With a few weeks to go, the first tracking data for Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is out and it seems as though his ace IMF agent Ethan Hunt is gearing up to go out with a bang.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, The Final Reckoning is currently looking at an opening in the $72 million to $88 million range, with box office pundits targeting a $80 million domestic launch over the course of the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, which would be a franchise-best, topping the $61.2 million three-day launch for Mission: Impossible - Fallout in 2018.
Meanwhile, Disney's Lilo & Stitch is expected to open around $120 million over the four-day holiday, with projections expecting something in the $110 million to $130 million range, so based on these early estimates, it seems like we're in for one of the biggest movie weekends since 2023's Barbenheimer.
If the tracking holds, and if buzz continues to build as both Paramount and Disney unleash their extensive marketing campaigns over the next three weeks, the combination of the two films could provide theater owners with the biggest Memorial Day weekend in history in terms of overall ticket sales, not adjusted for inflation.
The current record-holder is from Memorial Day 2013, when Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part III opened to $117 million and $50 million, respectively, with all films that weekend combining for $306 million.
It would also be the highest combined gross for the top two Memorial Day releases since 2007 when Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Shrek the Third opened to $140 million and $67 million, respectively.
Memorial Day weekend has historically been very good to Tom Cruise, as he opened both Mission: Impossible II and Top Gun: Maverick over the four-day frame - with the latter setting the record for biggest Memorial Day opening weekend ever with $160.5 million.
Additionally, Paramount has also launched an Easter Egg-filled Mission: Impossible puzzle minigame on Discord, which you can also play here: www.startyourmission.com.
Plus, we have a first look at the film's Tom Cruise-designed popcorn bucket, which will require two keys to open. Check it out below:
Check out the thrilling new "Long Wing" featurette below:
Plus, check out action-packed new stills and new posters below!
In our review of the previous installment, Dead Reckoning, we said, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the undisputed blockbuster movie event of the summer! Tom Cruise delivers yet another action movie masterpiece, packed with jaw-dropping spectacle, pulse-pounding action, heartfelt emotion, awe-inspiring performances, and an exhilarating chemistry opposite new leading lady Hayley Atwell that’ll have you begging for more. This is one Mission we’ll always choose to accept! Bring on Part Two!"
In addition to Cruise, the supporting cast features Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger; Agent Carter; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible; Pulp Fiction; Dawn of the Dead), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead; Star Trek; Mission: Impossible), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown; Pieces of a Woman; Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Esai Morales (Ozark; La Bamba; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Westworld), Mariela Garriga (Bloodline; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Y: The Last Man), Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible; Ready or Not; Revenge), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter; Fight Club; Wrath of Man), Janet McTeer (Ozark; Albert Nobbs; Jessica Jones), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation; The Last of Us; Devs), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso; Game of Thrones; Hocus Pocus 2), Angela Bassett (Black Panther; What's Love Got to Do with It; 9-1-1), Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire; Joker; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Greg Tarzan Davis (Top Gun: Maverick; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Grey’s Anatomy), Charles Parnell (Top Gun: Maverick; Transformers: Age of Extinction; The Last Ship), and Frederick Schmidt (Angel Has Fallen; Mission: Impossible – Fallout; Supergirl).
McQuarrie helmed the feature, with a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Ithaca; Band of Brothers).
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters and IMAX on May 23!
Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.