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At the risk of disrespecting Nicole Kidman, I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest Tom Cruise deserves the bulk of the credit for luring moviegoers back to the theater in the wake of the pandemic thanks to the success of Top Gun: Maverick.
After all, we’re talking about a movie starring the actor who Steven Spielberg credited with saving Hollywood, and I’m certainly not going to question the beliefs of a man who is considered one of the most legendary directors in the history of the movie industry.
Cruise will be hoping to replicate some of that magic when the succinctly titled Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One hits theaters this summer, and while it’s safe to assume plenty of viewers will come out to enjoy the seventh installment of a series defined by the over-the-top set pieces that make them perfect popcorn flicks, he’ll also be facing a bit of a hurdle.
What should simply be referred to as Mission Impossible 7 is slated to officially debut in theaters around the United States on July 12th. However, it will find itself facing some stiff competition at the box office when both Oppenheimer and Barbie debut on July 21st, which has the potential to be the most monumental day in cinematic history.
According to Puck, Cruise is already a bit worried about the impact the release of one of those films could have on Mission Impossible‘s bottom line, as he’s reportedly gearing up for a battle with Oppenheimer in a figurative theater revolving around the literal theaters where both movies will be shown.
The issue at hand is the IMAX technology that was used to film each of those movies, as the outlet reports most theaters that are outfitted with the requisite equipment are opting to prioritize Oppenheimer over Mission Impossible 7.
That apparently stems from a deal Universal negotiated to ensure Oppenheimer will be positioned over the rest of the competition, but that hasn’t stopped Cruise from making some moves behind the scenes in an attempt to get the upper hand:
IMAX makes up just a little more than a third of the large-format screens in the U.S., so Cruise has lately shifted his efforts to securing as many of those non-IMAX P.L.F. screens as he can.
He’s been furiously showing the film to exhibitors in an effort to convince them to switch their plans from Oppenheimer or Barbie, which Warners scheduled opposite the Nolan film on July 21 as a middle finger to Universal after it stole Nolan during the HBO Max day-and-date debacle.
You have to admire Hollywood’s ability to routinely rival the drama it puts on the screen with the amount it generates off of it.