‘Mission’ Is a Runaway on Cruise Control

If the projections are correct, Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures just pulled off one impossible mission. By today’s holiday close, “Mission: Impossible” could have racked up the second biggest six-day opening box-office take ever, topped only by “Jurassic Park.”

Paramount on Sunday was estimating a four-day Memorial Day weekend gross of about $51.5-to-$53.5 million, although competitors speculated that the number could bump up to $57 million.

But the capper is the cumulative 6 1/3-day take (the one-third coming from the sneak previews on Tuesday night before Wednesday’s opening): Paramount put the number at $70-to-$72.5 million. Its competitors estimated $78 million. If the rivals prove right, “Mission: Impossible” would exceed the six-day gross of $74.2 million for “Jurassic Park” and would certainly blow past the $72.2 million of “Batman Forever”--until now the two biggest six-day openers of all time.

“Estimates for the holiday are tough to project,” said Barry London, Paramount’s head of distribution. “But if the estimates are correct, this film surpasses ‘Flintstones’ which was the biggest Memorial Day weekend opener ever.” That film opened May 27, 1994, grossing just over $37.2 million. “For that, we would have been happy. Certainly this is the biggest Tom Cruise opener of all time. This film is flying in a very rare atmosphere and needless to say we are more than just a little thrilled.”

“Mission: Impossible” appeared poised to overtake the recent favorite, “Twister,” which churned up a guesstimated $54 million in six days. That film continued to level most of the competition, bringing in about $36 million for the four-day weekend. By Sunday, the Warner Bros. tornado epic had taken in a cumulative $135.4 million in less than three weeks.

For Cruise, who made his producing debut as well as starring in “Mission: Impossible,” it looked like a big payoff on an early gamble. He had waived his salary, which would have been in the range of $20 million, to help get the project launched. Instead, he agreed to take only his usual 15% of Paramount’s 75% box-office share.

Cruise, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson and the rest of his blockbuster ilk, usually takes a huge salary and a fat percentage of the gross. But this time was different.

“This was a brilliant move in hindsight,” said another Paramount producer. “It’s good for the studio. It’s good for the movie. And it’s great for him. Plus it sends a very loud message to other highly paid actors in this business.”

Cruise’s salary waiver clipped budget costs considerably. The picture wrapped in the low $60-million range--some say around $62.5-to-$63 million.

While Cruise has declined to discuss his finances, one Paramount source involved with the film called his move a big gamble but a responsible act by a first-time producer. “Tom believed in the project and he believed in himself,” the source said. “His decision was infectious. Everybody did their best to keep the costs down on this picture.”

But Cruise wasn’t the first to take that kind of bet. Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis cut their fees in half for a chunk of the box-office gross on “Forrest Gump,” another blockbuster and a best picture Academy Award winner. They made a bundle. Mel Gibson and producer Alan Ladd Jr. deferred their salaries on last year’s best picture Oscar winner, “Braveheart.” Both have fared handsomely. And Robert Redford deferred his fee on “Indecent Proposal”--another hit. All are Paramount pictures and all involved stars at the height of their careers--except for the long established Redford--rolling the dice on their fees on a showcase movie.

There’s more to Cruise’s decision than the forfeit of a one-time fee. “Tom sees this movie as his franchise. He is handling this very, very smart,” said one Paramount executive, who predicted a sequel would be forthcoming two summers from now.

“Mission: Impossible” could become for Paramount what “Batman” has become for Warner Bros.--a precious staple to be refashioned every other year, not to mention the enormous merchandising and sideline businesses that brings.

The ripple effect of the film’s initial success was being felt in other areas as well. Certainly, the remake of the old TV series stands to rejuvenate director Brian De Palma’s career. He hasn’t had a hit since since 1987’s “The Untouchables.”

And some exhibitors suspected it could have, in some way, bolstered the ticket sales of another spy movie that opened during the holiday--Disney/Hollywood Picture’s “Spy Hard.” Some moviegoers undoubtedly turned the weekend into a spy fest since the spoof starring Leslie Nielsen was in third place and headed toward an estimated $10.4-million gross for the four days, according to John Krier, head of the box-office tracking firm, Exhibitor Relations. Since it is a low-budget picture, Disney/Hollywood Pictures, was happy, “especially when you consider the competition,” said a spokesman.

In fourth place at the box office was Universal’s “Flipper,” with about $5 million. “The Truth About Cats & Dogs” settled in fifth with about $2.6 million. “The Craft” held sixth place with about $2.4 million. “Primal Fear” was running seventh with about $1.28 million. “The Birdcage” was holding in eighth with about $1.2 million. Disney resurrected “Toy Story” in the discount theaters and was grabbing ninth with about $1 million, and “Heaven’s Prisoners” was 10th with about $800,000.

Final weekend figures will be released Tuesday.