Without question, Tom Cruise and his “Top Gun: Maverick” blockbuster raised the heat temperature, ruling over the summer movie season, which ends as Labor Day and back-to-school classes loom.
Remarkably,”Maverick” — at last count, amassing $662 million — now is the seventh highest grossing domestic flick of all time.
This means that the sequel to Cruise’s 1986 hit also has bypassed “Titanic” figures and also has logged a global take of $1.35 billion so far. And counting.
The film opened Memorial Day weekend in May, traditionally the start of the summer movie derby, and it was a smash from the get-go, earning $156 million that first weekend.
It had the makings of a winner, with a lot going for it: a 99 per cent approval rate from Rotten Tomatoes, grand and glowing reviews, and a career-best performance from Cruise, who had to wait two-plus-years for the film to finally be released because of the pandemic, riding a wave of nostalgia, and became The Movie that attracted audiences to see a film in a legit theater after a frustrating, long wait because the movie houses were shut down as the COVID-19 brought life to a lockdown in late 2019.
“Maverick” became the first Cruise film to surpass the $100 million threshold, which will reap him beaucoup bucks. And perhaps an unplanned second sequel.
It wasn’t a superhero flick, though Cruise earned superhero status in his performance, and wisely, Paramount didn’t put it on a streaming track like a few other films.
It was a big screen, IMAX-flexing wonderment, and a title that triggered a sizeable amount of see-it-twice devotees. When was the last time you were enticed and stoked to see a flick a second time in as many weeks?
The history books may ultimately call “Maverick” the film that saved Hollywood, under all odds. And Cruise will be up there on the moneymaking celeb charts, since he not only will collect a salary as the leading actor, but he also was a producer of the film. His contract will enable him to also earn a percentage of the grosses, in a formula that will put him in a higher income bracket, for sure.
Cruise also still has another major film, a “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” sequel, awaiting release in two parts: July 2023 and June 2024.That’s another franchise that will have fans lining up, perhaps not in the huge numbers of “Top Gun.”
“Maverick” was deemed to be the concluding chapter of the “Top Gun” franchise, but its astonishing performance all summer likely will not go unnoticed. It wasn’t in the plan to have a Part 3, but Paramount would be remiss to totally ignore one, with Cruise still as the centerpiece.
For the record, “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,” is the highest grossing domestic film ($936,662,225), followed by “Avengers: Endgame” ($858,373,000,), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (“804,793,477), “Avatar” ($760,507,625), “Black Panther” ($700,426,566), and “Avengers: Infinity War” ($678,815,482). Following “Top Gun: Maverick”) are “Titanic” ( $659,33363,944), and “Jurassic World” ($6533,406,625).
Zare Anguay joining ‘Aladdin’
Zare Anguay, the actor from Kaneohe last seen in the touring company of “Rent” that played the Blaisdell Concert Hall last December, has been tapped to join the cast of the still-running Disney musical, “Aladdin,” likely in the fall.
He learned his ropes as one of the many youngsters directed by Ron Bright, and is the lone bro of the acting Anguay sisters who did shows at the Ron Bright Theatre at Castle High School as well as Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College.
He’ll be part of the vacation-swing ensemble , which likely means he’ll have to learn and cover several roles in the Tony-winning family musical. …
Broadway grosses, week ending Aug. 21
Recapping the Broadway scene, Hugh Jackman and “The Music Man” raked in $2.784 million, followed by “Hamilton” with $2.194 million, with “The Lion King” grossing $2.052 million.
The weekly chart is courtesy The Broadway League:
