Tom Cruise: Still a Top Gun?

TOM CRUISE IS risking life and limb in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation to prove he's still one of Hollywood's biggest stars. In the fifth installment of the two-decade old series, Cruise clings to the side of an Airbus A400 plane during takeoff, holds his breath under water for six minutes, and rappels down the side of the Vienna Opera House. For part six, he'll likely have to strap himself to the undercarriage of a ballistic missile and go soaring across the Pyongyang skyline if he wants to top himself.
Despite his willingness to risk doing some damage to that beautiful barrel chest, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation may struggle to bring in crowds. The action adventure is on pace to open to $40 million, a soft opening considering the franchise's long history and its hefty $150 million pricetag. "It seems low to me," said Eric Handler, an analyst with MKM Partners. "People seem to be turning out this summer for good movies and this is a good movie." Some analysts think that number could rise to $50 million, particularly given that critics love the film and its elaborate, beautifully constructed set pieces.
Paramount, the studio behind the movie, will release Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation across 3,800 locations stateside. "I think it will pick up as word-of-mouth gets around," said Shawn Robbins, assistant editor of BoxOffice.com. "It seems like it could stick around well into August." Because Ethan Hunt and his IMF team like to rack up frequent flier miles, hopping from Morocco to Austria to the U.K. all while tracking a shadowy organization hellbent on mucking about with the global economy and assassinating world leaders, the film should play well overseas.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation will bow in 40 international countries this weekend, including Mexico, Australia and Korea. If the domestic opening weekend fails to pass $50 million, expect Monday morning quarterbacking about whether or not Cruise is sliding off the A-list, given that his more recent pictures like Edge of Tomorrow and Oblivion failed to generate much heat at the box office. Reuters