1996’s action adaptation of the TV series “Mission: Impossible” was the highest grossing film of that year for Paramount, with $181 million at the domestic box office. It was the studio’s second biggest release of the 1996-1999 period, only behind “Titanic”. Sequel “Mission: Impossible II” was the Paramount winner for the year 2000, with an even better $215.4 million in North America.
Six years later came “Mission: Impossible III”, with an underwhelming $134.5 million total. It was second for Paramount in 2006. On top was the studio’s first DreamWorks Animation release, “Over the Hedge”. Brad Bird took the directing reigns for 2011 revival “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”, which had an IMAX exclusive opening weekend of $12 million in 425 theaters (source: Box Office Mojo), before expanding nationwide and performing well over the holidays. $209.4 million was a nice bounce back for the franchise, the year’s runner up for PAR (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” was No. 1).
Christopher McQuarrie kicked-off his first of what would become four “M:I” installments with 2015’s “Rogue Nation”. This summer release came-up slightly short of series heights, but still earned a cool $195 million, good for Paramount’s yearly top spot. 2018’s “Fallout”, my favorite of the most recent four, reached a new high for the saga of $220.2 million. PAR loved that figure (for its ’18 champ), but the studio had to be disappointed when 2023’s “Dead Reckoning” (at the time of release, with a “Part One” attached) got lost in the “Barbenheimer” and “Sound of Freedom” phenomenons, only making $172.1 million. (It was still PAR’s first place film of ’23, though “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” wasn’t far behind.)
There’s a lot riding on “The Final Reckoning” (no longer “Dead Reckoning – Part Two”), and it’s part of what’s expected to be a massive Memorial Day weekend for theaters, joining Disney’s live-action / CG version of “Lilo & Stitch”. I give the weekend box office champion edge to “L&S”, but don’t be surprised if “M:I” has legs through the end of June and maybe into part of July. Tom Cruise proved with “Top Gun: Maverick” that he’s still a massive draw, and if “The Final Reckoning” is captivating, diehard fans could choose to accept multiple viewings. As for PAR’s 2025, “Smurfs”, “The Naked Gun” and “The Running Man” could all do well, but the only mega movie star standing in Cruise’s way of another studio victory is a certain yellow sponge at the end of the year.