‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Targetting $60 Million-Plus Launch

Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” is eyeing a North American opening weekend in the $60 million range, early tracking shows.

The lower end of estimates come in at $48 million, while others are speculating earnings as high as $65 million.

Tracking also revealed that total awareness is at 82%, definite interest is at 42%, and unaided awareness is a 16% for the sixth title in Paramount’s durable “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which has grossed $2.78 billion worldwide so far. “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” flies into theaters on July 27.

2015’s “Rogue Nation” had a solid $55.5 million domestic launch and wound up with $192 million domestically and $682 million worldwide. The highest opener in the franchise was 2000’s “Mission: Impossible 2” with $57.8 million, while 2011’s “Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol” was the lowest at $29.6 million.

Cruise wowed CinemaCon audiences in April after detailing one of the film’s major stunts. Cruise fell at 200 mph to complete a skydiving scene in 106 takes. The three-minute scene takes place above Paris at sunset as CIA agents Ethan Hunt and August Walker (Henry Cavill) skydive at 25,000 feet into a lightning storm and are struck by lightening that leaves Walker unconscious, requiring Hunt to somehow catch and revive Walker before they hit the ground.