Last week, Paramount announced that it was once again pushing back the release of its two major Tom Cruise blockbusters, Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7. Considering how the theatrical release model, both domestically and internationally, is still in flux due to the pandemic, the delay isn’t a total surprise even if Paramount had previously said they were “in good shape” as the incoming Biden administration rolled out its aggressive vaccine distribution plan. In short, juggling release dates is going to be a common occurrence for a while.
However, a new report says that part of the decision to knock Top Gun: Maverick from the summer to November was based on Cruise’s desire to “embark on a world tour,” which was not looking good as Europe and Japan started going into lockdown. By moving the film deep into the Fall, there’s a better chance of Cruise rolling out a full-on press tour, which carries a lot of weight.
“Tom Cruise is one of the few stars who can move the needle by doing late night shows and premieres across the world,” a studio exec told The Hollywood Reporter.
This reasoning also jibes with previous reports that Paramount wants to ensure that Top Gun: Maverick, and Mission: Impossible 7, have strong performances at the global box office. Despite other studios pivoting to streaming, Paramount has held fast on releasing the Cruise blockbusters theatrically, and if it has to wait a little while longer to give them a proper premiere, so be it.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)