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The big-budget "Hobbit" fantasy movie ruled movie box office charts for a second straight weekend, fending off Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise in new crime drama "Jack Reacher."
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" hauled in nearly $37 million from theaters in the United States and Canada, according to studio estimates of Friday-through-Sunday ticket sales. The film is the first of three movies based on the classic J.R.R. Tolkien novel about a world of dwarfs, elves and dragons in the fictitious Middle Earth.
In second place, Cruise's "Jack Reacher" about the investigation into a sniper shooting brought in just short of $17 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters. Distributor Paramount Pictures postponed a premiere of the film after the fatal school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, sparked new scrutiny of violent movies.
Adult comedy "This is 40," starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as a middle-aged couple, brought in $12 million, finishing in third place.
"The Hobbit" was distributed by Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. studio. Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, released "Jack Reacher." Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures distributed "This is 40."
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Sorry folks, Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is like The Hobbit as The Hulk. Lot's of Hollywood Magic but it just won't work. I won't be wasting my money on the folly. Lee Child...when you wise up to who should be your Jack Reacher and contact Mr. John Cena I'll buy my own chair in the theater. You all went the wrong way...Jack Reacher isn't about class or brass or Hollywood and fast cars. He is a drifter, with one pair of clothes and a knack for finding trouble he just can't walk away from. Mr cruise was the wrong call.
there is no way Cruise is Jack Reacher, should have been Mark Walberg, or maybe Donnie.
Jack Reacher? Or Tom Cruse, Scientology super being?
I didn't read the Lee Child books yet (I'm going to after seeing the movie), but my wife and I thought Jack Reacher was an excellent movie. I definitely recommend Jack Reacher to everyone. I don't think BWTCHN even saw Jack Reacher.
Steve-777888 - After you read some of the Reacher novels, you will understand the absolute chagrin of millions of Reacher fans at the casting of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher is not depicted as a pretty man - besides he's 6'5" and about 230 lbs. Definite miscast using Tom Cruise - Reacher is not metrosexual. And I don't need to see the movie to know that. I've read all the books and feel like Reacher is an old friend.
steve: If you liked the movie then I suggest you don't read the books. I've read reviews of the movie and it sounds like this movie doesn't even follow a book. It's more like a movie was developed to put Cruise in it and they knew it wouldn't sell unless they could con an audience and came up with Jack Reacher after the fact. As Annie said, Reacher is BIG! Cruise, at 5'7", is small. Unless you are going to get everyone else to be Dorfs, it just won't work. Besides, Cruise would have to do one hell of an acting job to pull of the Reacher character. He doesn't have it in him.
As for reading the Reacher novels, I'd suggest audio books. Most of them are very well done and you get a distinct flavor of the character. Dick Hill does a fantastic job.
Tom Cruise was a bad choice.
Fans of Reacher will have to tolerate the casting to get a movie.
Life happens. Bad casting does not mean it is a bad movie. It just means it could have been much better.
Tom Cruise lost all credibility as a person some years ago. To cast him as manly Jack Reacher is just so far off. How could anyone do this? More importantly, how could Lee Child allow it?