Little Tommy TwinkleEver since Tom jumped on Oprah's couch he's been nuttier than a fruitcake. It's like once he opened the bottle he couldn't get the cap back on. Since he's been showing his Xenu colors, his friends (the normal ones) have stopped calling, his daughter keeps hiding the lifts for his shoes, the gardener keeps the hedges at 5'4" so he can't see over them ... the injustice grows and grows. If all that weren't bad enough, now comes news that Tom is box office poison. This is particularly bad news for his new partnership in United Artists. Lions for Lambs was supposed to be the big blockbuster that put UA back on the map. Instead, it has received blistering reviews and opened to a dismal less-than $5 million this weekend.
Tom's co-stars, Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, are said to despise him now and refuse to have anything to do with him. While in London, Tom kept trying to push himself into interviews. Bob said, ‘No.’ Tom wouldn’t listen." Now Redford and Streep have written him, and the movie, off as a loss.
Tom is said to be frantic about box office for Lions, and must be doubting his own judgment on the next movie, Valkyrie, to be released. Perhaps his star power won't be able to carry a Nazi feel-good movie after all. Wouldn't it be funny if Katie becomes the bigger box office draw? That would sure change things, wouldn't it?
Unbelievable! 13 movies (of
Unbelievable!
13 movies (of his 15 made) in the last ten years made over 100 million dollars. 16 of them - over 100 million in total. Making movies since 1981 (32). A star since '83. A superstar since '86. All together they average 100 million. Not one of them ever made under 50 million (except for Lions for Lambs -15 million and maybe Magnolia). Nomintated for best actor twice and best supporting actor once. Three nominations for Oscar.
And so he has one flop, which is a small Robert Redford movie anyway and they never make that much money and now Tom Cruise is box office poison?
Mission Impossible still made 130 million and was the third in a series which always dip by the third. The perception that he is box office poison is a little premature. Cut him some slack - with an unprecedented success such as his. He is going on thirty years in the business - on top!
And I'm not even a fan. But two minutues of research just goes to show jhow petty people can be and can't wait to take people down. The perception is real. But you can't wait to move it along. With one flop in a thirty year career, it is common sense that he has more than a chance to change this perception. The odds are in his favor.