Top Gun: Maverick takes #2 in Deadline’s 2022 Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament

Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament took a break during the pandemic, when theaters were closed for most of 2020-2021 and theatrical titles became more common on both the big screen and studios’ respective streaming platforms. Returning from that side, studios have largely returned to their theatrical release models and the downstream monetization they can bring. Not to mention their strength in launching IPs around the world with huge global marketing campaigns. When it comes to evaluating the financial performance of top films, it’s not about how much a film costs at the box office. The true story is told as production budgets, P&A, talent royalties and other costs collide with box office and ancillary revenue from VOD to DVD and TV. To get closer to that mysterious end of the equation, Deadline is recapping our Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament for 2022, using data from experienced and trusted sources.

THE MOVIE

Top Gun: Maverick
Paramount/Skydance/New Republic

Paramount had wanted to make a sequel to the 1986 Tom Cruise classic for more than 30 years, and it was former Paramount Pictures boss Jim Gianopulos who sealed the deal, the most lucrative of his career, and on better terms than any other body . Impossible mission Movie. Cruise approached Joseph Kosinski’s pitch to direct the film with real actors in the fighter jets, the duo having already collaborated on the sci-fi film forgetfulness. A mini flight school for the film’s actors was set up, with those actors playing pilots flying F18s alongside real pilots, a process that did not occur in the first film. David Ellison was a longtime fan of it boss, and co-finance the production up to 25%. China’s Tencent was also set to co-finance but dropped out, with New Republic covering an additional 25% of the film’s $177 million net production cost (including reshoots). Paramount took over the remaining 50%. At a time when cinemas were closed, Cruise wanted to make sure this movie was perfect and shot during the Covid umbrella. The film was originally in post-production for its original theatrical release in June 2020. Some of the improvements included aviation sequences and the storyline surrounding Jennifer Connelly’s character was deleted. cruises Impossible mission continued and Jack Reacher Filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie joined the production as a screenwriter a few weeks before filming in the summer of 2018 and played a key role throughout the production through editing. While some major studios have sacrificed large tentpoles to streaming during the cinema shutdown, Top Gun: Maverick was also destined for the big screen (as announced by producer Jerry Bruckheimer at last year’s CinemaCon); The film ended up opening on Memorial Day. Paramount provided global momentum, getting the media going and exhibiting at a CinemaCon screening that immediately sparked Oscar frenzy, followed by a premiere at the picture’s San Diego location, in addition to launching a film festival in Cannes, where Cruise received an honorary Pole. d. ‘Or. During Sony/Marvel Studios Spider-Man: No Way Home ($814.1 million, $1.92 billion worldwide) is being recognized for bringing people back to the theater post-Covid. Top Gun: Maverick is single-handedly responsible for welcoming older, barely mature moviegoers and making them feel more comfortable in movie theaters and playing strong from coast to coast. The film broke a number of records, including Cruise’s highest-grossing film of all time ($126.7 million over three days, $248 million WW) and his highest-grossing film of all time ($718.7 million, Dec $. 49 billion worldwide). Top Gun: Maverick also achieved the same BO records for Bruckheimer and Kosinski. For the longest time in 2022, on a global basis, Top Gun: Momverick was the highest grossing film of the year Avatar: The Way of Water came by last december and fixed it. Quiet, Independent thinking person remains the top-grossing title in the United States last year at $718.7 million. The pic also scored the best Memorial Day weekend opening ever ($160.5 million over four days) for both the holiday and Bruckheimer.

THE BOX SCORE

IT COMES AFTER

The film ran in theaters for 21 days before arriving on Paramount+ and Epix on December 22nd, grossing $170 million worldwide. Home Entertainment is $250 million rich considering the film had high digital prices (between $20 and $25) for a long time after it hit platforms on August 23rd. The picture became one of the top 20 best-selling digital releases in history in its first week after being available for just one week. The $280 million contributors include Kosinski, McQuarrie, Bruckheimer and definitely Cruise. Cruise landed what sources call a vintage movie star deal, one of the best in history. While some tell us it’s well over $100 million, others tell us it’s double his best payday Impossible mission, which would bring him to $200 million. Essentially $12.5 million at 10% of first gross with escalators enabled when the film meets certain box office benchmarks. The net profit of $391.1 million is shared between Paramount, Skydance and New Republic.