News Analysis India

Tag: Tom Cruise

  • Next ‘Mission: Impossible’ delayed a year as Hollywood actors strike drags on

    By Associated Press

    NEW YORK: The eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise has been postponed a year, signalling a new wave of release schedule juggling for Hollywood studios as the actors strike surpasses three months of work stoppage.

    Paramount Pictures on Monday shifted the release date of the next “Mission: Impossible” from June 28 to May 23, 2025.

    Production on the follow-up to Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” was paused in July while Tom Cruise and company embarked on an international promotion blitz for “Dead Reckoning”. 

    The sequel had been titled “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” but is now simply listed currently as “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” ultimately grossed USD 567.5 million worldwide, falling shy of the 2018 installment “Fallout” (USD 791.7 million globally) and the heady highs of Cruise’s summer 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” (USD 1.5 billion).

    The 163-minute-long action thriller, drew some of the best reviews of the 27-year-old movie franchise, but was quickly eclipsed by the box-office juggernauts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”.

    As Hollywood’s labour turmoil has continued, it’s increasingly upended release plans not just for movies this fall that want to wait until their stars can promote them (like “Dune: Part Two”, postponed to March), but some of next year’s top big-screen attractions.

    A string of Marvel movies have previously shifted back, as did the third “Venom” film.

    “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”, has been delayed indefinitely after being dated for March 2024.

    Paramount also announced Monday that “A Quiet Place: Day One”, a prequel to the post-apocalyptic horror series starring Lupita Nyong’o, will have its release pushed from March to when “Dead Reckoning” had been scheduled to open on June 28.

    Negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios are scheduled to resume Tuesday. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    NEW YORK: The eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise has been postponed a year, signalling a new wave of release schedule juggling for Hollywood studios as the actors strike surpasses three months of work stoppage.

    Paramount Pictures on Monday shifted the release date of the next “Mission: Impossible” from June 28 to May 23, 2025.

    Production on the follow-up to Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” was paused in July while Tom Cruise and company embarked on an international promotion blitz for “Dead Reckoning”. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The sequel had been titled “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” but is now simply listed currently as “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” ultimately grossed USD 567.5 million worldwide, falling shy of the 2018 installment “Fallout” (USD 791.7 million globally) and the heady highs of Cruise’s summer 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” (USD 1.5 billion).

    The 163-minute-long action thriller, drew some of the best reviews of the 27-year-old movie franchise, but was quickly eclipsed by the box-office juggernauts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”.

    As Hollywood’s labour turmoil has continued, it’s increasingly upended release plans not just for movies this fall that want to wait until their stars can promote them (like “Dune: Part Two”, postponed to March), but some of next year’s top big-screen attractions.

    A string of Marvel movies have previously shifted back, as did the third “Venom” film.

    “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”, has been delayed indefinitely after being dated for March 2024.

    Paramount also announced Monday that “A Quiet Place: Day One”, a prequel to the post-apocalyptic horror series starring Lupita Nyong’o, will have its release pushed from March to when “Dead Reckoning” had been scheduled to open on June 28.

    Negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios are scheduled to resume Tuesday. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • ‘Mission: Impossible’ debuts with $80M over five days, igniting box office but missing expectations

    By Associated Press

    NEW YORK: After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend, according to studio estimates.

    The Paramount Pictures debut was boosted by strong overseas sales of $155 million from 70 markets. But while a $235 million worldwide launch marked one of the best global openings of the year, “Dead Reckoning” couldn’t approach the high-speed velocity of last summer’s top film, “Top Gun: Maverick.”

    “Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film in the 27-year-old series, had been forecast to better the franchise high of the previous installment, “Fallout,” which opened with $61 million domestically in 2018. Instead, it also fell short of the $57.8 million “Mission: Impossible II” debuted within 2000.

    That puts the film’s opening-weekend tally very close to the tepid launch of Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with $82 million over five days and $60 million over the three-day weekend. Paramount and Skydance had higher hopes for the action extravaganza of “Dead Reckoning,” which cost $290 million to make, not counting marketing expenses.

    Those costs were inflated, in part, by the pandemic. “Dead Reckoning,” directed by Christopher McQuarrie, was among the first major productions shut down by COVID-19. It was preparing to shoot in Italy in March 2020. When the film got back on track, McQuarrie and Cruise helped lead the industry-wide recovery back to film sets – albeit with some well-publicized friction over protocols along the way.

    Still, “Dead Reckoning” was hailed as a high point in the franchise. Critics (96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and fans (an “A” CinemaScore) alike came away awed by the stunts and chases of the latest “Mission: Impossible” film. Though the coming competition of “Barbenheimer” — the much-anticipated debuts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — looms, “Mission: Impossible” should play well for weeks to come.

    “This is a global franchise. It’s going gangbusters and its going to play for a long time. Quality always wins in the end,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Paramount.

    “Dead Reckoning,” Aronson said, met or exceeded the studio’s expectations.

    “In international markets, in like-for-like markets, we’re 15% ahead of ‘Fallout,’ and that’s taking China out,” added Aronson. “Domestically, we’re over 3% ahead of ‘Fallout’ for the first five days. To beat its predecessor is phenomenal, especially in this environment.”

    Cruise, the so-called savior of movie theaters last year, traveled tirelessly to again pump life back into a summer box office that’s been sluggish. After a splashy world premiere in Rome with a red-carpet on the Spanish Steps, Cruise and McQuarrie surprised theaters in Atlanta, Miami, Toronto and Washington D.C. in the days ahead of opening.

    “Dead Reckoning” hit theaters at a crucial mid-summer period for Hollywood, and not just because of the SAG-AFTRA strike which began Thursday. “Mission: Impossible” launched a week before one of the biggest box-office showdowns of the year.

    Though “Dead Reckoning” and “Oppenheimer” have vied for some of the same IMAX screens, each film has publicly endorsed the idea that a rising tide lifts all blockbusters. Cruise and McQuarrie in early July even bought opening-weekend tickets to both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and “Oppenheimer” filmmaker Christopher Nolan reciprocated with their own gestures of support.

    However, that trio of films performs over the next few weeks will do a lot to determine the fate of the summer box office.

    “These are a crucial couple of weeks for the industry starting this weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. “I think it’s going to be a fun reinvigoration of the box office because we have had a few films underperforming. Really, the summer movie season restarts this week with ‘Mission’ leading into ‘Barbenheimer.’”

    No other new wide release challenged “Mission: Impossible” over the weekend. Second place went to Angel Studios’ faith-based political thriller “Sound of Freedom” which increased 37% in its second with $27 million. Jim Caveziel stars in the child trafficking drama.

    Last week’s top film, “ Insidious: The Red Door ” slid to third with $13 million in its second weekend. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is dropping quickly with $12 million its third weekend, with a domestical total so far of $145.4 million.

    In limited release, the Searchlight Pictures’ mockumentary “Theater Camp” opened to $270,000 from six theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    NEW YORK: After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend, according to studio estimates.

    The Paramount Pictures debut was boosted by strong overseas sales of $155 million from 70 markets. But while a $235 million worldwide launch marked one of the best global openings of the year, “Dead Reckoning” couldn’t approach the high-speed velocity of last summer’s top film, “Top Gun: Maverick.”

    “Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film in the 27-year-old series, had been forecast to better the franchise high of the previous installment, “Fallout,” which opened with $61 million domestically in 2018. Instead, it also fell short of the $57.8 million “Mission: Impossible II” debuted within 2000.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    That puts the film’s opening-weekend tally very close to the tepid launch of Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with $82 million over five days and $60 million over the three-day weekend. Paramount and Skydance had higher hopes for the action extravaganza of “Dead Reckoning,” which cost $290 million to make, not counting marketing expenses.

    Those costs were inflated, in part, by the pandemic. “Dead Reckoning,” directed by Christopher McQuarrie, was among the first major productions shut down by COVID-19. It was preparing to shoot in Italy in March 2020. When the film got back on track, McQuarrie and Cruise helped lead the industry-wide recovery back to film sets – albeit with some well-publicized friction over protocols along the way.

    Still, “Dead Reckoning” was hailed as a high point in the franchise. Critics (96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and fans (an “A” CinemaScore) alike came away awed by the stunts and chases of the latest “Mission: Impossible” film. Though the coming competition of “Barbenheimer” — the much-anticipated debuts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — looms, “Mission: Impossible” should play well for weeks to come.

    “This is a global franchise. It’s going gangbusters and its going to play for a long time. Quality always wins in the end,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Paramount.

    “Dead Reckoning,” Aronson said, met or exceeded the studio’s expectations.

    “In international markets, in like-for-like markets, we’re 15% ahead of ‘Fallout,’ and that’s taking China out,” added Aronson. “Domestically, we’re over 3% ahead of ‘Fallout’ for the first five days. To beat its predecessor is phenomenal, especially in this environment.”

    Cruise, the so-called savior of movie theaters last year, traveled tirelessly to again pump life back into a summer box office that’s been sluggish. After a splashy world premiere in Rome with a red-carpet on the Spanish Steps, Cruise and McQuarrie surprised theaters in Atlanta, Miami, Toronto and Washington D.C. in the days ahead of opening.

    “Dead Reckoning” hit theaters at a crucial mid-summer period for Hollywood, and not just because of the SAG-AFTRA strike which began Thursday. “Mission: Impossible” launched a week before one of the biggest box-office showdowns of the year.

    Though “Dead Reckoning” and “Oppenheimer” have vied for some of the same IMAX screens, each film has publicly endorsed the idea that a rising tide lifts all blockbusters. Cruise and McQuarrie in early July even bought opening-weekend tickets to both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and “Oppenheimer” filmmaker Christopher Nolan reciprocated with their own gestures of support.

    However, that trio of films performs over the next few weeks will do a lot to determine the fate of the summer box office.

    “These are a crucial couple of weeks for the industry starting this weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. “I think it’s going to be a fun reinvigoration of the box office because we have had a few films underperforming. Really, the summer movie season restarts this week with ‘Mission’ leading into ‘Barbenheimer.’”

    No other new wide release challenged “Mission: Impossible” over the weekend. Second place went to Angel Studios’ faith-based political thriller “Sound of Freedom” which increased 37% in its second with $27 million. Jim Caveziel stars in the child trafficking drama.

    Last week’s top film, “ Insidious: The Red Door ” slid to third with $13 million in its second weekend. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is dropping quickly with $12 million its third weekend, with a domestical total so far of $145.4 million.

    In limited release, the Searchlight Pictures’ mockumentary “Theater Camp” opened to $270,000 from six theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

  • A man from Ethan Hunt’s past: Esai Morales on playing Tom Cruise’s foe

    By Express News Service

    Tom Cruise is all set to dazzle the silver screen again with his next massive outing, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One.

    Every great spy movie needs a great villain. And, in Esai Morales’ mysterious character Gabriel, Cruise and McQuarrie feel they’ve found perhaps the most compelling and complex villain in the entire Mission series. Fixated on finding a key—in two parts —that will give the holder control over an all-powerful weapon, Gabriel is an enigma, deriving pleasure from the suffering he causes; he is a ghost from Ethan’s past—before the latter joined the IMF—and a messenger with a dark vision for humanity’s future. Without Gabriel, Ethan might never have become the man he is. And without Ethan to stop him, Gabriel will bring his gift of suffering to everyone on Earth.

    “Gabriel is a character from deep in Ethan’s past. From before Ethan was the Ethan Hunt we know,” teases McQuarrie. “They know each other from long, long ago and have this shared event in their past that made them who they are. And now that has come full circle.” McQuarrie adds, “It’s fascinating to watch these two characters [Ethan and Gabriel] chase each other all over the planet”—especially given the conflict between them is also “distinctly personal, intimate and intense.”

    Moreover, Gabriel is a proxy for something even more horrifying, a menace McQuarrie describes as “far and away the biggest and most undefeatable threat that Ethan has ever faced.” “It’s been a long time, friend,” Gabriel tells Ethan when they reconnect. “You have no idea the power I represent. It knows your story… And how it ends.”

    Making his film debut in Rick Rosenthal’s Bad Boys starring Sean Penn, Morales is no stranger to acting opposite powerhouse performers, having also starred with the likes of Al Pacino in Oscar Wilde’s Salome, on Broadway; and Raul Julia, in Joe Papp’s production of The Tempest. Most recently, he appeared as one of the antagonists in the acclaimed Netflix series Ozark. But, in Cruise, he has found a sparring partner that has sent the sparks flying.

    “I think Tom and I have the same level of energy. He has applied his energy a lot more productively than I have in my life,” Morales laughs, “but, man, I just love going toe to toe with him.” What makes Gabriel so intimidating a foe, Morales says, is a combination of the philosophical threat he poses and the lengths he is prepared to go to in pursuit of it. “It’s about fate. Everyone has their fate. Can you change yours?” Morales says of Gabriel’s motivation.

    “He’s a formidable character because he has no fear. There’s nothing scarier than someone who is not afraid of anything you can do to them, including killing them. I see him as an agent of change who has given his complete being to the trust that technology is superior to Man.” A Paramount Pictures and Skydance Presentation and a Tom Cruise production, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One hit theatres India-wide on July 12 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. 

    Official synopsis:

    In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission—not even the lives of those he cares about most.

    Tom Cruise is all set to dazzle the silver screen again with his next massive outing, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One.

    Every great spy movie needs a great villain. And, in Esai Morales’ mysterious character Gabriel, Cruise and McQuarrie feel they’ve found perhaps the most compelling and complex villain in the entire Mission series. Fixated on finding a key—in two parts —that will give the holder control over an all-powerful weapon, Gabriel is an enigma, deriving pleasure from the suffering he causes; he is a ghost from Ethan’s past—before the latter joined the IMF—and a messenger with a dark vision for humanity’s future. Without Gabriel, Ethan might never have become the man he is. And without Ethan to stop him, Gabriel will bring his gift of suffering to everyone on Earth.

    “Gabriel is a character from deep in Ethan’s past. From before Ethan was the Ethan Hunt we know,” teases McQuarrie. “They know each other from long, long ago and have this shared event in their past that made them who they are. And now that has come full circle.” McQuarrie adds, “It’s fascinating to watch these two characters [Ethan and Gabriel] chase each other all over the planet”—especially given the conflict between them is also “distinctly personal, intimate and intense.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Moreover, Gabriel is a proxy for something even more horrifying, a menace McQuarrie describes as “far and away the biggest and most undefeatable threat that Ethan has ever faced.” “It’s been a long time, friend,” Gabriel tells Ethan when they reconnect. “You have no idea the power I represent. It knows your story… And how it ends.”

    Making his film debut in Rick Rosenthal’s Bad Boys starring Sean Penn, Morales is no stranger to acting opposite powerhouse performers, having also starred with the likes of Al Pacino in Oscar Wilde’s Salome, on Broadway; and Raul Julia, in Joe Papp’s production of The Tempest. Most recently, he appeared as one of the antagonists in the acclaimed Netflix series Ozark. But, in Cruise, he has found a sparring partner that has sent the sparks flying.

    “I think Tom and I have the same level of energy. He has applied his energy a lot more productively than I have in my life,” Morales laughs, “but, man, I just love going toe to toe with him.” What makes Gabriel so intimidating a foe, Morales says, is a combination of the philosophical threat he poses and the lengths he is prepared to go to in pursuit of it. “It’s about fate. Everyone has their fate. Can you change yours?” Morales says of Gabriel’s motivation.

    “He’s a formidable character because he has no fear. There’s nothing scarier than someone who is not afraid of anything you can do to them, including killing them. I see him as an agent of change who has given his complete being to the trust that technology is superior to Man.” A Paramount Pictures and Skydance Presentation and a Tom Cruise production, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One hit theatres India-wide on July 12 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. 

    Official synopsis:

    In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission—not even the lives of those he cares about most.

  • Tom Cruise ‘would love to meet someone special’ after three failed marriages

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been married to Hollywood stars Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, with the actor most recently being romantically linked to Shakira.

    The unlikely pair met at the Formula 1 Grand Prix and while it seems Tom was “very interested in pursuing” the singer, she wasn’t so keen, reports mirror.co.uk.

    A source has revealed Tom’s friends have now given him some dating advice as he searches for “the one.”

    The comments come after it was revealed Shakira “begged” Tom to “stop flirting with her” as the situation became “too much” for her following her painful split with Gerard Pique.

    The 46-year-old singer and Barcelona defender, 36, announced their shock breakup in June last year after 12 years together.

    Gerard has since moved on with Clara Chia Marti, 24.

    “She doesn’t want to embarrass or upset him, but there’s no attraction or romance on her part – she was just being friendly. She’s flattered but not interested,” an insider told Heat Magazine.

    The insider added that Tom has been searching for the right woman for years and said he has “the highest standards” and won’t settle for “second best” in a potential lover.

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been married to Hollywood stars Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, with the actor most recently being romantically linked to Shakira.

    The unlikely pair met at the Formula 1 Grand Prix and while it seems Tom was “very interested in pursuing” the singer, she wasn’t so keen, reports mirror.co.uk.

    A source has revealed Tom’s friends have now given him some dating advice as he searches for “the one.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The comments come after it was revealed Shakira “begged” Tom to “stop flirting with her” as the situation became “too much” for her following her painful split with Gerard Pique.

    The 46-year-old singer and Barcelona defender, 36, announced their shock breakup in June last year after 12 years together.

    Gerard has since moved on with Clara Chia Marti, 24.

    “She doesn’t want to embarrass or upset him, but there’s no attraction or romance on her part – she was just being friendly. She’s flattered but not interested,” an insider told Heat Magazine.

    The insider added that Tom has been searching for the right woman for years and said he has “the highest standards” and won’t settle for “second best” in a potential lover.

  • It’s a wrap for ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’

    By Express News Service

    We had earlier reported that Tom Cruise-starrer Mission Impossible film, titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, will be the first in the final two-part conclusion to Cruise’s career as Ethan Hunt. The makers have now announced that the shooting for the film has been wrapped up.

    The director of the film, Christopher McQuarrie, took to Instagram to announce the update. The film is set to hit the theatres on July 12, 2023, while the second part is expected to be out on June 28, 2024.

    Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will feature Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Frederick Schmidt. The seventh film has a few callbacks from the past, including Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis, a black-market arms dealer who’s the daughter of Max Mitsopolis, played by Vanessa Redgraves in the first Mission: Impossible in 1996.

    We had earlier reported that Tom Cruise-starrer Mission Impossible film, titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, will be the first in the final two-part conclusion to Cruise’s career as Ethan Hunt. The makers have now announced that the shooting for the film has been wrapped up.

    The director of the film, Christopher McQuarrie, took to Instagram to announce the update. The film is set to hit the theatres on July 12, 2023, while the second part is expected to be out on June 28, 2024.

    Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will feature Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Frederick Schmidt. The seventh film has a few callbacks from the past, including Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis, a black-market arms dealer who’s the daughter of Max Mitsopolis, played by Vanessa Redgraves in the first Mission: Impossible in 1996.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

  • ‘Top Gun’ among blockbuster sequels targeting Oscar nominations

    By AFP

    The Oscar nominations for a year in which the big-screen box office finally bounced back from the pandemic will be unveiled Tuesday, with Academy voters expected to reward blockbusters such as “Top Gun: Maverick” for helping to save movie theaters.

    Tom Cruise’s long-awaited sequel to his huge 1986 hit is the most likely crowd-pleaser to make the cut for best picture — Hollywood’s most coveted prize — but other popular follow-ups including “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” could also get a nod.

    They will compete with a wide range of movies, from word-of-mouth sci-fi smash “Everything Everywhere All At Once” to Steven Spielberg’s quasi-memoir “The Fabelmans,” which wowed many critics but didn’t persuade theatergoers to pay up.

    Other films firmly on the radar of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters are Irish black comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Baz Luhrmann’s rock-and-roll biopic “Elvis,” and Cate Blanchett’s latest tour-de-force “Tar.”

    “This year is one of the more unknown years,” said Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis.

    “I probably have put more effort into talking to Academy members to try to gauge their interest and see where the race is headed than in any other year in my life,” he told AFP.

    “And I probably know the least I’ve ever known in my career.”

    A major complicating factor for Oscars prognosticators is the recent massive growth in the number of international Academy voters.

    Those members have been credited with surprises such as South Korea’s “Parasite” winning best picture in 2020, and Japan’s “Drive My Car” being nominated last year.

    “We’ve had international features get in the past few years, and I think that streak could continue,” said Davis.

    Germany’s World War I drama “All Quiet on the Western Front” has built major momentum, scooping a massive 14 nods last week for Britain’s BAFTAs.

    Another best picture contender could be “RRR,” an unapologetically over-the-top Indian action film that has built grassroots support to become a hugely popular favorite in Hollywood.

    “RRR” cannot be nominated for best international feature, however, as India opted instead to submit “Last Film Show” as the country’s official pick for that category.

    “No shade to the movie they did choose, which is actually very good, but ‘RRR’ was a slam dunk,” said Davis.

    Acting races

    In the individual categories, Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) and Austin Butler (“Elvis”) are clear favorites to score best actor nominations.

    Double Oscar-winner Blanchett appears to be locked in a two-way battle atop the best actress section with Michelle Yeoh, who could make history with “Everything Everywhere.”

    “She’s going be the second Asian woman ever nominated for lead actress in 95 years” of the Oscars, said Davis.

    Her co-star Ke Huy Quan — who appeared as a child in “Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom” almost four decades ago — is likely to cement a remarkable comeback with a nod for best supporting actor.

    The best supporting actress category is expected to feature Angela Bassett, who would become the first star in a Marvel superhero movie to ever earn an Oscar acting nomination with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

    Spielberg is among those predicted to make the best director shortlist.

    ‘Saved movies’

    Actors Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) and Allison Williams (“Girls”) will unveil the nominations Tuesday from Los Angeles starting at 5:30 am (1330 GMT).

    Television ratings for award shows including the Oscars have trended downwards, as Academy voters in recent years have veered toward honoring lesser-known indie hits like “Nomadland” and “CODA.”

    Many in the industry will be hoping for a healthy spread of nominations among 2022’s crowd-pleasing sequels, which were sorely needed as giants such as Cineworld, the world’s second biggest cinema chain, filed for bankruptcy protection.

    James Cameron’s sci-fi epic “Avatar: The Way of Water” sailed past the $2 billion mark globally last weekend.

    “Top Gun: Maverick,” which came out in May during highly uncertain times for movie theaters, earned around $1.5 billion.

    “That’s the one that feels like it could actually win best picture,” said Davis.

    “What better story the day after the Oscars air, than that the movie that saved movies was named the best movie? That’s a good story to tell.”

    The Oscar nominations for a year in which the big-screen box office finally bounced back from the pandemic will be unveiled Tuesday, with Academy voters expected to reward blockbusters such as “Top Gun: Maverick” for helping to save movie theaters.

    Tom Cruise’s long-awaited sequel to his huge 1986 hit is the most likely crowd-pleaser to make the cut for best picture — Hollywood’s most coveted prize — but other popular follow-ups including “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” could also get a nod.

    They will compete with a wide range of movies, from word-of-mouth sci-fi smash “Everything Everywhere All At Once” to Steven Spielberg’s quasi-memoir “The Fabelmans,” which wowed many critics but didn’t persuade theatergoers to pay up.

    Other films firmly on the radar of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters are Irish black comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Baz Luhrmann’s rock-and-roll biopic “Elvis,” and Cate Blanchett’s latest tour-de-force “Tar.”

    “This year is one of the more unknown years,” said Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis.

    “I probably have put more effort into talking to Academy members to try to gauge their interest and see where the race is headed than in any other year in my life,” he told AFP.

    “And I probably know the least I’ve ever known in my career.”

    A major complicating factor for Oscars prognosticators is the recent massive growth in the number of international Academy voters.

    Those members have been credited with surprises such as South Korea’s “Parasite” winning best picture in 2020, and Japan’s “Drive My Car” being nominated last year.

    “We’ve had international features get in the past few years, and I think that streak could continue,” said Davis.

    Germany’s World War I drama “All Quiet on the Western Front” has built major momentum, scooping a massive 14 nods last week for Britain’s BAFTAs.

    Another best picture contender could be “RRR,” an unapologetically over-the-top Indian action film that has built grassroots support to become a hugely popular favorite in Hollywood.

    “RRR” cannot be nominated for best international feature, however, as India opted instead to submit “Last Film Show” as the country’s official pick for that category.

    “No shade to the movie they did choose, which is actually very good, but ‘RRR’ was a slam dunk,” said Davis.

    Acting races

    In the individual categories, Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) and Austin Butler (“Elvis”) are clear favorites to score best actor nominations.

    Double Oscar-winner Blanchett appears to be locked in a two-way battle atop the best actress section with Michelle Yeoh, who could make history with “Everything Everywhere.”

    “She’s going be the second Asian woman ever nominated for lead actress in 95 years” of the Oscars, said Davis.

    Her co-star Ke Huy Quan — who appeared as a child in “Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom” almost four decades ago — is likely to cement a remarkable comeback with a nod for best supporting actor.

    The best supporting actress category is expected to feature Angela Bassett, who would become the first star in a Marvel superhero movie to ever earn an Oscar acting nomination with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

    Spielberg is among those predicted to make the best director shortlist.

    ‘Saved movies’

    Actors Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) and Allison Williams (“Girls”) will unveil the nominations Tuesday from Los Angeles starting at 5:30 am (1330 GMT).

    Television ratings for award shows including the Oscars have trended downwards, as Academy voters in recent years have veered toward honoring lesser-known indie hits like “Nomadland” and “CODA.”

    Many in the industry will be hoping for a healthy spread of nominations among 2022’s crowd-pleasing sequels, which were sorely needed as giants such as Cineworld, the world’s second biggest cinema chain, filed for bankruptcy protection.

    James Cameron’s sci-fi epic “Avatar: The Way of Water” sailed past the $2 billion mark globally last weekend.

    “Top Gun: Maverick,” which came out in May during highly uncertain times for movie theaters, earned around $1.5 billion.

    “That’s the one that feels like it could actually win best picture,” said Davis.

    “What better story the day after the Oscars air, than that the movie that saved movies was named the best movie? That’s a good story to tell.”

  • Tom Cruise does 500 base jumps and 13000 motorbike jumps for ‘Mission: Impossible 7’

    By Express News Service

    The makers of Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One have released a new promotional video featuring Tom Cruise. The video shows Cruise preparing for several months to do a daring stunt. The stunt, which has been teased in the film’s trailer, involves Cruise’s Ethan Hunt riding his bike off a cliff and then base-jumping his way down to the valley.

    According to stuntmen who worked on the project, Tom Cruise had practised over 500 base jumps and around 13,000 motorbike jumps during the months leading up to the actual filming of the stunt sequence. He then went on to perform the stunt sequence for over six continuous times during the day of the filming.

    The film is directed by Cruise’s frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie who has also co-written the screenplay along with Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec. The upcoming addition to the Mission Impossible franchise will be split into two parts, with the first part releasing next year while part two is slated for mid-2024.

    Apart from Tom Cruise, the ensemble cast of the film also includes Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, and Shea Whigham. Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One is currently scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 14 July 2023.

    The makers of Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One have released a new promotional video featuring Tom Cruise. The video shows Cruise preparing for several months to do a daring stunt. The stunt, which has been teased in the film’s trailer, involves Cruise’s Ethan Hunt riding his bike off a cliff and then base-jumping his way down to the valley.

    According to stuntmen who worked on the project, Tom Cruise had practised over 500 base jumps and around 13,000 motorbike jumps during the months leading up to the actual filming of the stunt sequence. He then went on to perform the stunt sequence for over six continuous times during the day of the filming.

    The film is directed by Cruise’s frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie who has also co-written the screenplay along with Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec. The upcoming addition to the Mission Impossible franchise will be split into two parts, with the first part releasing next year while part two is slated for mid-2024.

    Apart from Tom Cruise, the ensemble cast of the film also includes Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, and Shea Whigham. Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One is currently scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 14 July 2023.

  • Prime Video sets India premiere date for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

    The Paramount Pictures film, which is the sequel to Cruise's 1986 classic hit “Top Gun,” will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam on the platform.

  • Will Hollywood star Tom Cruise film his next movie in outer space?

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Seems like Hollywood star Tom Cruise, who is known for going to extreme lengths to achieve cinematic triumph for each of his projects, will be doing the same once again by becoming the first actor to film a movie in outer space.

    According to the NY Post, Cruise has reportedly teamed up with filmmaker Doug Liman on a movie pitch that involves filming in space, an idea that was first tabled in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic halted plans.

    Reports suggest that the actor-director duo reached out to Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) on an idea which will see Cruise take a rocket up to the International Space Station.

    The NY Post has reported that Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) Chairman Donna Langley revealed most of the movie would be shot on earth, culminating in “the character [going] up to space to save the day”.

    Cruise would be the first movie star to shoot in outer space on the International Space Station, given that the idea actually materialises into something.

    Though this might seem like an unprecedented move from the actor, it is not at all surprising because he is renowned for his ambitious stunt work.

    Back in July, on the actor’s 60th birthday, his ‘Mission: Impossible’ director Christopher McQuarrie shared a rare photo of the US actor performing a truly insane stunt. In the image, Cruise was dangling from an airborne red biplane with very barely any assistance, as per NY Post.

    WASHINGTON: Seems like Hollywood star Tom Cruise, who is known for going to extreme lengths to achieve cinematic triumph for each of his projects, will be doing the same once again by becoming the first actor to film a movie in outer space.

    According to the NY Post, Cruise has reportedly teamed up with filmmaker Doug Liman on a movie pitch that involves filming in space, an idea that was first tabled in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic halted plans.

    Reports suggest that the actor-director duo reached out to Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) on an idea which will see Cruise take a rocket up to the International Space Station.

    The NY Post has reported that Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) Chairman Donna Langley revealed most of the movie would be shot on earth, culminating in “the character [going] up to space to save the day”.

    Cruise would be the first movie star to shoot in outer space on the International Space Station, given that the idea actually materialises into something.

    Though this might seem like an unprecedented move from the actor, it is not at all surprising because he is renowned for his ambitious stunt work.

    Back in July, on the actor’s 60th birthday, his ‘Mission: Impossible’ director Christopher McQuarrie shared a rare photo of the US actor performing a truly insane stunt. In the image, Cruise was dangling from an airborne red biplane with very barely any assistance, as per NY Post.

  • Tom Cruise made going to cinemas appealing post-pandemic: Aquaman-star Jason Momoa

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Actor Jason Momoa has thanked ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star Tom Cruise for his part in making people go to theatres again following lukewarm years because of the pandemic.

    Momoa is keen to keep playing Aquaman as long as film fans are interested. Returning as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) superhero in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, the 43-year-old star is happy to continue as the character as long as the audience wants him.

    “As long as we can. If people don’t like it and it feels like it’s past its due date, then we won’t make another one,” Momoa told The Hollywood Reporter when quizzed on how much longer he will play Aquaman, reports aceshowbiz.com.

    “But if they love it, then we will make more, you know. I don’t want to force anything down someone’s throat to watch it. But I love it.”

    The has had a hand in writing the story for the new film, which has now been delayed until December 2023, and said that he feels a deep connection to the part.

    The star said: “We wrote a great story. I was one of the writers on it and the minute we finished (‘Aquaman’) I went in with a 50-page outline for the second one and they used it and they liked it. It’s got my heart in it.

    “I feel very connected to the character and have played him across, what, four movies now?”

    Momoa is unconcerned by the latest delay to the movie’s release as he is confident that fans will be happy with what they see.

    He said: “We killed it. We made something amazing and it’ll come out when it’s meant to come out.”

    He also thanked Tom Cruise and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for making cinemas appealing again.

    “The nice thing about what’s happened with COVID is that everyone is trying to rush to meet these deadlines but we know it should come out when it’s ready to come out (at a time) when everybody is getting back in the movie theatres. So, thank you Tom Cruise.”

    LOS ANGELES: Actor Jason Momoa has thanked ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star Tom Cruise for his part in making people go to theatres again following lukewarm years because of the pandemic.

    Momoa is keen to keep playing Aquaman as long as film fans are interested. Returning as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) superhero in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, the 43-year-old star is happy to continue as the character as long as the audience wants him.

    “As long as we can. If people don’t like it and it feels like it’s past its due date, then we won’t make another one,” Momoa told The Hollywood Reporter when quizzed on how much longer he will play Aquaman, reports aceshowbiz.com.

    “But if they love it, then we will make more, you know. I don’t want to force anything down someone’s throat to watch it. But I love it.”

    The has had a hand in writing the story for the new film, which has now been delayed until December 2023, and said that he feels a deep connection to the part.

    The star said: “We wrote a great story. I was one of the writers on it and the minute we finished (‘Aquaman’) I went in with a 50-page outline for the second one and they used it and they liked it. It’s got my heart in it.

    “I feel very connected to the character and have played him across, what, four movies now?”

    Momoa is unconcerned by the latest delay to the movie’s release as he is confident that fans will be happy with what they see.

    He said: “We killed it. We made something amazing and it’ll come out when it’s meant to come out.”

    He also thanked Tom Cruise and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for making cinemas appealing again.

    “The nice thing about what’s happened with COVID is that everyone is trying to rush to meet these deadlines but we know it should come out when it’s ready to come out (at a time) when everybody is getting back in the movie theatres. So, thank you Tom Cruise.”