Climbing a rope hanging from a helicopter and then leaping into the No. 1 spot this week is Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" bringing in an impressive $61.5 million in its first weekend out. This is Cruise's sixth go as Ethan Hunt and in some ways his best. "Fallout" managed the best domestic opening in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise — beating out "Mission: Impossible II" from 18 years ago.
Along with pulling off the best domestic opening of the franchise, "Fallout" brought in even more money at the foreign box office — pulling in $92 million from 36 international markets. Notably that list does not include China, the 2nd biggest movie market in the world.
Along with an impressive debut at the box office, "Fallout" is a critical marvel receiving praise from amateur and professional film nerds alike.
"It is jaw dropping, and see it on the biggest screen you can find. … I love that it's not just that the stunts are nutty, it's that they're executed so beautifully." Christy Lemire said on What the Flick?!
The sixth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise carries a 97% on the tomatometer — that's the best rating of the franchise and the best of Cruise's extraordinarily long career.
Even better than "Risky Business" which carries a 96% on the tomatometer and of course features the most famous lip sync battle of all time. Sorry, Channing Tatum.
Staying put at No. 2 this week is "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" bringing in an estimated $15 million in its second weekend out. That helps push the worldwide total past $167 million.
And last but not least this week just barely falling behind "Mamma Mia" is Denzel Washington's "The Equalizer 2" bringing in an estimated $14 million in its second weekend out.
As for next week, if you love Mission: Impossible, James Bond and the Bourne Franchise well … this is nothing like that.
