Studio Disappointed with M:I3 Success?

Posted by: Shawn

Mission Impossible 3 Movie Poster Click for Fullsize Image

Despite "Mission: Impossible III" having the second largest box-office opening this year ("Ice Age: The Meltdown" being the largest so far), Paramount may not be pleased with the current results. Though the movie was estimated to bring in $60 million in the US and Canadian Box-Office, it only managed to come in just under $50 million. The studio did however praise it's world wide gross of $70 Million as it opened in Japan and India simultanesously with the US. Paramount has released several new clips of the movie to further encourage audiences (including fans of Simon Pegg). This may be where the rumors of their disappointment began.

The problem may lie in several factors: One of which includes the overall popularity of star Tom Cruise. Over the last few years Cruise has made several odd and eccentric choices including his divorce of Nicole Kidman, his courtship of the much younger Katie Holmes, and his intense enthusiasm in the Church of Scientology. Despite a publicity campaign with Cruise, it is speculated that he has lost some of his appeal to female viewers. Based on numbers available there isn't too much evidence to suggest this as all three Mission Impossible installments opened to about the same percentages of viewers 25 and older.

In my opinion; I honestly don't care much about Cruise's personal life when it comes to what I enjoy at the theater. I've always liked Cruise as an actor and I feel that should be enough. In fact after reading our own Shiela Robert's Tom Cruise interview I feel he's just an enthusiastic and intelligent actor. On the other hand there are many who feel that seeing the movie will only help support Tom Cruise's eccentric attitude and the Church of Scientology.

The truth of the matter is that "Mission: Impossible III" has received the best reviews of any of the installments and has already made enough money to make newly proud papa Tom Cruise a very happy man. Truly $50 million is nothing to scoff at in an opening weekend. Next week it will make at least half that if not more. I don't feel it's Tom Cruise having much of an effect on the movie's appeal, as it is just the overall movie-going audiences preference to just avoid movies all-together. Any why should they go? They have their HD-TV entertainment systems, cheap snacks, and comfortable surroundings without even having to leave home. In three months the movie will be out on DVD and the sales of that alone will green-light "Mission: Impossible 4".

If the studio does feel that $50 million is a small amount of change, I wish I had their problems.

Tweet Share