Mission Impossible Box Office History in India: How Tom Cruise’s franchise grew over 5000 percent since its inception

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will greet Indian audiences this Saturday (May 17), a week before it becomes available for global audiences on May 23. The makers decided to release Tom Cruise’s final outing as Ethan Hunt in India first, impressed by the immense buzz among fans for the entry. For those who may not know, franchise aficionados have already purchased 60K tickets in the market as of this writing, and the number is expected to touch 90K by midnight.

Amid the insane anticipation for the Hollywood tentpole in India, we thought of taking a stroll down memory lane and examining how the globally acclaimed Mission: Impossible franchise has performed in the region since its 1996 debut.

The birth of a franchise—Mission: Impossible

Led by Cruise as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, the first Mission: Impossible film brought espionage and elaborate stunts into mainstream Hollywood storytelling. In India, however, Mission: Impossible had a relatively modest start, earning just Rs 2 crore. While it was a decent performance for a Hollywood film at the time, it was far from being considered a blockbuster in the country.

Slow but steady climb—Mission: Impossible 2 and 3

Mission: Impossible 2 hit Indian screens in 2000, witnessing a significant 250 percent jump in collections over its predecessor, ending its run at Rs 7 crore. The sequel benefited from increased curiosity and the rising popularity of Cruise in international markets.

By 2006, with the release of Mission: Impossible 3, the franchise had grown further, although not exponentially. The third installment earned Rs 10 crore in India, marking a 42 percent increase over MI2. Despite multiplexes beginning to emerge across the country, the spike in collections was modest, suggesting the franchise had yet to fully connect with the Indian masses.

Turning point—Ghost Protocol provided breakthrough

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol proved to be the game changer for the franchise when it opened with Rs 4.5 crore and closed with a staggering Rs 46 crore in India in 2011, marking a massive 360 percent surge from the third installment. The combination of large-scale action, Cruise’s death-defying stunts, and a cameo from Anil Kapoor helped the film find a broader audience base.

It became one of the highest-grossing Hollywood films in India at the time and marked the true beginning of the franchise’s stronghold in the country.

Maintaining momentum—Rogue Nation and Fallout

The upward trajectory continued with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation in 2015. The fifth film took an opening of Rs 6.3 crore and concluded its run at Rs 54 crore, showcasing a 20 percent growth over Ghost Protocol. The global appeal of well-choreographed action, combined with India’s increasing appetite for international cinema, helped the franchise breach the Rs 50 crore mark for the first time.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) further cemented the franchise’s popularity. With an opening day of Rs 9.25 crore and a lifetime collection of Rs 80 crore, the sixth film marked a 48 percent increase from the previous entry. It was among the most appreciated installments globally and was particularly lauded in India for its refined storytelling.

Recent peak—Mission: Impossible 7

The franchise reached new heights in India with the release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One in July 2023. The film not only became the first in the series to open beyond the double digits (Rs 12.25 crore) but also crossed the coveted Rs 100 crore mark, ending its run at Rs 106 crore. This marked a 32.5 percent growth from Fallout and positioned Dead Reckoning as a benchmark in the franchise’s Indian journey.

Mission: Impossible Franchise’s Box Office Growth Timeline in India

• Mission: Impossible (1996): Rs 2 crore
• Mission: Impossible 2 (2000): Rs 7 crore (+250%)
• Mission: Impossible 3 (2006): Rs 10 crore (+42%)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011): Rs 46 crore (+360%)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015): Rs 54 crore (+20%)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018): Rs 80 crore (+48%)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023): Rs 106 crore (+32.5%)

Overall, the franchise has grown by over 5000 percent in India since its inception, going from a Rs 2 crore opener to a Rs 100 crore-plus juggernaut over nearly three decades.

Global highs and lows:

While India embraced the franchise gradually, the global box office also showed dynamic changes. MI2 grew 20 percent over the first film worldwide, while MI3 dipped 27 percent owing to controversies around Tom Cruise at the time. The franchise bounced back with MI4, which posted a 73 percent jump. Rogue Nation dipped by a negligible 1 percent, but Fallout surged again by 15 percent, earning USD 786 million worldwide — the highest in the series to date.

About Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning: Trailer attached

Early analysis suggests the film is headed for a historic run both in India and worldwide. The film opened to overwhelming reactions during its world premiere in Tokyo on May 5 and had a high-profile screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14.

With a production budget estimated between USD 300–400 million, Final Reckoning is one of the most expensive films ever made. Directed by franchise veteran Christopher McQuarrie and written in collaboration with Erik Jendresen, the film serves as the direct sequel to Dead Reckoning Part One. Returning stars include Angela Bassett, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and more.

MI8 is looking to open close to the Rs 20 crore mark in India.

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