Posted on 05/07/2006 4:14:18 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) LOS ANGELES Fewer people chose to accept Tom Cruise's latest mission, a possible sign that the odd behavior of Hollywood's biggest star may have taken a toll on his box-office charm.
Paramount's "Mission: Impossible III" debuted with $48.025 million, a solid opening yet well below industry expectations and almost $10 million lower than the franchise's previous installment, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Industry analysts had expected the movie to open in the range of "Mission: Impossible II," which debuted with $57.8 million from Friday to Sunday over Memorial Day weekend in 2000, and Cruise's "War of the Worlds," which premiered with $64.9 million from Friday to Sunday over Fourth of July weekend last year.
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," directed by "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams.
"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."
Cruise's antics in the past year or so, publicity over his romance with Katie Holmes and the tabloid blitz regarding their daughter's birth in April may have left some movie-goers burned out or disenchanted with the actor.
Traditionally reserved about his private life, Cruise abruptly became an open book, jumping up and down on a couch while professing his love for Holmes in an interview with Oprah Winfrey and spouting his Scientology beliefs, including rants against psychiatry.
"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. "There's a lot to be said for how a star's public persona can affect a movie's box office."
"Mission: Impossible III" earned generally favorable reviews, some critics calling it the best in the franchise and many offering high praise for Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays Cruise's nemesis.
Along with potential Cruise backlash, the long six-year interval since "Mission: Impossible II" may have dulled audience appetites.
Head-to-head comparisons are difficult, since the previous "Mission: Impossible" movies and "War of the Worlds" opened over long holiday weekends, when Sunday grosses typically are much stronger than during a regular weekend.
Debuting in about 55 other countries, "Mission: Impossible III" took in $70 million, for a worldwide total of $118 million. Paramount noted that the new movie beat the $115 million worldwide debut of "Mission: Impossible II" in those same countries.
Factoring in higher ticket prices, the debut for "Mission: Impossible III" looks worse. About 7.3 million people saw the new movie, compared with 10.7 million over the opening weekend for "Mission: Impossible II" and 10.3 million for "Mission: Impossible," which opened with $45.4 million over Memorial Day weekend in 1996.
The weekend's other wide releases had fair to poor openings. Freestyle Releasing's "An American Haunting," starring Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland in a 19th century supernatural tale, debuted at No. 3 with $6.4 million.
New Line's family film "Hoot," adapted from Carl Hiaasen's novel about teenagers trying to save endangered owls, flopped with $3.4 million, tied for No. 9.
"Mission: Impossible III' led Hollywood to its seventh-straight weekend of rising revenues. The top-12 movies took in $99.4 million, up 27 percent compared to the same weekend last year, when "Kingdom of Heaven" led the box office with an anemic $19.6 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.
Yeah, I think Tom has lost a bit of his charisma. At least for normal people.
ping
I want to get Tom's cookbook for placenta recipes. I've heard that there are different ways you can cook it.
Sorry to gross anyone out, but that was one of the more bizarre things he has talked about.
Tom's descent into madness continues...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LFQkOQhBCg&eurl=
My son picked me up and we saw MI3 at a 11:45AM showing. The theater was less than a 1/4 full....strange for a Saturday. The movie was less than I expected. 3 stars.
Except for the 30 second explanation toward the end of the film for the right-wing "conspiracy" there was little objectionable and I thought it surprisingly entertaining.
Very fast-paced but a bit more human warmth than a lot of action flicks.
Rather spend my dime on United 93 - real heros.
Went and saw "United 93" instead.
Wonderful, and truly fantastic film. The view point was not politically motivated, the film showed the events from the viewpoints of the military, FAA, New York Control and the passengers themselves.
At first, I felt horror and compassion for those people on Flight 93; but as the film progressed I felt rightous anger, and now know that these people died as AMERICANS defending America; not as victims.
My heart goes out to anyone who lost a loved one on 9/11; but my respect for who we are as a country jumped more than a little; after watching this testament to the Americans who stood up when confronted with evil. I'd recommend this movie to anyone. I was expecting a movie with a political axe to grind; but would up seeing a movie that was more of a documentary than anything else.
Not the strangest idea but very creepy.
You won't be dissappointed. Great film!!
Wow, that was some seriously awful dancing.
Placentas are gross. I don't know why anybody would even want to have anything to do with them.
Bill McCuddy was talking about the less than expected success of MI3 on F&F this morning. When the others asked why Cruise seems to be losing some of his appeal, he hemmed and hawed, trying to give an honest answer while trying to avoid a lawsuit. In carefully worded answers, he made veiled references to the fact Cruise is turning into another Michael Jackson with all the weird things he's said and done over the last couple of years, Scientology(without ever saying it outright), and a very veiled reference to his rumored sexual preference by mentioning his freaky appearance on Oprah.
Rumored sexual preference? I'm sorry, I don't pay attention to Hollywood, but that's the first I've ever heard that he might be straight...
LOL! You know it, I know it, the folks at South Park know it. But if Bill McCuddy says it on TV, Cruise and the Cult of Scientology will sue the pants off of him, Fox News Channel, NewsCorp, and probably the RNC just for good measure. Like I said, Bill was VERY careful in choosing his words this morning.
Think he is well over the top re his Scientology. . .do not like how he 'cultivates' his faith amongst the studio crews/employees either. . .
I am wondering though. . .has he criticized President Bush. . .the war? Am thinking not that I know of and I have wondered if that is not part of his hollywood problem. They seem to hate him. . .and on his case big time. . .
Why would they care if he is a 'Scientologist' or even 'freaky'. . .given their penchants and pastimes.
Seems the criticism of Tom has gone far beyond what he warrants and that makes me wonder. . .what is it really about. . .
As for Katie. . .she knew 'going in'. . .what he was about so do not feel sorry for her either.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.