Summary

Despite earning over $500 million at the box office, Mission: Impossible 7 may struggle to make a profit. The movie’s domestic debut was underwhelming, earning just $80 million in the first five days. Mission: Impossible 7 is estimated to lose around $100 million, considering its $300 million production cost and additional marketing expenses.

Despite Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One earning roughly $523 million at the box office, the latest installment may lose $100 million in theaters. Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the seventh entry of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Although the action thriller was one of the most anticipated movies of the year, the debut box office performance was shockingly underwhelming, earning just $80 million domestically for the first five days. Even though the Cruise-led movie has fared better internationally, it has still yet to crack the breakeven point.

Now, Variety reports that Mission: Impossible 7 may likely lose roughly $100 million. This comes as the movie is reported to have a cost of $300 million, excluding marketing expenses. The marketing spending is estimated to be about another $100 million. One source claims the movie may break even if it makes $600 million at the global box office. Although the movie is still a long way from that feat, one analyst, Jeff Bock, believes that the tentpole film and others like it could make up the difference and earn more through streaming and on-demand.

Why Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Is Struggling To Make A Profit

Before the movie’s release on July 12, Mission: Impossible 7 was initially projected to have a strong box office opening of $90 million, which would have made it one of the most successful entries in the franchise. The high expectations transpired as a result of universal critical acclaim and Cruise’s major box office success with Top Gun: Maverick, which made ceremoniously $1.47 billion. Unfortunately, the latest Mission: Impossible installment had a disappointing box office opening weekend, a dastardly trend that many blockbuster movies have endured this whole summer, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Fast X. It was later met with competition from Barbie and Oppenheimer the following week, which both dominated commercially and became immense box office successes.

Boxoffice Pro chief analyst Shawn Robbins pinpoints the COVID pandemic as the core cause of why several tentpole movies this summer have experienced box office mishaps. Filming during COVID likely inflated the budget for these movies, which is the possible case for Mission: Impossible 7. The seventh installment endured several production setbacks, such as crew members testing positive for COVID and the Polish bridge controversy after several figures protested the historical overpass’s destruction for an alleged explosion sequence. The production complications and delays likely accumulated the cost, which has now become consequential for the movie to even make a profit.

RELATED: Mission Impossible 7’s Disappointing Box Office Reveals A Hidden Truth Behind Tom Cruise’s Success

If the break-even point is at $600 million, this will be a major challenge for Mission: Impossible 7. The movie’s theatrical legs are already waning as it hits its fifth weekend with a current global total of $523 million. Hence, the likelihood of losing $100 million in theaters is probable since it is not close to reaching break even. Still, there is a chance that streaming licensing and on-demand may reduce the cost difference and help push the movie to its break-even point after all.

Source: Variety

Key Release Date Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two