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re: At the peak of their popularity which actor would you say was the biggest box office draw?
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:19 am to jchamil
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:19 am to jchamil
quote:
I don’t see how anyone can not answer Tom Cruise
Mid 2000's Will Smith couldn't miss. Something like 9 straight $100 mill films in a row. Cruise would go on a tear then do some weird shite like Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia and Vanilla Sky.
2
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:20 am to Sam Quint
quote:
i dont think Tom Hanks was ever as big of a box office draw based on name alone on the same scale as Cruise or Smith (or probably even Pitt). Tom Hanks has been a consistently good actor his entire career, but a significant part of his draw was the fact that he has consistently appeared in really good movies. my opinion, anyways.
I'd argue Hanks probably has a wider range of box office appeal, especially as he delved into voice acting for Disney.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:22 am to FlyingTigerBo
It’s Tom Cruise and it’s not even close.
He’s the only one in that list that makes the list of highest grossing actors of all time, and he did it without being in a Marvel movie.
I know he has the Mission Impossible series, but I’d argue he made those movies more popular than the other way around.
He’s the only one in that list that makes the list of highest grossing actors of all time, and he did it without being in a Marvel movie.
I know he has the Mission Impossible series, but I’d argue he made those movies more popular than the other way around.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:25 am to FlyingTigerBo
Cruise. Not even close.
Had a girlfriend during those days. EVERY time a Cruise movie came out, we HAD to to see it and the theater was usually full.
Had a girlfriend during those days. EVERY time a Cruise movie came out, we HAD to to see it and the theater was usually full.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:37 am to jrodLSUke
Harrison Ford deserves a mention
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:37 am to Sam Quint
quote:Just to add; He was in The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006, I am Legend in 2007, and Seven Pounds in 2008.
1995-1998 was Will Smith's peak. Wild Wild West was the first fracture, but he still put out some good stuff up until about 2005. post "Hitch" it was pretty much all downhill.
Those were great movies imo, but it was indeed the end of his run after that.
Edit: I think Tom Cruise if the obvious winner in this debate, but I was a sucker for anything and everything Tom Hanks through the 90s and 2000s.
This post was edited on 8/24/26 at 11:41 am
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:43 am to FlyingTigerBo
Cruise has done well from as early as All the Right Moves to whatever number Mission Impossible movie he is on now. 80s-2020s all with solid movies. Hard to argue against him. And least we forget, when he was in Tropic Thunder and I saw it in the movie theater I was like, "man, this guy is familiar" but I didn't even put that was him until I IMDBd it. When he wants to he doesn't miss the mark.
His cultism aside, dude gets my vote out of the list.
His cultism aside, dude gets my vote out of the list.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:46 am to FlyingTigerBo
Clint Eastwood
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:57 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:
No, he was bigger (based on % of population that went to see his movies.)
i'm not arguing that his movies werent the biggest. no doubt there, his filmography is ummatched. i just dont think his name itself is / was as big of a draw as Cruise or Smith, just that he was consistently appearing in really good movies.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 11:58 am to BluegrassBelle
quote:
I'd argue Hanks probably has a wider range of box office appeal, especially as he delved into voice acting for Disney.
people didnt go see Toy Story because Tom Hanks did a voice in it though.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:04 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Bogart
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:09 pm to LSUfan4444
quote:
Mid 2000's Will Smith couldn't miss. Something like 9 straight $100 mill films in a row.
My daughter just got into Shark Tale. I had never seen nor paid any attention to it when it came out. I was shocked to see it grossed $375 million.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:17 pm to Ryan3232
quote:
Just to add; He was in The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006, I am Legend in 2007, and Seven Pounds in 2008.
those movies were all fine, but definitely a notable step down from the peak and the beginning of his decline.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:18 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Cruise probably had the most appeal
Hanks made the best movies
Hanks made the best movies
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:25 pm to Sam Quint
quote:
i just dont think his name itself is / was as big of a draw as Cruise or Smith, just that he was consistently appearing in really good movies.
1 out of every 3 Americans bought a ticket to see Forrest Gump. Just stop and think about that for a second. Cruise and Smith can't sniff that. Cruise's best is 20% and Smith's is 25%.
By definition, Hanks was a bigger draw.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:25 pm to Upperdecker
quote:
Will Smith was automatic for several years. He had a string of big successes based on essentially him being the lead. He had a sudden downfall when he put his son as co-lead in one movie
No, his downfall occurred when he slapped the shite out of Chris Rock.
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:26 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Tom Cruise is the last great movie star. Leo is a distant second.
Tom Hanks is in great movies, but it’s the movie that brings you to the theater not Tom Hanks himself.
It’s the opposite for Leo, Denzel and Cruise. You go to the movies because of them.
Tom Hanks is in great movies, but it’s the movie that brings you to the theater not Tom Hanks himself.
It’s the opposite for Leo, Denzel and Cruise. You go to the movies because of them.
This post was edited on 8/24/26 at 12:35 pm
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:32 pm to LSUfan4444
quote:
Cruise would go on a tear then do some weird shite like Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia and Vanilla Sky.
Magnolia was arguably the best performance of Cruise's career.. though for me id probably say it was Born on the Fourth.. also I think Cruise was criminally underrated in Rain Man.. Hoffman chewed the scenery, but the character arc Cruise showed was brilliant .
In any case, as a fan of movies im glad to see that in his new film , it looks like Cruise will be getting back to acting as opposed to being a glorified stuntman .
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:34 pm to meeple
Hanks has to be right there with Smith
Posted on 8/24/26 at 12:37 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Probably John Wayne.
For the last 30 years… Tom Cruise.
For the last 30 years… Tom Cruise.
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