Cruise movie takings 'below expectations'

Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible III took an estimated $48m (€37.8m) in the US on its opening weekend, but the figure was lower than anticipated.

Variety said the total, which was almost $10m (€7.9m) below that of 2002’s Mission: Impossible 2, was below industry expectations and studio hopes.

It added that the previous film opened at 400 fewer cinemas. The latest movie in the series did beat Cruise’s original Mission: Impossible, but only by $2.6m (€2.1m), and that opened a decade ago at 1,000 fewer venues.

About 7.3 million people saw the new movie, compared with 10.7 million over the opening weekend for the second film and 10.3 million for the first one.

Variety added however that both the previous films opened on holiday weekends, when more people tend to go to the cinema.

And the studio behind the movie, Paramount, pointed out that it took $118m (€92.9m) worldwide, beating the $115m (€90.5m) made by Mission: Impossible II.

The lower-than-expected US figures came despite a high-octane worldwide promotional tour that saw Cruise leave his fiancee Katie Holmes and newborn daughter Suri at home to attend premieres and meet fans.

Some have speculated that the actor’s antics over the last year, particularly the media frenzy over his relationship with Holmes, may have put movie-goers off.

But Rob Moore, Paramount’s head of worldwide marketing and distribution, said he did not believe Cruise’s private life had any impact on Mission: Impossible III.

“I don’t think so. There’s no question it concerns us if the press is writing about things other than the movie,” Moore said.

“If people are writing about his personal life, then by definition, they’re not writing about the movie.”

“Expectations were really high for this film. I think it’s a good number, but people were obviously expecting better numbers,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Mission: Impossible III has earned generally good reviews, with some critics branding it the best in the franchise.