Tiscali Celebrity

Lions for lambs to the slaughter as cruise's partner speaks out

TOM CRUISE's moviemaking partner has confirmed the actor's new studio heads are considering his first film for United Artists a box office flop.

Paula Wagner agrees political thriller Lions For Lambs "underperformed" even though the film was well hyped and features Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, who also directed.

The movie took 10 days to make its first GBP5 million and is now struggling to gross GBP10 million in America.

Internationally, the film has fared better, taking in GBP13.5 million.

Studio executives at UA estimate the film will gross no more than GBP30 million internationally.

Wagner, who took over UA with Cruise after he was unceremoniously dumped by Paramount Pictures last year, says, "We do recognise that it hasn't performed as well as we would have liked but we don't regret making it.

"It was a Robert Redford film that was timely, relevant and engaging... It made perfect sense for it to be our first movie (at UA)."

Despite the film's lack of box office success, UA bosses stillhope to make money on the film, which cost just GBP17.5 million to make. (KL/DV/FA)

Page: 1 | 2