Mission accomplished (almost) for Cruise
Story by Jack Foley
MISSION: Impossible III dominated the global box office at the weekend (May 5-7, 2006), taking an estimated total of $118m (£63m).
But while the figures mark a strong opening for the first big blockbuster of the season, MI:3 didn’t perform as strongly as anticipated in America when compared with its two predecessors.
MI:3 made $48m (£26m) in North American cinemas between Friday and Sunday, according to studio estimates, which means that 7.3 million people saw the movie as compared to 10.7 million for the original and 10.3 million for the John Woo directed sequel.
However, Paramount executives were quick to point out that both Mission Impossible 1 and 2 opened on holiday weekends, when attendances are generally higher, and that MI:3’s global takings were up on the $115m (£62m) debut for Mission Impossible 2.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracking company Exhibitor Relations, added: “I think it’s a good number, but people were obviously expecting better.”
The figures mean that MI:3 enjoyed the second most lucrative opening weekend for any movie so far this year – beaten only by family favourite, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.
Those who have dubbed the figures as a disappointment have speculated whether adverse publicity surrounding Tom Cruise’s private life may have been a contributing factor.
Although fans turned out in their droves when the star embarked on a series of promotional trips for the film just days after becoming a father with actress Katie Holmes.
He attended premieres in Rome, London and Paris, as well as three separate premieres in New York on the same day, during which he travelled about the city on a fire engine, on the subway, in a helicopter and by car.
In London, he also spent four hours signing autographs for fans who had queued for most of the day to catch a glimpse of him.
Rob Moore, head of worldwide marketing and distribution at Paramount dismissed any such claims that Cruise’s private life had any impact on the film’s box office but added that it was a concern if the press was writing about things other than the movie around the time of its release.
“If people are writing about his personal life, then by definition they’re not writing about the movie,” he pointed out.
In spite of the “disappointment”, Cruise’s Mission: Impossible III still looks set to become the blockbuster to beat this summer, having opened very strong globally and to widespread acclaim – many critics have hailed it to the best in the franchise.
Directed by Lost creator, JJ Abrams, it offers a thrilling couple of hours that provides a feast of entertainment for any fans of top-notch blockbuster entertainment.