Paramount Pictures panicking over Tom Cruise film flop

[Grimmlok]

Cruise Crash Causes Paramount Panic

The real "failure to launch" of "Mission: Impossible III" at the box office has caused an immediate problem at Paramount Pictures.

Sources tell me that a catered lunch at the studio, planned ahead on Friday as a celebration, turned into a morbid affair. "Brad Grey and Rob Moore came to it, but no one spoke and eventually everyone left."

Apparently, reality set in faster in the Paramount executive suite than it did even among Cruise naysayers.

For one thing, weekend numbers — announced as estimates on Sunday — turned out to be slightly lower on Monday by almost a million bucks. The movie's real take was $47.7 million, not $48.6 million.

"You have to understand," says a source, "they sit around and try to decide what sounds better on Sunday. The $48 million sounded closer to 50. The 47 sounds more like 45."

You've got to feel for these people, though. Since Monday morning, every department at Paramount has been called on for immediate cost cutting, I'm told.

"Budget meetings are going on everywhere," says a source. "Everyone's being asked what they can do, and there's talk of layoffs again."

Why the sudden concern? On Monday night, "M: I3" may have become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

It made $3.5 million, off 72 percent from Sunday. That number must have had the Paramount prognosticators running around like earthquake experts.

You see, blockbusters generally do not drop so much from their first Sunday to Monday. Some examples: "Spider-Man 2" had a 57 percent drop, and "Batman Begins" had a 26 percent drop.

"War of the Worlds," Tom Cruise's last film, had only a 38 percent dip on its first Monday, but that was July 4 and a holiday. The following Monday it hung in there at 61 percent.

"They must be freaking out," says a source.

Indeed, the number-crunchers are going to be watching "M: I3" every day, maybe every hour this week to see where it's going.

Some astute TV viewers are already reporting seeing a new commercial that emphasizes Philip Seymour Hoffman as the villain Owen Davian.

If the numbers keep bottoming out as we head toward Friday, then Warner Bros. will be relieved. "Poseidon" might have a strong opening despite being awful.

And that's the irony here: "M: I3" is a terrific action film. Director J.J. Abrams did a great job, and the entire cast from Cruise right through to the team and various supporting players do a convincing job.

Cruise has several fantastic stunts that will take your breath away. It would be a shame if everyone waited to watch it at home on small screens.

- FOXnews
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194910,00.html

[Mel1973]

Cruise has several fantastic stunts that will take your breath away. It would be a shame if everyone waited to watch it at home on small screens.
I won't be watching it on the small screen either. This little fuck is getting what he's been begging for. How soon do we want to wager it's going to DVD???

[KristiB]

I'm glad Tom is the scapegoat in this because I like JJ abrams and Keri Russell.

I haven't seen the movie but I assume it's good for what it is and I assume Tom did as good as an acting job as he has in his other movies.

It's who he is offscreen that killed the flick.

[Tiara]

I've never been interested in the MI films but I point blank REFUSE to go see this one because I simply can't stand that crazy loon.

[Somerset]

I know I shouldn't be happy about other people's misforutune, but BOOYAH!!! All these people have more money than any single human should have anyway. But mostly, BOOYAH right in Tom's face. Heck, BOOYAH in Xenu's face too.

[Grimmlok]

Yeah, I feel bad for the director and everyone else who worked hard, but I just can't help laughing at the ones who ended up getting audited under the Scientology tent at each location.

SUck it, retards.

[darksithbunny]

Maybe now Tom will shut the hell up.

[Bellatheball]

It's interesting. Everything I've read on this gives subtle (or not so subtle) suggestions that Thetan Tom's behavior is the reason for the flop. I was wondering if anyone would have the cajones to come out and say it. Also, it seems some of the media and higher ups have their heads in the ground when it comes to Thetan Tom's appeal to audiences. So this is refreshing.

[Mel1973]

I can't wait for everyone to be interviewed later. I'm anxious to see what kind of spin TC's camp is going to want to put on it. You know that little sawed-off shit isn't going to take credit for fucking this up.

[merri]

i think that changing the advertising to play up Hoffman is their best bet here, esp coming off his oscar for capote.

that said, i also refuse to go. sorry phillip s! i adore ya, but so it goes.

[NoDayButToday]

Despite my love for PSH (which is the ONLY reason to see this movie in my mind), I won't be seeing the movie in theaters. I refuse to make it look like I'm going to see Tom. I will wait til it's on DVD and add it to my netflix cue.

[Mel1973]

Originally Posted by NoDayButToday

Despite my love for PSH (which is the ONLY reason to see this movie in my mind), I won't be seeing the movie in theaters. I refuse to make it look like I'm going to see Tom. I will wait til it's on DVD and add it to my netflix cue.

Agree, he's the only reason to consider seeing the movie - but when you lay down with the dogs....

Netflix might work for you - noone has to know you rented it...

[Luna]

Saw it. PSH was brilliant as usual but way too much Tom not enough PSH. Wait for dvd if at all.

[UndercoverGator]

So glad after reading this that I have stock in Universal-Vivendi instead of Paramount! Ha-ha (said in the Nelson Munz of "The Simpsons" voice) You know someone at Paramount should have had the cojones and sense to figure out that once Tom did his Oprah couch-bounce he'd become the country's laughing stock/whipping boy and no one would pay a plug nickel to see him on the silver screen unless they were a $cientologist!

[A*O]

The Aussie crits say you only need to watch the trailers on TV to get a condensed version of the whole movie so don't bother going to the cinema.

Tom Cruise has made himself Box Office Poison and no sane producer will ever risk hiring him again. G'night Tom Boy.