عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Entertainment

Tom Cruise and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Touch Down in Cannes

US actor Tom Cruise smiles during a "Rendez-Vous With Tom Cruise" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2022. (AFP)
US actor Tom Cruise smiles during a "Rendez-Vous With Tom Cruise" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2022. (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Tom Cruise and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Touch Down in Cannes

US actor Tom Cruise smiles during a "Rendez-Vous With Tom Cruise" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2022. (AFP)
US actor Tom Cruise smiles during a "Rendez-Vous With Tom Cruise" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2022. (AFP)

Tom Cruise mania descended Wednesday in Cannes where the actor made a whirlwind appearance at the French film festival to screen "Top Gun: Maverick," exalt the big screen and sit for a rare interview.

Cruise brought a palpable buzz to the Croisette, where throngs gathered around the Palais des Festivals to get a glimpse of the 59-year-old star. Cruise hadn't been to the festival in three decades. But with plenty of media disruption challenging the theatrical experience, Cannes and Cruise exuded the vibe of long-last pals. "He is devoted to cinema," declared artistic director Thierry Fremaux. Cruise's enthusiastic welcome smacked in some ways of an action hero sent to save the day.

"I make movies for the big screen," Cruise said to applause in an interview on stage at Cannes' Debussy Theater.

The festival honored Cruise with a tribute that consisted of a career-spanning video montage, after which Cruise spoke about his dedication to filmmaking in an interview that stayed away from any personal questions. Instead, he responded to prodding from interviewer Didier Allouc about why, Monsieur Cruise, do you take such risks doing your own stunts?

"No one asked Gene Kelly ‘Why do you dance?’" answered Cruise.

The Cannes stopover for "Top Gun: Maverick" is part of a worldwide tour for the film ahead of its Memorial Day weekend opening. It has already touched down at CinemaCon in Las Vegas and premiered aboard an aircraft carrier in San Diego.

Paramount Pictures delayed its release two years during the pandemic, a move that appears to be paying off with glowing reviews and box-office expectations that "Top Gun: Maverick" will easily mark Cruise's biggest opening weekend.

Asked if he was ever tempted to steer the film to a streaming service, Cruise replied emphatically.

"No, that’s not going to happen ever," responded Cruise to loud applause. "That was never going to happen."

Cruise spent the majority of the conversation explaining his extreme dedication to the craft of moviemaking, how from an early age he dug into every element of film productions and analyzed how particular modes of acting worked best on the big screen. Shooting the 1981 film "Taps," with George C. Scott, he returned to again and again as a formative experience.

"Please," Cruise said he thought at the time, "if I could just do this for the rest of my life, I will never take it for granted."

Most Viewed

 
Entertainment

'Weapons' Horror Film Scores Box Office Victory

Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
TT
20
TT

'Weapons' Horror Film Scores Box Office Victory

Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

It’s August, and horror and humor came to play.

In a month that’s long been known to let edgier movies thrive, Zach Cregger’s highly anticipated horror film “Weapons” did not disappoint, topping the box office during its debut weekend with $42.5 million domestically from 3,202 theaters. It made $70 million internationally.

The film’s success also handed its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures, the seventh No. 1 opening of the year, and became the studio’s sixth film in a row to debut with over $40 million domestically.

“Freakier Friday,” Disney’s chaotic sequel to the 2003 classic, “Freaky Friday,” took the second spot during its premiere weekend, earning $29 million in 3,975 North American theaters. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis return, this time for a double body-swapping between the mother-daughter duo and Lohan’s teen daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter.

Viral marketing tactics, coupled with strong social media word-of-mouth, boded well for both films’ success, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore.

“The top two films could not be more different, and that’s what makes this weekend so appealing for moviegoers,” Dergarabedian said. “Both are perfectly tailored for their audiences to react in real time over the weekend to these films and then post on social media.”

“Weapons” transports audiences to the small town of Maybrook, where 17 kids up and leave their homes at 2:17 a.m., leaving bewildered parents in their wake. The town is left to navigate the lingering effects of trauma through horror, paranoia and a touch of existential humor.

The film is Cregger’s follow-up to his solo directorial debut with the 2022 genre-bending horror, “Barbarian.” That critically-acclaimed film had a slower start and smaller budget, but still topped the charts during its premiere with $10 million domestically and made a splash in the genre.

“Weapons” generated a lot of buzz for its strong reviews (95% on Rotten Tomatoes).
“The internet’s exploding right now between Friday and today. You just see that people are having a great time with it,” said Jeffrey Goldstein, president of global distribution for Warner Bros. “It starts with an exceptional movie, an exceptional marketing campaign, and the date was exceptional too.”

The success of the comedy-horror double premiere meant “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” surrendered its two-week run in the top spot and landed in the third position, bringing in $15.5 million domestically. The superhero movie enjoyed a strong $118 million debut, but stumbled in its second weekend.

“The Bad Guys 2,” which got a healthy start at the No. 2 spot during its premiere weekend, came in fourth place, earning $10.4 million domestically. “The Naked Gun” had a similar fate, reaching the fifth position with $8.4 million in North American theaters.

“Jurassic World Rebirth,” which came in seventh this week, is expected to hit $800 million globally by Monday, according to NBC Universal, following a successful run in theaters.

Warner Bros. started off slow this year, but made a comeback with the box-office hit, “A Minecraft Movie,” which opened with $157 million domestically. Since then, movies like “Sinners,” “Superman” and now, “Weapons,” have found success.

The studio set “a blueprint to how to create a perfect summer lineup,” Dergarabedian said.

“Weapons ”also joins a stream of successful horror movies this year, its opening numbers coming in just behind “Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “Sinners.”