'Mission': Inconclusive

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By Brian Fuson

After a six-year wait from the previous installment, Paramount Pictures' Mission: Impossible III blasted into theaters in North America this weekend and rang up an estimated $48 million in receipts at the boxoffice to capture first place. On the international stage, the Tom Cruise starrer did a bit better as it made off with an estimated $70 million, bringing the worldwide tally to about $118 million. The domestic debut of the J.J. Abrams-helmed M:I-3 fell short of the openings of the first two films; however, each of those pictures bowed during a four-day Memorial Day weekend frame. The original Mission: Impossible debuted with $56.8 million for the four-day weekend ($45.3 million for Friday-Sunday), and M:I-2 bowed to $70.8 million ($57.8 million from the Friday-Sunday portion). While the bow for the third chapter of the tentpole franchise may not have been as high as some had anticipated, it did arrive in the area indicated by prerelease tracking.