ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

​The Incredible Story Of How Tom Cruise Saved 'Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'

​The Incredible Story Of How Tom Cruise Saved 'Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'

Producer Matthew Vaughn explained that the movie was struggling to secure a distributor

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Believe it or not, it's been a whopping 20 years since British gangster flick Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels came out - something that remains, to this day, a sterling piece of cinema.

In fact, the film proved so influential that it launched several careers, including those of director Guy Ritchie - who you'll also remember from similar hit Snatch - and Jason Statham, also marking Vinnie Jones' move from the footballing world into the acting industry.

However, there was a time when the film's creators weren't even sure that there'd be a future for it.

Speaking to film critic Mark Kermode last year on BBC Radio 4 programme The Business of Film, producer Matthew Vaughn explained that the movie was struggling to secure a distributor.

It's all well and good having a cracking film like Lock, Stock, but if there's no one to distribute it, you're screwed... meaning this was pretty serious stuff.

via GIPHY

As Lock, Stock was about to be shown at a special screening in America, Vaughn decided to hit up Trudi Styler - one of the film's investors - asking her to get in touch with pal Tom Cruise, and see if he'd come along to the American buyers' screening. He did.

"It was hysterical", Vaughn told Kermode. "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.

"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'."

After that, there was a bidding war for the film - which later became an international hit, making over £21 million ($28m) at the international box office.

With 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the film wasn't just a commercial success either, it also became a textbook example of a modern gangster film - with Radio Times reviewer John Ferguson even referring to it as 'the best British crime movie since The Long Good Friday'.

And let's not forget 2000's Snatch, as it's hard to believe that would have come about had it not been for the all-out success of Ritchie's predecessor.

Never thought we'd be saying this outside of the context of Mission Impossible, but thank goodness for Tom Cruise, eh?

Featured Image Credit: PA/PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Topics: Tom Cruise