Mission: Impossible 2's opening in Australia on June 1, one week after its blockbusting North American debut, grossed $3,675,654 (A$6,395,638) from 366 screens over the four-day weekend. This gives distributor UIP its biggest ever weekend and ranks third-highest in Australian history. This compares to the $3.4m (A$5.9m) brought in by Gladiator starring Russell Crowe on its opening weekend just four weeks earlier, although it was on nearly 80 less screens.

"Our strategy was to release M:I2 at a time when it would dominate the market," said UIP's Australian head Mike Selwyn. The film's second weekend will coincide with the Queen's Birthday holiday weekend and it will be able to take advantage of the school holidays in late June.' Selwyn also added more time between his two blockbusters, rather than the three weeks allowed in the US.

Two days before the official opening, over 2,500 invited guests took over the 12-screen Hoyts Fox Studios to see the film then walked over to the nearby Horden Pavilion for the party. The event was billed as a thankyou to Sydney, which is showcased in the film, and offset the lukewarm reviews. Producer and star Tom Cruise was in attendance, along with his Australian wife Nicole Kidman. Selwyn is hoping both M:I2 and Gladiator gross more than $15m (A$25m). Around only a dozen films have previously achieved those dizzy heights in Australia.