Cruise: 'M:i:III,' Real Life Meet

(CBS)  Truth can be stranger than fiction, and sometimes they can overlap a bit.

That's what Tom Cruise says happened as his latest film, "Mission: Impossible III," was being made possible.

The film wound up making Cruise king of the box office again, but his throne is a bit shakier than expected.

"M:i:III" took in $48 million in its debut weekend to top Hollywood's box office, but the total was below expectations, despite being the second largest opening of the year.

Working with first time movie director J.J. Abrams, Cruise hoped to make a great summer popcorn movie with heart.

He

talked about that (video)

in Part Two of his interview with The Early Show entertainment contributor, People magazine editor at large Jess Cagle.

"I remember," he told Cagle, "we sat down and … talked conceptually about the film, you know, how we — how we wanted people to feel. We wanted (them) to feel emboldened when they left the theater and — and to have that summer experience that we look forward to, that I remember as a kid, and I still have 'em, you know, when I — when I go and I can't wait to see 'Mission: Impossible III.' "

"It took a long time to get the script, director, everything right on 'M:i:III," Cagle said. "What was the biggest challenge about going into it?"

"I felt the great challenge was just finding the right elements for the movie," Cruise explained. "Once I met J.J. Abrams … I had absolute faith in him. It was like, 'Ah!' I felt so relaxed. … I feel that when — when I work with Spielberg also. I feel that, that sense of fun and adventure. And that really, you know, there then — there was the physical element that was a great challenge, and also the intensity of the scenes, performance-wise."

"Whose idea," Cagle wondered, "was it to put Ethan Hunt (Cruise's character) on the bridge and then shoot missiles at him?

" 'Cause it rocked!" he laughed.

"J.J.," said Cruise, also laughing. "He came over that bridge sequence and — and on the page, it was great."

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