Can Tom Cruise save the summer blockbuster?

MAKE UP FOR AN INCONSISTENT YEAR AT THE U.S. BOX OFFICE SO FAR. MARK YOUR JULY CALENDARS FOR SOME OF THE SUMMER'S MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MOVIES. >> SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING THAT MIGHT BE RELATED. >> Reporter: LIVE ACTION "BARBIE," AND CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S "OPPENHEIMER" WILL BOTH BE RELEASED ON THE SAME DAY. >> IF YOU'RE WATCHING BOTH, I THINK IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER DEPENDING WHICH ONE YOU CHOOSE FIRST. >> I LIKE TO SEEING OPENING WEEKEND PROBABLY FRIDAY, SEE "OPPENHEIMER" FIRST AND THEN "BARBIE" SECOND. >> Reporter: TOM CRUISE STARS IN THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING PART I. HE'S HOPING THE FRANCHISE'S SEVENTH INSTALLMENT HAS THE SAME SUCCESS AS "TOP GUN: MAVERICK." THAT FILM EARNED $701 MILLION DOMESTICALLY LAST SUMMER, GIVING U.S. BOX OFFICES A MAJOR BOOST. EVEN LEGENDARY DIRECTOR STEVEN SPIELBERG GAVE CRUISE CREDIT EARLIER THIS YEAR. >> YOU SAVED HOLLYWOOD. YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST SAVED THEATRICAL DISTRIBUTION, SERIOUSLY. IN 2023, U.S. BOX OFFICES HAVE MADE $1.8 BILLION SINCE EARLY MAY, DOWN ABOUT 2% FROM THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR AND SOME MASSIVE PROJECTS LIKE THE SUPERHERO FLICK "THE FLASH," AND THE FINAL "INDIAN JONES" INSTALLMENT UNDERPERFORMED TO EXPECTATIONS. BACK IN THE '70s, THE MASSIVE SUCCESS OF FILMS LIKE "JAWS" -- >> WE'RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER BOAT. >> Reporter: AND "STAR WARS" HELPED CREATE THE CONCEPT OF THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER. >> DON'T EVERYONE THANK ME AT AT ONCE. >> Reporter: DECADES LATER, MOVIE STUDIOS RELEASED BIG-BUDGET FILMS FEATURING SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST STARS AND MOST BELOVED FRANCHISES ANTICIPATING A HUGE PAYOUT. BUT NOW AS THEATRICAL RELEASES COMPETE WITH STREAMING SERVICES, THAT FORMULA IS NO LONGER A GUARANTEE. >> IT'S MORE ON THE QUALITY OF THE MOVIE. SO IT'S NOT REALLY ENOUGH ANYMORE TO JUST BE A FAMILIAR NAME, A FAMILIAR PROPERTY, TO GET PEOPLE TO GO TO THEATERS. >> Reporter: ACTS LIKE CRUISE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO HEAD TO THE SILVER SCREEN IN PERSON, TWEETING THESE PHOTOS POSING WITH TICKETS TO SUMMER RELEASES AND TELLING "DEADLINE" -- >> I MAKE MOVIES FOR THE BIG PSYCHIATRY. >> Reporter: MARGOT ROBBIE AND GRETA GERSHWIN SHOWED OFF THEIR TICKETS WITH THE TAG, "MISSION ACCEPTED." >> FROM JANUARY TO THE END OF JUNE, 57 FILMS WERE RELEASED IN 2,000 THEATERS OR MORE. THIS YEAR, THERE WERE ONLY 45. 57 VERSUS 45. ANOTHER REASON WHY MOVIE TICKET SALES ARE DOWN 21% FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. BACK TO YOU GUYS. >> THANK YOU, JOE. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS DOWN THAT MUCH. >> NOT FOR NOTHING, TOM CRUISE IS 61 YEARS YOUNG. >> HE LOOKS GREAT. >> I DO ENJOY LIKE GOING TO THE THEATER, THAT COMMUNAL EXPERIENCE.

Channel: TODAY

Views: 14,942

Keywords: Al Roker, Entertainment, Food, Hoda Kotb, International News, Money, Natalie Morales, Savannah Gutherie, Sports, Style, Today, Today Show, breaking news, concerts, domestic news, health, home, interviews, media, parents, pets, politics, shopping, weather

Id: hBgnw4oAH5g

Length: 3min 17sec (197 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 06 2023