"There are certainly laws and elements that make a film more accessible to mainstream audiences. If you've got Tom Cruise as a strongman, I'm sure it would have larger audiences, but it wouldn't have the same substance"

This quote by Werner Herzog talks to the idea that there are specific aspects that make a film more accessible to traditional audiences. He recommends that having a star like Tom Cruise in a movie would draw larger audiences, but it would not necessarily have the same substance as a film without a star. Herzog is implying that the presence of a star does not always correspond to a much better film. He is recommending that the compound of a film is more important than the star power of its stars. Herzog is emphasizing the value of the quality of the movie over the star power of its stars. He is suggesting that a movie ought to be judged on its own benefits, not on the star power of its actors. Ultimately, Herzog is recommending that the quality of a movie need to be the primary consider identifying its success.