Tom Cruise has done it again. The preeminent movie star of the last 40 years and its most recent savior of box office bucks has scored bigtime with the eighth and final installment of the Mission Impossible series. The Final Reckoning earned a whopping $200 million over its Memorial Day weekend opening.
Along with a record take for Lilo and Stitch, it was the biggest Memorial Day movie weekend in history.
The actor shared his delight on social media, saying: “This weekend was one for the history books! Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member and every single person who works at the studios. To every theater and every employee who helps bring these stories to audiences, thank you.” He also thanked Paramount for years of unparalleled support.
It’s the top debut weekend of the 29-year-old franchise which was based on a television show that made famous the catchphrase, “Your mission, should you decide to accept it…”
No one works it on and off-camera as hard as Cruise, who has been on a worldwide promotional tour including a splashy premiere last week at the Cannes Film Festival.
This latest MI installment with Cruise portraying spy Ethan Hunt boasts one of his most death-defying stunts yet– off the wings of a biplane as he tries to take down his nemesis Gabriel, notably played by Esai Morales.
Viewers will have to wait until towards the end of the nearly three-hour movie to catch that incredible escapade which includes Cruise’s heart-stopping descent from the plane. And then there’s a thrilling underwater sequence where he dodges missiles fired from submarines.
The supporting cast also rises to the occasion, with a memorable role played by Rolf Saxon, who returns to the part as scientist William Donloe nearly 30 years after he first appeared. This time, his role is greatly expanded as Hunt and his team of spies, including Hayley Atwell, work to take down an AI monster known as “The Entity,” who is promising to destroy the world.
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” carried a $400 million production budget, earning it the title as one of the most expensive movies ever made.
