Cruise-Diaz movie 'Knight and Day' opens to soft $3.8 million at box office Wednesday

It wasn't a good first day or night at the box office for "Knight and Day."

The action comedy starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz sold a soft $3.8 million worth of tickets in the U.S. and Canada as it opened Wednesday, positioning the picture for what looks to be a short and unimpressive run in theaters. The debut doesn't even rank among the top 50 Wednesday openings of all time, despite much higher ticket prices now than in years past, according to Box Office Mojo.

"Knight and Day" was actually a distant second at the box office on Wednesday, behind "Toy Story 3," which took in $13 million, according to Hollywood.com.

Pre-release polling had indicated that audiences weren't excited about seeing "Knight and Day" and the opening day box office results verified that. Based on Wednesday's receipts, the spy caper will struggle to gross even the $25 million by Sunday that people who had seen the polling previously estimated.

In order to counteract what appears to have been ineffective marketing and a lack of interest among audiences in Cruise and Diaz, distributor 20th Century Fox held nationwide sneak previews for "Knight and Day" on Saturday and moved up its release from Friday to Wednesday. They were betting that word-of-mouth would benefit the picture, which has received mixed reviews.

Fox and its financing partners New Regency Pictures and Dune Entertainment spent $117 million to produce "Knight and Day" and tens of millions more on marketing. They therefore need the movie to perform significantly better overseas to avoid taking a loss on much of that investment.

--Ben Fritz

Related:

Fox to sneak preview 'Knight and Day' to generate missing buzz

Photo: Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise in "Knight and Day." Credit: Frank Masi / 20th Century Fox.

Comments

[Richard]

Maybe if they did not give so much away of the movie, people would want to
see it. I mean they show Diaz riding backwards on the motorcycle shooting like a super spy, and you know it starts off with her being afraid Cruz is nuts. Kinda gives it all away in one fell swoop. Its one thing to think you know what the ending is going to be, its quite another for it to be handed to you.

[MJ]

I'm surprised it's not performing better. I caught the Saturday showing and thought it was a good film!

[Danny]

A-TEAM felt like something from 2002 NOT 2010 and this movie feels like nothing but more of the same

[la rider]

Cameron Diaz looks way too old. She needs better plastic surgery. Otherwise the movie looks pretty good but just not interested in someone who has not aged gracefully and plastic surgery has let her down.

[LaraS]

Im not really sure how this article can back-up and validate the statement that "It wasn't a good first day for Knight and Day." According to Variety, Knight and Day had a strong opening. See the Variety review here - http://bit.ly/9kyDj8. Variety declared, "Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz starrer off to a good start." I've talked to a lot of my friends and I have yet to hear negative feedback on the movie. I feel that Knight and Day will do really well through this weekend and next week. I saw the movie, and I personally loved it. Love the chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, love the death-defying stunts, and love the action scenes. My friends enjoyed it too! So I would say cheers to the Knight and Day cast for a strong opening!

[pootie]

Problem # 1: cameron diaz
Problem # 2 : Who gives a sh/,t!

[Eve]

Just saw the first showing in a pretty full theater on Thursday. It was a good, action movie and should do well. The stunts were great. People just need to go out and see it for themselves.

[Deborah Moran]

I, personally, don't know what you are talking about! Saw the film! Loved the film! The theatre was full, and we cheered and enjoyed it audibly as well! Cruise is awesome and Diaz looks amazing! Go and see it and then judge --- I dare you!
D.

[tom]

maybe mr cruise should take a break for awhile

[St. John Smythe]

So how were the sneaks? You guys bash it based on tracking but never follow up on how it performed during sneaks. And because they snuck it, its Wednesday opening would not be that strong. YOu guys are just turning into Nikki Finke lite.

[Mike]

Tom Cruise should be a second fiddle at this point in his career, not the main draw. His years of action films and starring as the leading man at $20 million a picture are long over...someone should tell him. His persona alone can't produce good box office numbers anymore.

Cruise should be doing more bit parts, like Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, or appearing in indie movies as the "and" credit. Then he would be celebrated again like he was in Tropic Thunder.

Now when he releases action movies, most people I know just sigh and say "I'd never spend 10 bucks to see Maverick as a 50 year old action star"

[James]

This movie, actually, looked really good and I liked the choice of using some strong humor to mix-it-up. People need to get over the "scientology" gag, and give credit where credit is due: Tom Cruise is a very talented actor, and takes pride in giving the audience what they came to see. Not everyone cares about a huge pay day. Cameron is a great balance of chemistry, as well. Honestly, this is still the same guy who gave rescued accident victims in 2006, and once before when he was married to Nicole. Get over the religious prejudice and recognize the talent people bring to films. I will, definitely, go see it this weekend.

[dssssi]

Tired of the "same old-same old"? Just a normal romantic comedy, with some action. BORING! Cost 120 million for that?
Talk about having money to burn.

[JoeyB]

Is there really a lot of question surrounding this? People don't like Tom Cruise anymore. He ruined his reputation years ago. Like Mel Gibson, a great movie-star has shot himself in the foot, and likely will never be back in the game. People need to learn from the Meryl Streeps and Will Smith's of the world - be good. Be likeable. Keep enough of your private life private. It is as simple as that.

[melba]

TOMMY BOY SHOULD TAKE A LONG BREAK FROM MOVIES!!!