If there’s one mission that Tom Cruise continually accepts, it’s the impossible mission of topping his extravagantly entertaining films with each new entry. Add to that mission that he must do so in an age where the aftermath of a pandemic and rising theater prices has left audiences with uncertain feelings about going to the cinema to watch a 2-hour-plus movie with a multitude of entertainment options in competition. Now, add the newest factor of the year producing an unprecedented amount of underperforming tentpole blockbusters, as well as the moviemaking business itself having difficulties with a writers’ strike and the threat of an actors’ strike.
After being credited with saving the movies with his juggernaut of a throwback hit, Top Gun: Maverick, the buzz for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is off the charts, with Cruise continuing to push his bodily limits for the sake of entertainment. The modern-day showman is predicted to see his fearlessness pay off as Deadline reports that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning may succeed in hitting a franchise record with a global take of over $250 million dollars for its first five days. The film is tracking to rake in $90 million domestically with $160 million overseas in 70 markets, which include Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Mexico Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is already hitting a benchmark as the best-reviewed installment in the franchise, which is impressive for a seventh entry in a film series that began nearly 30 years ago. The new sequel has garnered a 98% certified fresh rating on Rottentomatoes. It’s definitely apparent that Cruise and his collaborating partner, Christopher McQuarrie, take a certain pride in delivering for audiences and laboriously strive to make an impression as this will be their third partnership in the series that follows the well-received Rogue Nation and Fallout. McQuarrie was also a writer and producer on Top Gun: Maverick, although that film was directed by Tron: Legacy‘s Joseph Kosinski.
Dead Reckoning opens on a Wednesday; however, preview screenings begin stateside at 2 PM Tuesday night, with 4,300 locations by Wednesday. The interesting factor with the mid-week opening is that many theater chains offer special Tuesday discount deals, which may affect the box-office earnings, but with Mission: Impossible, the grand spectacle also screens in premium formatted theaters like IMAX, which features an upcharge with higher quality presentation and seating. Needless to say, if you’re an action fan looking for a perfect summer movie, the fuse is lit.