Barbenheimer Thwarts Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible

Mission: Impossible 7 had generated substantial hype as a potential blockbuster even before its official release. Tom Cruise, having recently starred in the record-breaking film Top Gun: Maverick, which garnered a staggering $1.4 billion in global box office earnings, was credited with being a savior of the movie industry. 

Given Cruise's recent success, expectations were naturally high for yet another big-budget action film featuring the acclaimed actor. 

The much-anticipated Mission: Impossible 7 has faced a significant setback at the US box office, and two weeks after its release, its performance has become apparent. 

During its opening weekend in the US, MI7's performance was below projections, bringing in approximately $78 million, about $20 million less than anticipated. 

Despite receiving rave reviews from both critics and audiences, with audience response measured through various companies that poll US moviegoers on opening day, the film failed to "leg out" in box office lingo. 

In its second weekend at the US box office, coinciding with the release of Barbenheimer, Mission: Impossible 7 experienced a sharp decline in earnings, making 64% less than it did in its opening weekend. 

This weekend-to-weekend box office comparison, often referred to as a "drop," marked the worst decline in the history of the Mission Impossible film franchise.

Adding to the film's challenges, recent reports revealed that Mission: Impossible 7 is set to lose a significant number of theaters in its third weekend, totaling 1,130 theaters. 

This reduction in theater count is attributed to making room for the new release, Barbenheimer. As respected box office analysts note, the combination of the substantial drop in earnings and the loss of theaters creates a bleak outlook for the movie's profitability.