The Mission: Impossible film franchise started in 1996 after the launch of the first film, directed by Brian De Palma. The franchise is based on Bruce Geller's 1966 television series of the same name. The first film (Mission: Impossible) introduces Tom Cruise's character, Ethan Hunt, who is a part of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), a highly classified agency that conducts high-risk covert operations.
The movie went on to make over $450 million worldwide and became the third highest-grossing film of the year which led to a sequel that was released four years later. Since then, Cruise and co have turned it into a franchise with the superstar actor reprising his role as Hunt in five more sequels.
All of the films have won generally positive reviews while Cruise's stunts have gained critical acclaim, and the franchise has become renowned for its intense action sequences and clever plot twists. It has grossed over $3.5 billion worldwide, making it one of the most profitable film franchises in history.
Mission: Impossible is a spy film franchise that follows the exploits of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), led by Tom Cruise's character Ethan Hunt. The first film in the franchise was directed by Brian De Palma and was released in 1996. It was a critical and commercial hit which has seen six sequels released in the years since, each with a new director and script, and yet all with the now iconic high-octane action and espionage aspects that have come to define the brand.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 action spy film that was directed by Brian De Palma and starred Tom Cruise alongside Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Henry Czerny, Ving Rhames, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, a member of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), a secret government agency that conducts high-risk covert operations. Hunt and his team are tasked with retrieving a stolen CIA non-official cover list.
But the mission goes horribly wrong and sees Hunt accused of killing his agents which forces the IMF agent to go on the run in order to clear his name and discover the true traitor. The movie was a critical and financial triumph as it generated more than $450 million worldwide.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000-action spy film directed by John Woo and starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, a member of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The film also stars Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Ving Rhames, Richard Roxburgh, John Polson, and Brendan Gleeson.
The plot follows Hunt as he is tasked with recovering a dangerous virus, known as "Chimera," that has fallen into the hands of a rogue IMF agent named Sean Ambrose. In order to stop Ambrose and retrieve the virus, Ethan teams up with Nyah Nordoff-Hall, a skilled thief and Ambrose's former lover. It was a commercial success, grossing $546.4 million worldwide.
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Mission: Impossible III is a 2006 action spy film directed by J.J. Abrams with Tom Cruise reprising his role as Ethan Hunt, a member of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The film also stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Keri Russell.
The film is set after Ethan Hunt's retirement from the IMF in order to start a new life with his fiancée, Julia, but things go awry after an arms dealer named Owen Davian kidnaps Julia. It forces Hunt to come out of retirement and undertake a dangerous mission to save her.
The film featured several intense action sequences, including a thrilling helicopter chase through a wind farm which garnered positive reviews from critics for its action, suspense, and strong performances. Not only that, the third installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise was a commercial success, grossing $397.9 million worldwide.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, the fourth film in the Mission: Impossible franchise, was released in 2011. Ghost Protocol was an action spy thriller directed by Brad Bird and starred Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt once again, along with Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, and Anil Kapoor.
The film sees Ethan and his team go rogue after the IMF is framed for a bombing at the Kremlin which forces the team to stop a terrorist known as Cobalt, with no official support, from starting a nuclear war between the United States and Russia. However, the film is known for its outrageous action scenes, including an iconic one where Cruise climbs the exterior of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It received critical acclaim for its action, humor, and strong performances from the cast while grossing $694.7 million worldwide.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
Christopher McQuarrie directs the 2015 action spy thriller Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, in which Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for the fifth film in the series. Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, and Alec Baldwin also star.
The plot revolves around Ethan and his squad as they attempt to take down The Syndicate, a highly competent and dangerous group trying to destroy the IMF. Along the way, Hunt and co are compelled to work with an intriguing and enigmatic woman named Ilsa Faust, the true nature of whose allegiances remain unknown.
Like every movie in the series, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation was a commercial success, earning $682.7 million globally and was also praised for strong performances alongside its action sequences.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Christopher McQuarrie directs the 2018 action spy film Mission: Impossible - Fallout, in which Tom Cruise returns to star as Ethan Hunt. Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, and Angela Bassett join him in a star-studded cast list.
Much like the earlier movies, the story revolves around Hunt and his team as they race to recover stolen plutonium before it falls into the wrong hands. Not only that, they're chased by the mysterious John Lark, and must also contend with the return of former enemy Solomon Lane. The sixth film in the franchise, Fallout was a commercial success, grossing $791.1 million worldwide. Not only that, but the film won praise for its action and great performances, notably from Henry Cavill as CIA operative August Walker.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and Part Two (2024)
The sequel to Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) and the seventh and penultimate installment in the Mission: Impossible film series, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is set to release in July 2023. The movie brings back Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and the superstar actor is joined by Nick Offerman, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Hayley Atwell amongst others.
The plot has yet to be revealed to the general public although director Christopher McQuarrie has revealed that the movie will enhance the emotional growth of the characters, especially Ethan Hunt. Not only that, it is set to be Cruise’s penultimate movie in the series with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two set to be the final installment once it releases in 2024.
