This Tom Cruise–Penelope Cruz Romance Thriller From 2001 Still Remains the Highest-Grossing Film At The Box Office To Receive “D-” Cinemascore
When Tom Cruise watched the Spanish mystery Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes), he reportedly called his agent to purchase its remake rights precisely when the end credits were rolling. At least that’s how mesmerized the Mission: Impossible megastar became by this story, even though the audiences would largely disagree four years later. Vanilla Sky, the remake, co-starred Cameron Diaz and Penélope Cruz, the latter reprising her role from the original.
Vanilla Sky: A Box Office Hit With a Brutal CinemaScore
Unlike Alejandro Amenábar’s directorial work, Tom Cruise and Jerry Maguire director Cameron Crowe’s production could not sway the audience. So much so that Vanilla Sky received the lowest possible grade one could get by cinemagoers, as CinemaScore recorded a “D-” from theater viewers.
For comparison, the 2024 musical sequel Joker: Folie à Deux got a slightly fairer “D,” though that still could not best Cruise’s 2001 remake which, thanks to his stardom in that cultural moment, earned $203 million worldwide — both its North American and overseas totals settling past the $100 million mark (according to Box Office Mojo).
Vanilla Sky’s Redemption Arc
With this, Vanilla Sky became the reigning champion of “D-” movies, still standing as the highest-grossing film in this CinemaScore grade since its release, both domestically and globally. Moreover, it broke the previous record of none other than Cruise’s own Eyes Wide Shut ($55 million domestic, $162 million worldwide), directed by renowned filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.
Besides the two Tom Cruise movies, fewer than a dozen films have been rated a “D-” this century, and none since 2018’s Slender Man. While such a lack of competition is a valid reason, that’s not to say the quality of Vanilla Sky or Eyes Wide Shut, for that matter, can be compared with other poorly received titles.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Gigli, for instance, is simultaneously considered one of the biggest failures and weakest films ever released. Not only is it a “D-,” but its box office receipts worldwide scarcely returned $7 million against a $75 million budget.
This, in turn, reflects the level of stardom the Edge of Tomorrow exudes. With nearly $1.5 billion (according to Box Office Mojo) in earnings from theaters all around the planet, his Top Gun: Maverick also ranks among the top-grossing films awarded the “A+” CinemaScore. While at the global box office, the 2022 epic trails behind Avengers: Endgame ($2.8 billion), Titanic ($2.2 billion), Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.9 billion), and The Avengers ($1.5 billion), at the domestic box office, its astronomical $719 million comfortably circumvented Titanic ($674 million) and The Avengers ($623 million) to secure the third spot.
The reputation of Vanilla Sky has improved since then. While arguably the greatest film critic, Roger Ebert, praised the movie back in the day, it enjoys a devoted following today. The confusing nature of the film, which likely perplexed its original audience, has aged well among newer generations who watch and analyze Vanilla Sky multiple times, discussing its many interpretations, ending, philosophy, and the Inception-style concept of distinguishing dreams from reality.
Note: Box office numbers are attributed to estimates from various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
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