Despite his impressive track record at the box office, Tom Cruise encountered an unparalleled competitor in the form of Barbenheimer, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
The summer blockbuster season kicked off with a bang when Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick soared to an astounding $1.5 billion in worldwide earnings last year.
This meteoric success set the stage for Cruise’s triumphant return as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Fans and industry experts anticipated yet another box office hit, hoping it would revive the lackluster performance of movies like The Flash and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Alas, the US premiere of Mission: Impossible 7 failed to meet expectations, despite achieving a series-high opening. The arrival of Barbenheimer further dealt a blow to the movie’s prospects as it went on to shatter records at the box office.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which had a budget of $145 million, has made $824 million worldwide since its release. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which had a budget of just $100 million, has made $425 million worldwide.
Mission Impossible 7 startling 64% drop in revenue during its second week in the US, coupled with the loss of coveted IMAX and Premium Large-Format screens to competing new releases, added to the challenges faced by the film.
Nevertheless, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One accumulated $143.3 million domestically and an impressive $309.3 million in overseas markets, resulting in a commendable global haul of $452.6 million.
The film appeared poised to surpass the total worldwide earnings of Mission: Impossible III and the original Mission: Impossible film. However, reaching the dizzying heights of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which amassed a jaw-dropping $786.6 million across the globe, remained uncertain.
Despite the uphill battle, critics and audiences praised the movie, as evident from its exceptional 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A CinemaScore. These positive reviews, combined with the absence of major blockbuster rivals shortly, could contribute to the film’s potential to maintain a strong presence at the box office. Yet, the coveted title of the highest-grossing film in the Mission: Impossible franchise, currently held by Fallout, still eluded Mission: Impossible 7.
Barbenheimer’s unrelenting popularity posed an imminent uncertainty over the movie’s chances to claim that pinnacle. Although faced with unexpected challenges stemming from Barbenheimer’s staggering success, labeling Mission: Impossible 7 a box office flop would need to be more timely. It’s ranking as the ninth biggest movie of 2023, surpassing The Flash and Indiana Jones 5, attests to its impact.
Mission: Impossible 7 Box Office – Hit or Flop?
The colossal budget attached to Mission: Impossible 7, reportedly a staggering $290 million without accounting for marketing expenses, added to the stakes. The film needed around $700 million to secure profitability, employing the standard industry metric of 2.5 times the production cost. While this milestone was far from assured, optimism prevailed due to the film’s promising position despite the challenges faced during its second weekend.
Ultimately, only time would reveal the true extent of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’s success. The cinematic world watched with bated breath as the saga unfolded, eager to witness whether Tom Cruise’s unconquerable spirit and the allure of the Mission: Impossible franchise could rise above the formidable hurdle presented by Barbenheimer.
