Tom Cruise visits Brazil and Gets Close to Fans

February 3, 2009.

In a rare South American appearance, Valkyrie (2008) star and producer Tom Cruise spent over 90 minutes signing autographs and talking to Brazilian fans in Rio de Janeiro.

Accompanied by wife Katie Holmes, Cruise introduced the Bryan Singer-directed Valkyrie to over 800 guests in front of the historical Cine Odeon theatre, at Cinelândia.  The premiere took place at 8pm, on Tuesday, February 3, 2009.

Produced by United Artists (owned by MGM and ran by Mr. Cruise himself), Valkyrie has overcome two years of bad publicity and gathered positive reviews in the American press. The film has grossed over $80 million at the U.S. box office, but is being distributed by Fox outside of the United States – limiting Cruise’s profit. It scored its second straight victory at the foreign box office, and has collected over $38 million in its first two weeks of release – outside U.S. territory.

With a production budget of more than $75 million dollars (and with a U.S. marketing bill estimated to be over $20 million), Valkyrie has a chance at becoming the first profitable title produced and released by MGM under its United Artist agreement with Mr. Cruise. Lions for Lambs , directed by Robert Redford, is considered a loss for the studio.

Arriving on a Land Rover for the Valkyrie premiere, Tom Cruise was received by over 300 fans who screamed his name and begged for a picture with the star. Despite the heat, many were surprised that Cruise spent so much time outside the theatre: he kissed many on the cheek and spent time with local actors after the premiere.

Valkyrie opens in Brazil, nationwide, on February 13.

Pictures by photographer Francis Rajz.