Here's Looking at Some of Tom Cruise's Movies That Have Earned Over $100 Million at the Box Office
Approximately 30 of Tom Cruise's Films Have Grossed Over $100 million
Tom Cruise is one of the most famous actors of our time, and he has set a box office record that is very unlikely to be broken. After establishing himself as a charismatic leading man in the 1983 film Risky Business, Cruise has gone on to star in some of the most successful science fiction films of all time and became the face of the Mission: Impossible series. According to Screen Rant, the American actor has featured in 30 films that have grossed over $100 million (£72 million as of July 2021). Here is a list of a few of his biggest money-makers of all time.
1. Days Of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a fun iteration of the 'Tom Cruise' formula, which recycles similar plot lines and characters as his previous successes, including Top Gun, The Colour of Money, and Cocktail. Some of the story's elements have become tiresome, but the fundamentals are still strong. The movie also stars other A-listers like Nicole Kidman and John C. Reilly. As reported by Insider, it is one of the greatest auto racing movies of all time, and it is the largest dramatic film ever centered on NASCAR. Its worldwide box office collection was $157,670,733.
2. Vanilla Sky
Blending elements from the genres of science fiction, psychological thriller, and romance, Vanilla Sky is a really unique film. It's also worth noting that the psychological thrillers, which Christopher Nolan had practically perfected with 1999's Memento, enjoyed a renaissance in the early 2000s. After the critical triumph of Nolan's mind-bending film, every studio wanted a piece of the action. As reported by ScreenRant, the Spanish film Open Your Eyes (Abre Los Ojos) from 1997 served as inspiration for Vanilla Sky. After seeing the film's debut at Sundance and being impressed, Cruise bought the rights and recruited Cameron Crowe to direct. Its worldwide box office collection was $202,726,605.
3. Jack Reacher
Fans of suspenseful action movies have likely heard of the Jack Reacher franchise. This series, based on the novels of Lee Child, has captivated viewers all over the world with its gripping plots and stellar acting. More than 20 books chronicle the ventures of the titular Jack Reacher, a mysterious ex-military police major, as he solves puzzling cases and risks his life in a wide variety of exciting escapades. In 2012, Cruise brought the character of Jack Reacher to the big screen in his own namesake film. The movie, which explores the compelling case of a sniper suspected of an unthinkable deed, introduced audiences to Reacher, a gruff investigator with a strong moral compass, played by Cruise. Its worldwide collection was $217,370,736 in total.
4. Knight and Day
The unrelenting action in Knight and Day holds it back from achieving the breezy appeal of a romantic action comedy like Charade, but that in and of itself may not be a bad thing. In Knight and Day, Tom Cruise plays Roy Miller, a charming and daring secret agent who, together with June Havens (Cameron Diaz), is forced to go on the run. Although the two meet because of a staged meet-cute at the airport, there's no denying that Cruise's and Diaz's characters have a chemistry that is worth remembering. Moreover, as reported by Looper, the film's $117 million production cost was much outpaced by its $258.7 million in ticket sales.
5. Jerry Maguire
The film, which was inspired by sports agent Leigh Steinberg, was a smashing success and was even nominated for four Oscars. Cuba Gooding Jr. also won the award for Best Supporting Actor as he plays the disgruntled wide receiver, Rod Tidwell. The film entered the canon of pop cultural landmarks because of its brilliant script and outstanding performances. However, Jerry Maguire is ultimately about a man's strength of character, making it an ideal platform for Cruise to display a certain vulnerability while winning millions of hearts around the world. Jerry Maguire's worldwide box office collection is around $273,552,592.
6. Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick saw Cruise reprise his role as US military aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell from the original 1986 picture. An estimated $124 million (£98m) in ticket sales was made in the first three days of the sequel's release in North American theaters. Fans of Top Gun know and respect the actor much because of his unabashed enthusiasm for aviation and the sky. As reported by Screen Rant, the fact that Cruise flew his own P51 Mustang in Top Gun: Maverick was a major selling point for the film, and Paramount was well aware of this; in 2022, Paramount produced a documentary on YouTube titled Tom's P51 Mustang as well. Anyway, coming back to the Top Gun sequel, its worldwide box office collection was $357,463,748.
7. Edge of Tomorrow
Doug Liman's Edge of Tomorrow offers subtle commentary on the action film genre as a whole, as well as on fate, free will, and the value of sacrifice. But it's also a movie whose plot relies heavily on a time loop, aliens, and war, making it a fairly unique movie in the science fiction genre despite using many of its most popular tropes. Without detracting from what is already a fascinating and thrilling picture, Cruise's presence in Edge of Tomorrow also adds an additional spark to the film. Its worldwide box office collection is approximately $367,028,980.
