In Hollywood, it used to be that if you had a franchise in your back pocket, you were a made man. It meant that you could stretch yourself as an actor, not really worry about box-office and then fall back on your hit-making machine to keep the money men happy. That no longer seems to be the case.
Several weeks ago we heard that Paramount was waiting to see the box office grosses for Tom Cruise’s action-comedy Knight and Day before officially greenlighting Mission: Impossible 4, it appears to be that they’re happy enough with that film’s performance to pull the trigger on a fourth Ethan Hunt adventure. Good news all around then? Not really – Tom Cruise has had to take a severe pay cut from his usual $25 million fee for the film.
Everyone is suffering in these tough economic times and Hollywood is no different. The execs at Paramount are wary of fully financing the Brad Bird directed film to the tune of $135 million, so they’ve been looking for ways of offsetting that cost, reaching out to David Ellison, son of Oracle Corporation billionaire, Larry Ellison for half of the production budget.
Cutting Cruises upfront fee shaves a lot off the film on paper - think about it, would you want to be shelling out $135 million or $160 million in these tough times? However, this doesn’t mean that Cruise won’t be getting paid. Sources close to Cruise state that he will “get a nice back-end after cash break-even,” meaning that if the film is profitable then he’ll get a big paycheck.
Cruise banked over $70 million for each previous Mission and taking his piece off the back-end is something similar to what Jim Carrey did for Yes Man. After a few of the comedian’s films underperformed at the box office he effectively “owned” a piece of the film – giving him over $30 million and profits from the film in perpetuity.
Which brings us to Cruise’s pulling power.
While many critics will tell you that Cruise’s day as a box office titan are over, they’re telling something of a lie. Yes, the day of movie stars guaranteeing a huge opening weekend are over, but stars do guarantee audiences in the long run – and Cruise is no different.
Let’s take Knight and Day as a case study. These days, you generally triple a film’s opening weekend to get its grand total. While it’s not an exact science, it does give you a good yard stick with which to measure a film’s play. Knight and Day opened to $20 million, meaning that people predicted that the film would probably top out at $60 million. So far the film has grossed just under $75 million, with maybe another few million dollars before it ends its run. While this is short of the movie’s $100 million+ production budget, it is far from a flop. Knight and Day is also on course to crack $200 million internationally (M:I4’s magic green light figure) and through DVD and television sales, Knight and Day has gone from being a flop to a nice little earner for 20th Century Fox. Cruise’s previous film Valkyrie had a similar play out. That film opened to $21 million, an $83 million total gross and $200 million on the international playing field. Not the signs of a man who can’t carry a picture.
Can Cruise open a film like he once could? No he can’t – but no one can in this day and age. The Clooneys, Pitts, Fords of this world don’t guarantee the first weekend drawing power that they once had. It could be that audiences prefer spectacle over stars, with special effects being more popular than movie stars, or it could be a world that it saturated with just too much media. Today, stars like Cruise do draw attention to their films, and ideally pull in audiences in the long run. Yes, Cruise’s couch jumping antics in 2005 , while promoting War of The Words may have hurt his image, but the man still has fourteen $100 million+ grossing films under his belt, and a box office batting average of $95 million, over the course of a 25 year career. That’s pretty good going on all accounts.
While it may appear that Hollywood is outwardly telling Cruise that “he’s finished,” they’re not. What they are doing is trying to get a high grade product at a reduced rate. It’s like going into a store to buy a big brand item and saying to the sales person, “I can get a product similar to that cheaper down the street.” It’s accurate, but you really want that brand name item but you’re still hoping for a discount! That’s just what Paramount is doing with Cruise.
Keep reading Screen Rant for more Mission: Impossible 4 news.
Source: Vulture
Ryan Reynolds Drops Out of 'Highlander' Reboot 
No Loki in 'Avengers 2' 
'Man of Steel' Director & Writer on What Has to Happen in 'Man of Steel 2' 
'Man of Steel' Ending Controversy 
you missed to mention Johnny Depp..probably the only actor who can draw a box office success ….and also will smith…..but cruise should do what johnny depp or even leonardo dicaprio should do….do something that will attract audience just like war of the worlds…..like Leo working with Nolan who has unbelievable track record prior to Inception….
Johnny Depp cant Open a film unless he plays a wacky character in a film with a famous Director or Producer who is really the top Bill(a la Wonka/Burton and Pirates/Bruckheimer.His track Record opening films that are based on his star power alone is not very good take the Libertine for instance. If I had Control over Tom Cruises Career I would do three things 1. Do what he doing and go back to the M:I well and make another worldwide blockbuster. 2.Star in some off type role like his Les Grossman role to up his cool factor or do some second banana work on a serious film like he did with PTA in Magnolia. 3. Star in a scifi film scifi fans like myself turn out in droves to see a scifi film and with the starpower that cruise has left he could get a big budget for it just get and up and coming serious director and a decent script and your talking gangbuster at the boxoffice.
Get him in a comic book movie somehow, thats what I’d do if I was in charge of his career.
Yeah he’s be a good Ray Palmer in a JL film
I like your 3rd point………. Sci-Fi movies don’t usually get big-time actors.
Didnt Cruise get 15 percent of the gross from MI2 which was a substantial amount, he may be a weird fella but I always got the impression he is one of those actors that makes films beause he enjoys being an actor, not for the money
Impressive. Most impressive.
The article, I mean. Not Mr.Cruise’s apparently still-lucrative career.
Or…yeah. That too.
@ JBD Happytwit
Glad you enjoyed reading it!
Niall
Your avatar scares me. Always has, always will.
Niall,
THANK YOU VERY MCUH for writing this!!I loved Knight and Day and actually saw it rwice with my husband. I have been keeping an eye on its overall bx office, and knew it is on course to cross the $200 million dollar mark this weekend. So everytime I would read an article that said Cruise was washed up, it would make my blood boil. Tom Cruise is VERY TALENTED ACTOR and
sorry about the typos in my previous post!
The Tom Cruise brand is errevocably diminished. It is just tired. However, I’ve always felt Tom was underrated as an actor. When he makes an effort he can be remarkably good- look how he carried a magnificient movie like The Last Samurai.
For this reason, I think he should do as a lot of other talented leading men whose star power days were behind them (Paul Newman,Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, etc)- focus on being good in supporting and dramatic roles, rather than trying to be the main draw in a movie.
If he does this, his career might actually have a third act, even if of a different kind.
He deserved an Oscar for The Last Samurai…….
so did I
No, but Hans Zimmer did.
you think so Ezee? i personally thought Wantanabe STOLE that movie from him as far as performances go
If the guy can still bring $200 million dollars in box office tickets, I think he is still leading man material.
its under 200 mill. and its world wide, not the US take. i think it barely made its budget costs in returns so far
He made a valid point.There is too much media now.With the ever so dominant presence of the internet and media sites,these stars dont draw like they use to b/c of over exposure.Hollywood is a world thats not hard to get into,and thats whats hurting alot entertainment.Yes spectacle is the most important part of a film.I think we call pay to see an awesome movie nowadays.However if you dont have the right star to play a role,the character means nothing.Sadly with the exposure of actors and actresses,you cant engross yourself in a film like yesterday(ie. Everytime I see Edge Of Darkness,I cant help but crack a Mel Gibson joke).
With constant media coverage on celeb private lives,as well as the online movie market where people watch films for free,these pay cuts and deals arent surprising.Maybe I’m wrong,but I would like to focus just on the actors talents and devotion to his career.I dont need to know his private life and happenings in his life.In takes away from the illusion of realism on screen
and damn it I wish this site had an edit button.lol.I was rushing and there are a few typos in my response.
I don’t think I’ve ever watched a bad Tom Cruise movie……….
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a good Tom Cruise movie…well, maybe Magnolia, but then, that wasn’t a TOM CRUISE film was it?
The end is nigh for the million dollar midget and not a moment too soon.
now its time to hear the plot of MI4, i still don’t like the december release date and that may end up being a factor in its performance.
I also think that people should keep in mind that Knight and Day received generally bad reviews. I actually saw it and where i enjoyed parts of it I thought it was a very forgetable film ad would not recommend it to others.
Also Lions for Lambs stunk and Valkerie was a bit dull and not your usual Tom Cruise flick so I would have to say that a big reason that his past fews flicks performed under the Tom Cruise par was becaus eteh films were not of good quality. Granted his antics have something to do with it as well, but I really think that people shoudl consider that these past several movies were not that good.
Go back to MI3 ( thats the film he made before Lions for lambs) and you can see that movie almost 400 mill worldwide not to mention over 130 mill in the US.
Add a 3D tag proce to MI4, a good premise for the movie, another great villanous actor, and I dont see why MI4 would not surpass MI3 and show people that Tom Cruise still has it.
End of story
I have to disagree with you first point. The reviews for Knight and Day are far from bad. I have seen it and is it very enjoyable. It’s a bit of fun! However, I do agree with you that the 3D would add to the MI4. We will have to see what happens.
he shouldnt be allowed to film movies anymore, period.
SHUT UP.
LOL…wow
You shouldn’t be allowed to comment anymore
MI3 was, as I have said many times, diabolically awful.
What movie did you see?! I loved MI3 and so did all of my friends.
i look at it this way..small pay for a small man
I look at it this way: You are clearly jealous of Tom Cruise’s tremendous career, and feel the need to take a cheap shot.YAWN…
yeah thats clearly it LOL, youre not his taller wife are you?
Small or tall i bet Tom Cruise can attract more women than you no matter how big tall giant tall whatever you are. He ever in sexiest man alive etc etc and name one of the most good looking man in the world. Sorry you just no Tom Cruise
Yeah that man is great he can get tall beautiful wife.
I would have had Tom in a three picture deal for The Greenlantern as Hal Jordan. Along with the two actors from Heroes that played Nathan and Peter, in the second film, ending with Will Smith as John Stewart in the third film.
Tom should also do a western. Like maybe the movie version of Steve McQueen’s Dead or Alive tv show. Maybe a sequel to Interview with a Vampire would be goo too because his portrale of Lestat was favorably reviewed.
all i can do is just laugh at all that.
He’s one of a few actors that I absolutely can’t stand. I avoid him like radioactive fallout.
^
Even without him the Mission Impossible films are complete garbage. Joel Schumaker has more talent then the hacks that produce those horrible films.
lol too funny
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS ARTICLE. I loved Knight and Day and actually saw it twice with my husband. I have been keeping my eye on its box office and knew it would be crossing the $200 million dollar mark this weekend. That is why every time I would read an article that would say Tom Cruise was finished, it would make my blood boil!! THANK YOU for setting the record straight. I ,for one , am very grateful.
Sincerely,
Katie McCants
@ Katie1263
I do feel that a lot of the negativity aimed at Tom Cruise is the press (mostly tabloid)looking for an easy target and sensational story.
Movie stars are a dying breed – and I don’t see any replacements when the current crop of “older” actors fade away.
Even Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t open movies. He makes interesting films, with big directors. In all honesty – Inception wasn’t a hit because of him; it was a hit because of the quality of the film. I’m not saying he doesn’t have his fans (or that he was bad), most actors do, but people don’t really go to see actors on opening weekend like they used to.
Niall
Katie1263, I get that your obsessed with Tom Cruise.
I’m sure your husband must be proud of your devotion to a movie actor who’s starred in such great films as Top Gun and Risky Business…
Anthony,
Knight and Day has an International box office total of $213 Million dollars right now as of this this second. The budget to make the film was $117 million. By next weekend, Knight and Fay will have made the studio over a $100 million dollar profit!! Go check the numbers at Box office Mojo. So yes, that does mean that Tom Cruise is still on fire, and that the marketing Campaign for Knight and Day was not ideal, and hurt the domestic Box office. But it is doing very well worldwide.GO TOM CRUISE!!
Anthony,
Sorry about the typos.
Hey 790,
How about A few Good Men, The Firm, Collateral, The Last Samurai? These were all outstanding films, and my husband enjoys Tom Cruise’s movies as much as I do.
Jelous not really the guys a mindless $cientology slave. Acting is not my thing,,, I’m not that into myself,,,
^
I would love to have his kind of money. I could create and help out alot of people with that kind of cash.
haha 790! up above there before i read more posts here i asked if katie1263 was his taller wife…
Answer: Both, the whole world knows who and what Tom is and we’re not going to see a star but a story. Inception proved this.
Great article in USA Today about that very thing,
“Concepts, not actors, are now the real stars at the movies”
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-08-06-stars06_st_N.htm
It’s about time they start pulling the reins back on salaries and stars. Since Cruise was one of the first to get the outrageous paycheck, it makes sense that he’s among the first to get it taken away. Nothing against the man, it’s simply ridiculous to “earn” $25M to play make believe. As for whether or not there’s an MI:4, it doesn’t have to be a Tom Cruise vehicle. It did just fine for decades before it jumped to the silver screen. Put the team back in IMF with a cast of lower-paid talents and it would be just as strong a franchise, in my opinion. Just my two cents.
@Katie 1263, Collateral and War of the Worlds, are the only Tom Cruise films that I have seen since Top Gun.
^
They were both good films but it wasn’t because of Cruise.
The biggest problem I have with Cruise is that he belongs to a cult. And I don’t support that crap.
WOTW and Collateral I saw for free, and that was the only reason I watched those films.
Great article!
It look like TC still got “it”!
Knight & Day Worldwide: $222,245,096
And i think the movie is not out in Japan and other foreign countries yet.
Can Tom Cruise go away now? How about ow? Now? All of us won’t go… not if you gave it to us. We just don’t like him anymore IN ANYTHING….
“All of us” hmmm you are exaggerating
And it looks like it’s paid off again–$235 million and counting worldwide for Cruise and Paramount.
Now $362,528,000 and counting, Tom Cruise does it again. Humble pie for the hater
Growing to $464,848,734 and counting, TC-Ghost Protocol rule
“Everyone is suffering in these tough economic times and Hollywood is no different.”
uhhhhhhhh WHAT?! please. that is the most pathetic piece of writing I have seen in a very long time. don’t you dare tell me hollywood is “suffering” when Tom Cruise made $25 million off one movie. that is more than i will make in my lifetime and i am in the middle of 10 years of school to become a doctor. hollywood is by NO means “suffering.”
Tom Cruise is one of e greatest talents in hollywood period
host Protocol Gross $637,742,169 Every thing he touches turns to gold and every film he makes is practically guaranteed to be a success. Tom Cruise is the real deal
Gotta laugh at all these people debating 2 years ago, if Cruise was finished or not, check out what he made and what he is working on right now; MI4 Ghost Protocol, Rock of ages, Jack Reacher, Oblivion, All you need is kill, and another 2 announced movies.. (Van Hellsing and MI5)
Tom Cruise is SO overrated…and is incapable of making a movie without having 200 close ups of his face.