And so Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt has halo-jumped, rock-climbed, motorcycle-duelled, and face mask-revealed his way across dozens of countries to unravel all manner of world threats in the Mission: Impossible movies. He’s had help along the way, featuring a cast of series veterans, like Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg, and occasional players like Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton. Hunt hasn’t had too much help from the IMF, though, considering how many times they think their star employee has gone rogue.
A trademark for most of Mission: Impossible‘s lifespan was bringing in a new director for each entry, ranging from John Woo to Brad Bird to Brian De Palma, giving each entry a unique spin. But Since Rogue Nation, Cruise (who also produces) has found a perfect collaborator in Christopher McQuarrie. He was the first to direct two M:Is in a row, with Fallout raking in the series’ best box office and critical marks. And McQuarrie is directing the next two films: Dead Reckoning – Part One releases this Friday, with Part Two out June 28, 2024