The recently released political satire Digger was meant to be a celebration of star Tom Cruise's career. It marked his long-awaited return to non-IP films and was marketed as the ultimate tribute to his stardom. However, Digger was dead on arrival at the box office, having attracted divisive reviews and tanked with only around $50 million worldwide against a reported budget of $180 million.
Only four years ago, Cruise delivered the biggest hit of his career, Top Gun: Maverick, and was hailed as the savior of movie theaters. That said, there were concerning signs in the two years leading up to Digger, with the seventh and eighth installments of the Mission: Impossible series underperforming commercially despite the success of the three previous installments. The best entry in the long-running action series was recently added to a free streaming platform, while fans wait for a firm update on where the series is headed next.
The most recent installment, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, was marketed as the final chapter of the series. It grossed less than $600 million worldwide against a reported budget of around $400 million. It served as a direct sequel to Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, which made around $570 million globally against a reported budget of nearly $300 million.
Both movies received mostly positive reviews, although some criticism was directed at the identity of the villain. Before the final two movies, the franchise was on a hot streak that began with the fourth installment, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, directed by Brad Bird. Every installment that followed was helmed by Christopher McQuarrie.
Here's Where You Can Watch the Action Masterpiece for Free
The franchise's finest hour remains Mission: Impossible — Fallout, the sixth installment. It now holds a "Certified Fresh" 98% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, "Fast, sleek, and fun, Mission: Impossible — Fallout lives up to the 'impossible' part of its name by setting yet another high mark for insane set pieces in a franchise full of them."
Mission: Impossible — Fallout likely gained viewers for adding Henry Cavill, fresh off Man of Steel; it's also notorious for being the movie that Cavill couldn't shave his mustache for in order to play Superman in Justice League, leading to uncanny valley CGI. Also starring Rebecca Ferguson (Dune: Part Three), Vanessa Kirby (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Ving Rhames (Con Air), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), and Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Mission: Impossible — Fallout grossed nearly $800 million worldwide against a reported budget of $250 million.
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