No matter what happened last weekend, you’ll likely have Tom Cruise to kick around for years to come. But what did happen exactly? And is a $48 million first-weekend gross really such a tremendous disappointment?
The average analysis notes that M:I3 opened softer than its predecessors, which earned the equivalent of $67 and $70 million on their opening weekends — and on fewer screens. The conclusion reached by the armchair handicapper: "Tom Cruise blew it." In other words, his Year of Weirdness killed his box office clout.
Maybe. But if that’s the case, then wouldn’t we have seen a steeper dropoff in female audience? Didn’t happen. Oh, and, by the way, M:I3 will almost certainly coast past $100 million — that makes seven straight $100 million pictures for Cruise. (Also: The picture opened $70 million-huge overseas, meaning Cruise is still one of the few global film stars.)
So is this a massive public relations flameout, a leggy Batman Begins-style slow-burn (as Paramount would have you believe), or just natural (and not exactly fatal) trilogy-itis? You tell me. Oh, and getting back to what’s really important: Doesn’t Katie Holmes look slender?
addCredit(“Tom Cruise: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com”)
Last year, there was a long, long streak of films not doing well… a ‘box office slump.’ Perhaps it has yet to fully recover?… Although I do know at least one female co-worker who said she used to buy all his movies on DVD, but now can’t stand him. I’m just trying to give credit to Abrams, Keri and PSH here.
It’s going to BOMB!!
If it only made 48 mil this weekend, I’m thinking that it will probably drop to 20 next weekend. It’s bizarre to say that 48 mil is nothing but when you tie it into the others; also that it opened in more theaters than others; and ticket prices are higher. It’s going to tank.
See you Tom Cruise, the Hollywood flood gates are going to open on you from now on.
Eh, he might be fine, but he’ll still have a tooth in the middle of his face.
I really want to see it cause I so love J.J. Abrams. I think he’s one of the top creators in hollywood right now. and Kerry Russell just looks awesome in it. But in a form of immature protest, my friends and I, meant to see MI3, but Tom’s face was so annoying to us, we decided to go and see STICK IT, instead, as a sort of STICK IT to he who we can no longer stand to see or hear about.
The reason I won’t be seeing this movie is that I am sick of Tom Cruise. I think he is an arrogant jerk. How dare he give advise to someone with post partum depression when he has had no medical training. Saying that Brooke Sheilds should take vitamins and excercise is just plain wrong. What happens if someone does take his advise and follows the Scientology way doesn’t seek help. What if that person either kills herself or god forbid her child. Then what would that little jerk think about his precious scientology. I think if you don’t have the training and knowledge to back up your opionion shut up and leave it to the experts.
Tom Cruise shut up and learn to act.
Didn’t bother with it since I won’t see sequels in a theater. But Tom Cruise generally keeps me away anyway. Can’t stand him, and he is downright intolerable these days. Seems like the opening weekend’s grosses would have been much lower if the Church of Scientology wasn’t buying up tickets to inflate the sales figures.
I can’t stand him or his brainwashed dopey girlfriend. He is an arrogant idiot. I don’t care what his religious beliefs are and he should keep them to himself. I hope this movie starts a backlash against him.
I can’t stand him or his brainwashed dopey girlfriend. He is an arrogant idiot. I don’t care what his religious beliefs are and he should keep them to himself. I hope this movie starts a backlash against him.
I’m tired of Tom Cruise, but I saw the movie because it looked exciting and I love J.J. Abrams’ stuff. I’d give it a B+, just like EW did. I haven’t talked to anyone about it, though, so I don’t know if it’s got legs or not. No word-of-mouth=low final gross.
I’m about as sick of Cruise as anyone here, but according to EW, the last two MI’s opened on three-day weekends. Given that this is only a two-day, shouldn’t we have expected the grosses to be a little less? It may still be a bit of a disappointment, but it’s not the death knell for the couch-jumper that this makes it out to be.
Robert–you stole my thunder. I used to dislike Cruise because I never thought he was much of an actor. Whenever presented with a serious dramatic role, you see all the gears shifting–he’s trying too hard. The past year, however, has made me hate the person, or at least the public persona. He may be a great dad, great potential husband and great co-worker–in private–but all we see now is the overbearing, publicity grubbing putz.
but compare Tom- Box Office King of all Movies to such a film as Spiderman – untested, unknown, and it opened to over a $100 million weekend…if we all still loved Tom, wouldn’t we have packed into the theatres and made his movie at least a $75million hit? spin the numbers however you wish, number spinners, but the truth is that more is expected of Tom than a $48 mill opening for a movie that’s a known…this is indeed a disappointment and I think it should be considered as such…
I will not see this movie, nor will I ever waste movie theater prices on him again. I guess we all get manipulated by movie stars and their agents/publicity teams, but his antics were too much for my tastes.
I don’t think the relatively low numbers had anything to do with the public’s distaste of Tom. I really think that by the time you get to a THIRD of anything people will think “oh it’s just more of the same.” (From the trailers, there wasn’t really any new angle to the story – his loved one’s would be threatened by Phillip Seymoug Hoffman – this is an OLD storyline that always gets resolved so why bother?) If the M.I movies were a continuing story then there might have been a bigger audience curious to see how it was going to end.
I specifically did not go see MI:3 because of Tom “I’m closeted but don’t you talk about it or I’ll sue!” Cruise.
Besides, Hollywood movies or at least the big budget, hollywood “blockbusters” have been anything but blockbusters so I see no point in going to see a movie that will cost me around $35+ to see ($9.50 x 2 + $15. in popcorn and soda expenses) not to mention extra for parking/commuting. It is really no wonder I see so many kids sneaking in sodas, potato chips and an assortment of snacks. It is ridiculous how expensive it’s become to go to the movies!