Paramount Pictures highly anticipated film, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” debuted with a franchise-best $80 million in global box office earnings over a five-day period. However, the film fell short of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend, according to studio estimates.
The movie’s international performance was strong, generating $155 million from 70 markets. With a worldwide launch of $235 million, “Dead Reckoning” secured one of the best global openings of the year. Despite these figures, the film couldn’t match the high-speed success of last summer’s blockbuster hit, “Top Gun: Maverick.”
As the seventh film in the 27-year-old “Mission: Impossible” series, “Dead Reckoning Part One” was projected to surpass the franchise high set by its predecessor, “Fallout,” which opened with $61 million domestically in 2018. However, it also fell short of the $57.8 million debut of “Mission: Impossible II” back in 2000.
The film’s opening weekend numbers closely resemble the lukewarm launch of Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” That collected $82 million over five days and $60 million over the three-day weekend in U.S. and Canadian theatres. Paramount and Skydance had higher expectations for “Dead Reckoning.” Considering it was an action-packed extravaganza that carried a production cost of $290 million, excluding marketing expenses.
One of the first major productions shut down due to COVID-19
These increased costs were partly due to the impact of the pandemic. “Dead Reckoning,” directed by Christopher McQuarrie, was one of the first major productions shut down due to COVID-19. It had been on the verge of shooting in Italy in March 2020. When the project resumed, McQuarrie and lead actor Tom Cruise played pivotal roles in guiding the industry-wide recovery and implementing safety protocols. Albeit with some well-publicized conflicts along the way.
Despite falling short of expectations, “Dead Reckoning” has been hailed as a highlight in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. Critics have given it a favourable rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audience response. As indicated by an “A” CinemaScore, has been highly positive. While upcoming releases such as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” pose competition, “Mission: Impossible” is expected to maintain its strong performance in the weeks to come.
