May 15, 2000
On Cruise control
Tom's career picks up speed as latest Mission expected to make millions
By BOB THOMPSON
Tracking experts predict that Mission: Impossible 2 should double the U.S. Memorial holiday weekend grown-up movie record holder. That would be Air Force One at $37-million.

Looks like Tom Cruise's M:I-2, directed by John Woo, will hit the $80-million mark for its extended run after opening May 24.

Meanwhile, Cruise organizes his film future. He's prepared to begin Steven Spielberg's Minority Report by next spring, and is in the process of doing some pre-production stuff for Robert Towne's Dead Reckoning. "It's a movie about love, revenge and high adventure," says Towne of Dead Reckoning, but who could also be describing M:I-2 ...

M:I-2 composer Hans Zimmer is looking forward to a summer holiday. His spring consisted of doing final soundtrack arrangements for El Dorado, Gladiator and M:I-2.

"I kept seeing the premiere spotlights in the air from the L.A. studio where I was working," recalls Zimmer of the past few months. "I'd say, 'Oh, there is another one I missed' " ...

Cruise Mission: Impossible 2 love interest Thandie Newton, who is five months pregnant, says that she didn't give up the Charlie's Angels role because of M:I-2's production over-run. Obviously, she had a more important real-life production in mind. Her baby is due in September.