“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” opened to an estimated $56 million at the U.S. box office over the weekend. This total was the second-best “Mission: Impossible” opening ever, just missing out on the $57.8 million of 2000’s “Mission: Impossible II.”

The Paramount film starring Tom Cruise was good enough to nab the third-best U.S. opening of the star’s career, coming in behind “Mission: Impossible II” and 2005’s “War of the Worlds.”
The spy thriller was also a hit internationally. It made $65 million abroad to bring its global total to $121 million. A good start for a film that cost Paramount $150 million.
“Tom Cruise is the very definition of movie star, but beyond that he is a tireless marketing machine,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst for Rentrak (RENT). “He has essentially written the playbook on how to manifest the perfect combination of star-power based publicity along with producer-based business acumen.”

Got the drop at CNN . . .