EXCLUSIVE: Paramount/Skydance’s Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One is looking at $6M-$7M in previews so far, which is bound to be higher than the Thursday previews of the last Mission Impossible – Fallout back in 2018 which did $6M. This is according to sources. The figures we’re seeing now could go higher or lower.
Dead Reckoning previews began at 2PM today, however, I hear there were PLF fan screenings on Monday and that handful of bucks is accounted for in the estimate.
Dead Reckoning is one of the longer films of the summer at 2 hours and 43 minutes with credits. Not as long as Oppenheimer‘s 3 hours (opening on July 21), but longer than Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2 hours and 34 minutes) and The Flash (2 hours and 24 minutes). However, the action is unlike anything any Mission Impossible or Fast and Furious movie has ever delivered before. Seriously, that Rome, Italy car chase will make you want to see the movie again. Paramount is going for a Mission:Impossible franchise five-day record here with a Wednesday start, which is smart given this sequel’s length and the limited amount of showtimes exhibitors can program. Disney did not execute a Wednesday start with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, another older dude skewing film, the studio opting for a Friday launch and seeing $60.3M over three days before July 4.
The best reviewed Mission: Impossible of all-time at 98% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Dead Reckoning is projected to have a $90M five-day stateside, $250M+ worldwide.
Last year, the decades long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick posted the best box office results of Cruise’s career with $19.3M in U.S. previews, $126.7M domestic opening, and $256.4M WW start. The pic finaled at $718.7M domestic (No. 1 pic for 2023 domestic), $1.49 billion WW (No 2 global for 2023 after Avatar: The Way of Water).
Mission: Impossible – Fallout opened to $61.2M domestic, and legged out to $220.1M domestic, and $791.6M WW. Even if Mission comes up short this weekend, remember, Cruise’s movies are always backloaded at the B.O.