The much-anticipated final chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, is off to an impressive start in India, with advance bookings indicating a potentially massive opening weekend at the box office.

With the Tom Cruise-led spy thriller set to release in India on Saturday, May 17, nearly a week ahead of its US premiere on May 23, excitement is running high and the proof's in the box office numbers. The film, which had its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival early this week, has already garnered critical acclaim and is generating significant buzz globally.

According to industry tracker Box Office Worldwide, on Thursday (May 15), the film had sold approximately 66,000 tickets across India's top three national multiplex chains for its opening day. Of the total sales, PVR Inox accounted for 52,000 tickets, while Cinepolis sold around 14,000.

In a press statement cited by PTI, the film's team reported that The Final Reckoning sold over 11,000 tickets within the first 24 hours of advance booking alone. Industry estimates suggest that the film is on track to earn around Rs 16 crore - Rs 20 crore on its opening day in India, a strong showing, especially for a Hollywood release.

The franchise enjoys a dedicated fanbase in the country, and its release comes after the phenomenal success of 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One' which earned an estimated Rs 120 crore in 2023. Meanwhile, on the global scale, Dead Reckoning underperformed, grossing $571 million globally on a reported $291 million budget.

As far as box office performance for The Final Reckoning is concerned, the film has reportedly been made on an estimated cost between $300 and $400 million. The film, according to the Hollywood Reporter faces high expectations as analysts suggest it would need to earn between $800 million and $1 billion worldwide to break even.

It must be noted that while Tom's action film Top Gun: Maverick hit the billion dollar mark, it is a feat no other Mission: Impossible film has yet achieved.

The Final Reckoning, picks up shortly after the events of Dead Reckoning, follows Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team as they race to stop antagonist Gabriel Martinelli (Esai Morales) from seizing control of a powerful rogue AI known as “The Entity.” Returning cast members include Hayley Atwell , Simon Pegg , Ving Rhames, Angela Bassett , Pom Klementieff , and Henry Czerny .

Currently holding an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film will go head-to-head with Final Destination: Bloodlines in India and will also clash with Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch when it hits US theatres on May 23. Trade experts have already predicted a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend at the global box office.