TOM CRUISE - CRUISE CONCERNED ABOUT 'FLOP' MOVIE

TOM CRUISE fears his new movie LIONS FOR LAMBS will be an expensive flop after it failed to break into the top three at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend (09-11Nov07). The star was hoping that the film - which cost an estimated $35 million (GBP17.5 million) to make - would be an international hit, but the Robert Redford-directed movie debuted at number four in the box office chart with takings of only $6.7 million (GBP3.3 million). The movie is the first release from Cruise's United Artists studio, which he set up after he was sensationally dropped by Paramount last year (06). A source tells MSNBC.com, "Tom wanted to really hit a home run with his first United Artists movie. It was more about how the industry was going to view him than the movie going public that Tom was worried about." However, a statement from United Artists has backed Lions For Lambs insisting they are happy with the box office numbers: "Given the modest production and marketing budgets we do not need to be a blockbuster hit. Everyone at United Artists are very proud of the film and could not have had a more perfect filmmaker to have made our first film."

Source: contactmusic.com