Posted on 07/18/2022 1:05:33 PM PDT by Red Badger
Tom Cruise has sent a massive wake-up call to liberal Hollywood and “woke” celebrities as his pro-America movie “Top Gun: Maverick” soars past the $1.2 billion mark at the global box office.
The “Top Gun” sequel is continuing to smash records and send a clear message to celebrities like John Cena and LeBron James, who infamously caved to China.
Cruise and his producers refused to fill the film with “woke” messaging and snubbed the Chinese Communist Party when it demanded they remove pro-Taiwan and pro-America themes.
As a result, the movie was banned in China.
Despite the China ban, the movie has been a huge hit, both domestically and globally.
The blockbuster passed $1.2B worldwide on Thursday and shows no signs of slowing down.
According to Deadline, “With these numbers, Top Gun: Maverick has become Paramount Pictures’ highest-grossing film ever globally, surpassing Transformers: Age Of Extinction.”
According to Variety: “‘Top Gun: Maverick’ took fourth place, scoring $12 million from 3,292 screens.
“In its eighth weekend of release, ticket sales fell a scant 23%. With $617 million in the bank and no signs of slowing down, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ will soon pass ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ ($620 million) and ‘The Avengers’ ($623 million) to rank among the top 10 highest-grossing films in domestic box office history.”
Cruise and other movie producers refused to remove Taiwan’s flag from the lead character Maverick’s famous bomber jacket.
The film was then banned from the Chinese market, causing Hong Kong film critic Ho Siu Bun to say that snubbing China to include the flag was “unprecedented.”
“Major film studios have never been shy about pandering to the Chinese market,” Ho said.
“And even if it is a simple scene, editing is very costly. So no one knows why they changed it back.”
Bill Maher also called out Hollywood and sports celebrities for taking China’s money.
Maher said:
“But the NBA has a television deal with China worth a billion-and-a-half dollars.
“So LeBron James said Morey needed to be ‘educated on the situation,’ the situation being, ‘I’ve got some shoes to sell.’
“‘Kowtow’ is a Chinese word but boy, Americans have gotten good at it.
“That’s the deal China offers American companies and celebrities: We’ll give you access to our billion-plus consumers as long as you shut up about the whole police-state-genocide thing.
“John Cena took that deal.
Bob Ley, an Emmy Award-winning host who spent decades at ESPN hosting shows like “SportsCenter,” called out James and those in the media throwing stones at the golfers.
“It’s real easy to be pissed off and angry about LIV Golf and the Saudis.
“All I ask for is philosophical and ideological consistency.
“Apply it to China consistently, LeBron. LeBron, I think, has a responsibility, and an opportunity more importantly.
“And it’s easy for people to come to the conclusion that players, at a time when social voice and equity are very much a part of sports, mores o than ever before, here’s an opportunity to make a stand.
“If you are a billionaire, you can afford to perhaps make a stand and at least become educated.
“China has as many issues as any other country, and is the outrage tempered by the popularity of the sport and the dollars at stake?
“If you wanna get in a froth about LIV Golf, and you have every right to, take a pause, take a deep breath and look at China and see, should this outrage or this introspection and this attention extend to the NBA?” he said.
VIDEOS AT LINK.....................
I thought China financed some of his Mission Impossible films
I remember enjoying the first one, how many years ago? If I go to this one, it'll be the IMAX version.
LeBron bounces a ball for a living, I really don’t care about him at all.
I think Paramount is sending a message that making movies and non woke entertainment makes money. I haven’t seen Top Gun but I probably will. Lately I’ve really liked two Paramount productions , a 2014 movie ( recent by my standards) Interstellar and the mini series The Offer.
If Paramount produces more like that I’m buying.
Isn't Yellowstone a Paramount production?
“I remember enjoying the first one, how many years ago? If I go to this one, it’ll be the IMAX version.”
Gonna be hard to find it in IMAX in most cities. It’s been weeks since it was released. There are very few IMAX screens and most theater locations have reserved IMAX for newer films.
Go see it anyway. Wife and I went last week mid-day and very much enjoyed it in a regular/non-IMAX theater. It deserves to be seen in a theater, IMAX or no.
Why does his jacket have a Taiwan flag on in in the first place?
I mean kudos to him for not kowtowing. Mucho respecto for that. I work in a place where a lot of military also work- I’ve never heard people talk about going to see a movie so excitedly before. I am glad.
But curious why that flag is there...? Anyone know?
IMAX has spoiled me. If I can’t see it on IMAX, I’ll watch at home.
He also has his own production company....................
I’m starting to respect this Tom Cruise guy, despite some of his foibles. He has almost always been a great entertainer, and I’ve been impressed that he does so many of his own difficult and dangerous stunts. But never imagined that he really had a patriotic American streak beyond what it takes to bring patriotic Americans to his movies.
In the original Top Gun movie, The bomber jacket had a Taiwanese Flag Patch, and there was talk that the bomber jacket would be edited to exclude the flag. I am glad that they kept it for the new movie. By the way, the new Topgun movie is worth it.
Looks like Amazon Prime, here I come (when it’s released).
https://www.google.com/search?q=imax+celebration+cinema
I never saw the first one..................
Yup, my hubbie liked it at least through a few episodes. Did you see it?
Yes, excellent production.
To make up for China, I think we are going to have to go out to see this movie at least five more times. This is every patriotic American.
What message does Tommy boy have for members of his cult sent to re-education camps? What message will Tommy boy have on Judgment day when he stands before Jesus Christ and has to answer for all the souls that he led to eternal destruction?
First movie I’ve seen in the theaters in over five years. Well worth it, but bummed that THOR has taken over all the IMAX screens. Still great, though!
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