Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One breaks franchise record

The latest Mission: Impossible film took a unique approach with its theatrical rollout as it was released on Wednesday, July 12. However, that risk paid off as the latest Tom Cruise-led thriller broke a franchise record.

According to Deadline, Dead Reckoning Part One grossed $7 million during its preview screenings (the number is not set in stone and could go higher or lower). That beats out the previous Mission: Impossible record of $6 million set by the last film, Fallout. However, the $7 million gross isn't enough to top another 2023 summer tentpole release, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ($7.2 million) — though it's likely that the latest Mission: Impossible film will fare better than Dial of Destiny at the box office.

While the Mission: Impossible preview screenings kicked off at 2 p.m. on July 12, Paramount also held fan screenings on Monday, July 10, with premium large format screenings such as IMAX being included. However, those Monday screenings were reportedly not accounted for in the $7 million total.

This is a great start for Tom Cruise and Co. as they prepare for the “Barbenheimer” storm ahead. While the new Mission: Impossible will own theaters this weekend, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig's Barbie will hit theaters on July 21. That's bound to take a bite out of Dead Reckoning Part One's grosses, but Paramount likely hopes to make the most out of this first weekend. It's also important to note that Oppenheimer will own IMAX for the first three weeks of its release.

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One is in theaters now.