Tom Cruise Breaks His Own Rules to Save Mission: Impossible Finale from Flopping

by

Tom Cruise is rumored to take a more active role in promoting “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” to prevent the movie’s performance at the box office from mirroring that of its previous installment in the series. Known for being choosy with his public appearances before film releases, Cruise might have to open up more press opportunities due to “Mission: Impossible 7” facing one of the lowest box office earnings in the action franchise’s history.

According to Matt Belloni’s latest newsletter, it appears Tom Cruise will be more visible in media promotions for “Mission: Impossible 8”. Recently, he granted an exclusive interview to People magazine, which seems to be the first of several media engagements this month. Belloni mentioned that Cruise’s publicist has been selective about press interactions in recent times, primarily focusing on outlets such as Empire, “The Late Late Show with James Corden”, and red carpet events.

Regarding publicity, it’s intriguing to notice Tom Cruise appearing in an interview with People magazine, specifically for a special edition commemorating ‘Mission: Impossible’. It’s not like a comprehensive 60 Minutes profile (the most notable revelation being that Tom occasionally enjoys a substantial breakfast), but Cruise and his publicist, Amanda Lundberg, have been selective with media interactions in recent times. They’ve primarily restricted their press to the U.K. movie magazine Empire, and not much else beyond his social media platforms, appearances on The Late Late Late Show With James Corden, and global premiere events, where he engages with numerous outlets for brief intervals of about 30 seconds each – only discussing pre-approved topics.

Belloni pointed out that Cruise’s upcoming press strategy is not an extensive PR campaign as initially expected, but due to the underperformance of “Mission: Impossible 7,” Cruise might be slightly more open to publicity events for “The Final Reckoning.” This openness includes a rare guest spot on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

According to reports, Tom Cruise is scheduled to make an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” before the premiere of his upcoming movie, “The Final Reckoning,” which is set for Cannes on May 14 and cinema release on May 23. It’s been a while since Cruise was on Fallon’s show, with their ‘Mad Lib Theater’ segment from 2018 gaining significant attention online. This upcoming appearance might not be a major publicity push, but considering the underperformance of his last Mission film at the box office, it seems that Cruise is aware of the need to be slightly more visible.

Mission: Impossible – The Last Showdown

The movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, is helmed by director Christopher McQuarrie and features Tom Cruise alongside Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, and Ving Rhames (with one unexpected absence among the cast). It serves as a direct follow-up to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, where Ethan Hunt and his team pursued a dangerous rogue AI posing a threat to mankind. The eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible series will grace the big screens on May 23, 2025.

Is Mission: Impossible 8 In Trouble?

The Mission: Impossible series, recognized as one of the most successful and lucrative action franchises ever made, saw somewhat lower earnings at the box office with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. Given that Paramount had already decided on a two-part finale for the Mission: Impossible saga, including an eighth movie, it was crucial for this film to perform well financially, either as a fitting conclusion to Tom Cruise’s franchise or to secure funding for future installments.

The actor is typically viewed as highly dedicated to his film roles (he expressed that acting in movies isn’t just something he does, but a significant part of who he is). Interestingly, this performer usually shies away from lengthy press tours, leading many to speculate that this recent change in approach is perhaps a desperate measure aimed at boosting the number of tickets sold for the upcoming Mission: Impossible film.

Last year, there were reports suggesting that Tom Cruise was frustrated with the release strategy of “Mission: Impossible 7” in IMAX cinemas, as it had a limited run due to its close timing with Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”. It is said that he took matters into his own hands by reaching out directly to theatre exhibitors, urging them to prioritize showing his film over Nolan’s, demonstrating the actor’s determination in ensuring his projects receive maximum exposure.

In addition to playing the lead role, Cruise is also a producer for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”. This dual position ensures he has a personal stake in the film’s performance. If additional media appearances are necessary, it’s clear that the actor would be willing to oblige, as he wants “Mission: Impossible 8” to avoid the same pitfalls as its predecessor.

Read More

2025-05-03 18:04