Who needs superheroes when you've got Tom Cruise?
Following its exceptionally strong preview day, Paramount and Skydance's Top Gun: Maverick has grossed over $51.8 million on Friday, and is now on track for a gargantuan $150 million four-day launch ($123M three-day), which would make it the biggest opening weekend of Cruise's illustrious career.
Its launch is also the biggest Memorial Day opening weekend ever, easily surpassing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ($139.8M), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($126.9M), and X-Men: The Last Stand ($122.8M).
Paramount has remained conservative with its estimates, projecting an opening in the $100 million to $125 million range, but, thanks to rave reviews and extremely strong word-of-mouth, it looks like Maverick will break every limit. At this stage, we wouldn't necessarily rule out an even bigger opening number by Tuesday morning, especially since there is very little competition and its also playing in 4,735 theaters, which makes it the widest theatrical release in domestic box office history.
Internationally, the Joseph Kosinski-directed action sequel has already grossed $64.7 million, and is heading for $110 million, so it should easily surpass $260 million globally (possibly more) by the end of the weekend.
With a reported $172.5 million production budget and an estimated $150 million in print and advertising, its break-even number is approximately $410 million, and with a traditional 120-day theatrical window, it seems increasingly likely Maverick will soar past that figure with relative ease by the end of the summer.
As reported yesterday, this box office performance is very good news for Cruise, as according to Puck founder and former The Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni, there is a strong chance the 3x Academy Award-nominated megastar will ultimately walk away with a hefty nine-figure payday by the time Top Gun: Maverick leaves theaters.
Additionally, the film's CinemaScore has been revealed and it has earned a highly coveted "A+," so expect this film to have a strong run throughout the rest of the summer.
Check out our exclusive interviews with director Joseph Kosinski and actor Glen Powell (Hangman) below:
In our review, we said, "Top Gun: Maverick is the must-see cinematic experience of the year! Packed with jaw-dropping aerial sequences, thrilling edge-of-your-seat moments, genuine heart, epic romance, huge stakes, and one of the absolute best performances of Tom Cruise's legendary career, this is the theatrical experience you've been waiting for."
Tom Cruise headlines the feature as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, with original co-star Val Kilmer returning as Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. The iconic pair are joined by an all-star supporting cast consisting of Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin, Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Jon Hamm as Vice Admiral Cyclone, Glen Powell as Hangman, Lewis Pullman as Bob, Ed Harris as Rear Admiral, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, Charles Parnell as Rear Admiral Warlock, Danny Ramirez as Fanboy, Manny Jacinto as Fritz, Bashir Salahuddin as Coleman, Jay Ellis as Payback, Jake Picking in an undisclosed role, Raymond Lee in an undisclosed role, Lyliana Wray as Amelia Benjamin, Jean Louisa Kelly as Carole Bradshaw, Greg Davis as Coyote, and Bob Stephenson in an undisclosed role.
Top Gun: Maverick is now play in theaters worldwide!
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.