Tom Cruise’s Nazi film Valkyrie is due for a holiday release, with advance buzz overwhelmingly negative. Instead of resigning himself to the inevitable fate of a movie-going public that is sure to prefer lighter fare this Christmas, Cruise is calling on Scientologists worldwide to buy blocks of tickets to increase the box office numbers – at least according to Star Magazine:
Tom Cruise needs a hit, stat! So he’s turned to the people he can count on – his family and the followers of Scientology – to help make his World War II Movie,Valkyrie, a box-office winner when it comes out on Dec. 26. Mr. Katie Holmes has asked the 8 million Scientologists all over the world to snap up tickets during opening weekend, says a source. “Scientologists always go in droves to watch Tom’s movies – only this time it’s on an international level.” The controversial religion, add the source, “is really growing overseas, and Tom is using that as a tool to make sure the film does well in Europe and Asia.”
[From Star Magazine, print edition, December 8, 2008]
This story originates in Star Magazine, so we’ll have to wait and see if it has any truth to it, but it definitely sounds like something the cult would do. L. Ron Hubbard’s book Dianetics became a best seller thanks to Scientologists buying up copies by the dozens and they could easily inflate the box office take of Valkyrie if members buy blocks of tickets ahead of the premiere weekend. It’s not something that’s likely to go unnoticed, though, and people will be sure to report it if theaters are barely filled despite tickets being sold out.
Meanwhile Amazon’s UK division is refusing to sell a tell-all book about the cult by a former member of the Church of Scientology. John Duignan, a member of the cult for 22 years, says he “directly knows 20 members who went insane or committed suicide.” Duignan thinks it’s more than a coincidence that Amazon UK yanked his book, The Complex: An Insider Exposes the Covert World of the Church of Scientology
Tom Cruise is shown out with Katie and Suri at Serafina restaurant on 11/28/08. He is also shown out in Central Park on 11/27/08. Credit: WENN. Header image of Tom and Suri in a fur coat is from 11/30/08. Credit: Bauergriffin
He will need to call upon God if he wants those tickets to sell!
ZOMG Xenu Demands It! Seriously, how many Scientologists are there in the world?
Holy $h*t! I think Xenu really sucked up his soul! talk about looking rough and beat-up..
Kaiser, some estimates can be found here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/scientolnbr.htm
Dear Mr. Cruise,
No one wants to watch a tedious historical drama on Christmas Day. Sorry if you didn’t get the memo.
Well the Christians did it for Mel… not that I want to see Valkyrie but with the “call” having gone out for Scientologists to see it I’d be mindful of being branded one. No, I’m bigot, it’s still in the cult section not religious one for me.
Tragically funny! 😛
I think his career is in the toilet. This movie is the stinker of all time.
I remember when each Church was buying tickets for the Passion of the Christ.
Christianity is a cult just like the rest.
awesome….
there is nothing like faking a good box office result when you fake everything else in your life!
why on earth would the Xenu freak ever be able to admit defeat… why that’s thetan work dontcha know!
Dear vdantev,
The film is coming out on St. Stephen’s Day 😛
But can the poor dears even afford the tickets? Maybe it’s considered an out-ethics if they don’t go? Oh noes! 😯
Regarding Scientologist numbers, remember they include anyone whose ever looked sideways at Dianetics at the local library.
Matt – nevermind that, I remember hearing about parishes having Mass or Services before a group trip to the cinema. There were ould wans (elderly types) in the multiplexes who probably hadn’t been to the pictures since Gene Autrey was a nipper!
Still, I’m going to see it – Ken Brannagh, Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard and the lovely Carice van Houten etc etc. But I shall snort loudly along with everyone else everytime Tiny Tom sets his chin in a “brave and defiant” way.
I live in Plymouth,UK. We have a Scientology church, shop and people recruiting every working day in the city centre, and there’s a lot of them. We also have Anonymous here and the slanging matches are brilliant 🙂
😆 I’ll probably see it too. From Nexflix though. I couldn’t stand to see that mug on a big screen
He’s looking really bad. I can remember, though, an interview years ago where the person who wrote it said he was surprised that Cruise is not nearly as good looking in person as he is on film. If this is true, he must be looking ghastly in person!
I’m not going to see it. Depressing.
WHAT a freaking NUTJOB this guy is…..it makes me sad and angry that he has fallen for a cult, but I will never, ever watch him in a film again. FREE KATIE!
I don’t know why, but his face in the header pic reminds me of a ham sandwich. ❓
Looking at the main pic of tiny tom on celebitchy’s home page, i just almost lost my lunch. boy, is he lookin’ BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDD.. Maybe more vitamins ???? before long he will match the scrunched up face of his beard/wife!
man when the public turns on someone… they really go all out… talk about mob mentality… 😕
Perhaps John Travolta could purchase two tickets, one for Tom Hanks, and one for Richard Gere, after all, they OWE him… I limp around on one leg and can barely feed my family and I find this type of self-indulgent behaviour both amusing and upsetting. Please send me the ticket money, I can put it to good use, and I will still say the movie was “Boffo”, “Top Notch”…
Jesus!!!the guy is 46!!he looks pretty damn good if you ask me.i’m with you Christina,it so easy to kick a guy (or woman)when there in a slump.it happens in every movie career.except for him he’s been hitting homeruns for the past 20 years so it’s normal to finally hit a snag.but i give him 3-5 years to comeback.if i was him i would put my energy into the movie company by producing movies instead of being in them.and just do small roles now and again(like in Tropic Thunder).
I’m going for the Brannagh. My love shan’t be denied.
I saw the trailer for this in the theatre and I couldn’t stop laughing every time Cruise was onscreen. I don’t think I am fit to watch this movie in public.
Christina – I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve not been able to stick the man for years, even when I was very much in the minority on this opinion. So no mob mentality with this sheep 😉
The CO$ members certainly didn’t help out much with ticket sales in that Lions for Lambs film.
So, either they don’t care about Cruise, there simply aren’t that many members (contrary to CO$ publicity), or they’re all stuck in Sea Org labor camps.
Whichever is the case, it’s not looking good for Tommy.
He’s a movie star, so naturally we the public hold him to higher standards when it comes to looks.
And he’s looking like crap.
Like his movie “Wahh–kill me!” er, Valkyrie.
He looks exhausted and her shoes are heinous
Uh-oh, hope little Suri’s fur coat isn’t from any dead animals.