The 1998 black comedy crime film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels was written and directed by Guy Ritchie, produced by Matthew Vaughn, and starred an ensemble cast that included Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Steven Mackintosh, Sting, and Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham in their feature film debuts. But did you know how Tom Cruise saved the American release of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels?
By endorsing it at a buyer screening, Tom Cruise saved the American release of ‘Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,’ launching the careers of Jason Statham, Guy Ritchie, and Matthew Vaughn in the process.
The US Screening of the Film
The film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels aided in the launch of several careers. Guy Ritchie, the film’s director, would go on to direct Snatch, Sherlock Holmes, and the upcoming The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Jason Statham, meanwhile, got his acting break in the film, as did Vinnie Jones.
Matthew Vaughn went on to build an enviable film directing career with films like X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass, and Kingsman: The Secret Service.
For a while, the fate of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels appeared to be in jeopardy. In a 2016 interview for Radio 4’s The Business Of Film, Vaughn admitted that the film had difficulty finding a distributor. The turning point, however, occurred during a special screening in the United States. (Source Den of Geek)
Tom Cruise’s Role in the Release of the Film
Working on his wits and facing the prospect of his film career being over before it had even begun, Vaughn contacted one of the film’s investors, Trudi Styler. He asked her to get Tom Cruise, whom she knew, and invite him to a buyers’ screening in the United States. And that’s precisely what Tom Cruise did. He went to a small screening room on the Sony Pictures lot and watched the film.
Even back then, this was not typical movie star behavior. Styler pointed out to Vaughn that stars were only for premieres, not buyer screenings. But if Cruise hadn’t done what he did, there would have been no theatrical release in the United States, let alone a premiere.
It was hysterical, you had all these mid-level executives sitting there, and Cruise walked in. He saw them all sit up and pay attention, all getting on their phones, and suddenly all these senior executives joined the screening.
Matthew Vaughn, Director of Lock, Stop and Two Smoking Barrels
At the end, Tom got up in front of everyone and said ‘this is the best movie I’ve seen in years, you guys would be fools not to buy it
Matthew Vaughn, Director of Lock, Stop and Two Smoking Barrels
A bidding war ensued, and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels was on its way to becoming both a career-launching pad and an international hit. Thanks to a major movie star’s intervention and two hours of his time. (Source Den of Geek)