certainly possesses big star power, he is not the tallest dude in Hollywood. Most outlets, including IMDb, have him pegged at around 5 feet 7 inches tall. But Cruise has acknowledged that he doesn't quite match the character's description.  Entertainment Weekly reported that Cruise introduced footage from the film at Las Vegas' CinemaCon in April, saying "I'm obviously not 6-foot-5, like Jack Reacher... But Lee [Child] felt that I was the right guy to drive fast cars and kick the s--- out of people onscreen."

The director, Christopher McQuarrie, has some hits and misses under his belt. He won an Oscar for writing the acclaimed "The Usual Suspects," but also penned Cruise's 2008 box-office disappointment, "Valkyrie." You'll be able to see for yourself if Cruise can fit into the oversized boots of Jack Reacher this coming Tuesday, when the first trailer for the film debuts right here on Yahoo! Movies.

In 2013, Cruise will star in "Oblivion," in which he plays another dude named Jack. The postapocalyptic science-fiction flick is being directed by Joseph Kasinski, who helmed "Tron: Legacy." Deadline explains that Cruise will play an Earth-bound soldier, whose job is to repair drones that protect Earth's atmosphere. The film might be going after the hipster crowd with M83 providing the soundtrack. Barring any real-life apocalypse, expect "Oblivion" to hit theaters in April 2013.

Naomi Watts has been transformed into Princess Diana.

The first photos from the set of "Caught in Flight" — a movie focusing on the last two years of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, including her romance with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan — show British-born, Australian-raised Watts looking eerily similar to the royal, who died in a tragic car crash in 1997.


Gone are 43-year-old Watts' long, shiny locks. Instead, she sports Diana's famous layered hairstyle — feathered across the front and hitting her shoulders in the back. Watts clearly did her homework on Prince Charles' first wife, exhibiting many of Diana's expressions and mannerisms, from her shy smile to her doe-eyed gaze.

One scene for the movie, which is being shot in England with Oliver Hirschbiegel as director, takes place in a graveyard with Watts' Diana consoling another woman.

At an event in London in May, Watts, who is best known for her roles in "King Kong" and "21 Grams," talked about portraying the icon. "I'm looking forward to it, but am absolutely terrified," she said. "It's going to be a tough one. It's a big beast to take on. I just try to do my best."


Still, Watts, who spent the first 14 years of her life living in Great Britain, said she is honored to be playing the role of Princess Diana. "She's a very inspiring woman, and it's impressive how she changed the whole gearing of the traditions of the royal family and opened it up and brought a warmth to it," Watts said. "I just hope we make a good film and people can learn something new about her that's interesting."

When Watts was cast, Hirschbiegel commented about his leading lady, noting, "I am delighted to have such a truly exceptional actress who embodies the warmth, humanity, and empathy of such a global icon as Princess Diana."

If you haven't already placed him, 44-year-old Welsh actor (and musician) Rhys Ifans probably seems very familiar to you.

He plays evil scientist-turned-lizard Dr. Curt Connors in "The Amazing Spider-Man." But Ifans is perhaps best known for his role as Hugh Grant's seriously disheveled roommate Spike in the 1999 romantic comedy "Notting Hill," also starring Julia Roberts.

Ifans' filmography is quite long, but he hasn't taken a role of this magnitude since "Hill."


Often portraying characters that evoke an intellectual Mick Jagger-type ("Pirate Radio," "Human Nature") Ifans' real-life wild side seems to contribute to his on-screen partied-out air: He's been known to get into early-morning drunken tiffs, and just last year he was arrested after an alleged quarrel with a security guard at San Diego's massive annual geek gathering Comic-Con while celebrating his birthday -- he was there to promote "Spider-Man." (Thank god the movie is out before this year's Comic-Con fête!)

Whether you blame his run ins with the law on extreme method acting or his natural bad boy propensities, it's hard to argue against the idea that it adds to his on-screen persona.

Contributing to that appeal, Ifans is also a real life rocker, having played in '90s Welsh psychedelic rock band Super Furry Animals, and later, lesser known band, The Peth -- formed by SFA's drummer.


Professionally, Ifans has done almost exactly what he was trained to do in his youth: Having grown up in North Wales, he finished his primary schooling and moved to London to train at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also studied acting as a youth at Clwyd Theatr in Wales.

On his involvement in the upcoming Spidey reboot, he compared the famous comic tale to Shakespeare, a likely reflection of his early acting training and his background in theater (from the L.A. Times):

"There are these enduring, socially mirroring qualities that Spider-Man has that begs us to revisit him... He's in a sense a spokesman for every generation. And like all great albums, or movies, or pieces of literature, we revisit them. 'Hamlet' is prepared dozens of times, and nobody ever says 'Why the … are we doing that again?' "


Ifans' next project on the horizon is depression-era drama "Serena," coming out next year, also starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" swings into theaters Tuesday.

The expectations for "The Amazing Spider-Man" are high, and if midnight screening attendance is any indication, the big budget summer movie is going to meet its numbers.


No records were broken last night as Spider-Man netted $7.5 million in total midnight U.S. screenings, $1.2 million of which was from IMAX ticket sales."Harry Potter" still holds the midnight screening record with $43.5 million ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2").

Staying in line with Spidey's historical performance, last night's earnings totaled the same as "Spider-Man 3" midnight screenings in 2007, according to Exhibitor Relations Co.

Even though last night's screenings for "Spider-Man" didn't come close to those of recent megahits "Hunger Games" ($19.7 million) or "Marvel's The Avengers" ($18.7 million), ERC still predicts it will be a hit and among the summer's top five most successful movies.