amusing to find one of hollywood s biggest action stars, tom cruise, partly sidelined during this blockbuster season by the charms of a movie inspired by a long legged, iconic plastic doll. yes, cruise s mission: impossible 7 was not at all bad but the blockbuster season glory really did go to barbie, as emma jones now tells us. cheering. already hollywood s golden boy for what top gun: maverick did for post covid cinema attendance last summer, the question was would tom cruise s midas touch work again for mission: impossible dead reckoning? there was a big promotional tour supporting the release, including a world premiere in rome, where part of the film was set. it s all about how do i engage the audience? cruise was as willing as ever to meet fans and to be chief salesman for his movie. it s bigger than all the films. it has vivid characterisations.
of course. i d love crack a bill, wouldn t you? i mean, i d love to get a bit of that. what was it, $800,000? yeah i ve never been in a billion dollarfilm. but then, with tom and with top gun, amazingly, of course you want everyone to see this. i feel like this film is everything a cinematic blockbuster should be. and it should be seen, and there s so many films. i mean, we speak about mission, but it also becomes a ripple effect, doesn t it, where we show that we can do it, other films will do it. what is made a billion dollar movie almost mission: impossible, despite cruise s ability to pull off breathtaking stunts, was the release of barbie and 0ppenheimerjust after dead reckoning. after a strong start, the film s hype was quickly stolen and its worldwide box office of $500 million so far is almost a direct result of audiences seeing so called barbenheimer instead including tom cruise, who posted on social media with his ticket. ethan? this mission of yours.