Since its explosive debut in 1996, the Mission: Impossible franchise has redefined the modern action movie, blending espionage, globe-trotting plots, and jaw-dropping stunts. Anchored by Tom Cruise’s relentless commitment to authenticity and danger, the series has evolved over nearly three decades to become a global box office powerhouse and a cultural icon. From scaling skyscrapers to flying helicopters through canyons, each film raises the bar, not just for itself, but for the entire genre.
Tom Cruise’s Dedication to Stunts
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Tom Cruise is renowned for performing his own stunts in the Mission: Impossible films. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, he famously hung from the side of an airborne aircraft, a feat that required meticulous planning and execution. Cruise’s commitment to realism has become a hallmark of the franchise.
Other Director for the first movie
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Before Brian De Palma signed on to direct the first Mission: Impossible film in 1996, Tom Cruise initially approached Sydney Pollack to helm the project. Cruise and Pollack had previously worked together on The Firm (1993), which made Pollack a natural first choice. However, scheduling conflicts and creative differences led Pollack to pass on the opportunity.
Highest-grossing film in the franchise
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Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) stands as the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning an impressive $791.1 million at the global box office. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the sixth installment combined high-stakes action, emotional depth, and intricate storytelling, resonating with both fans and critics. Its commercial success reaffirmed the franchise’s global appeal and set a new benchmark for future entries.
Diverse Directorial Leadership
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The franchise has been helmed by a variety of acclaimed directors, including Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, and Christopher McQuarrie. Each director has brought their unique style to the series, contributing to its evolution and sustained popularity.
The Iconic Train Sequence in the First Film Took Six Weeks to Shoot
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The climactic bullet train sequence in the original Mission: Impossible (1996) remains one of the franchise’s most memorable set pieces. It took six weeks to film and is composed of 152 individual shots. Tom Cruise and Jon Voight filmed most of the action on a soundstage in London, performing atop a custom-built replica of the train’s roof. The high-speed illusion was created using wind machines and green screen effects, pushing the limits of 1990s filmmaking and setting a new standard for practical action scenes.
Global Filming Locations
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The Mission: Impossible films are known for their diverse and exotic filming locations. From the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to the streets of Paris, the series showcases a wide array of international settings, adding authenticity and grandeur to its narratives.
Critical acclaim
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The Mission: Impossible franchise has received numerous accolades over the years. Mission: Impossible – Fallout was particularly well-received, earning nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 96th Academy Awards.
‘The Final Reckoning’ Is Likely the Franchise’s End
Tom Cruise attends the “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning” photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 14, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
At the Cannes Film Festival, Tom Cruise hinted that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning might be the concluding film of the long-running franchise. When a journalist suggested it could be the final installment, Cruise replied, “It’s the final,” emphasizing its title by adding, “It’s not called final for nothing.”
‘Fallout’ Bathroom Fight Took Four Weeks to Shoot
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The exhilarating bathroom brawl scene in Mission: Impossible – Fallout was initially scheduled to be shot over four days. However, it turned out to be much more complicated than the filmmakers anticipated, and it ended up taking four weeks to shoot.
Tom Cruise Used Coins in His Shoes to Perfect the Vault Scene
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In one of the most iconic scenes from the original Mission: Impossible (1996), Ethan Hunt is lowered into a high-security vault, hovering just inches above the floor without triggering pressure-sensitive sensors. Tom Cruise struggled to maintain perfect balance during the stunt and repeatedly bumped his head on the floor. To solve the issue, he came up with a clever fix—placing coins in his shoes to counterbalance his weight.
Cruise Climbed the Burj Khalifa with a Special Harness and Minimal CGI
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In Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), Tom Cruise stunned audiences by climbing the exterior of the Burj Khalifa—at over 2,700 feet, the tallest building in the world. Rather than relying heavily on CGI, Cruise performed the stunt himself using a specially designed harness system anchored into the building.
Tom Cruise Performed the Aquarium Restaurant Stunt Himself
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One of the most memorable moments in the original Mission: Impossible (1996) unfolds in a Prague aquarium restaurant, where a tense confrontation ends with glass shattering and water flooding the scene. Director Brian De Palma was dissatisfied with a take performed by a stunt double and asked Tom Cruise to do the stunt himself. Cruise agreed, diving through the restaurant window as 16 tons of water exploded behind him. The high-risk sequence became an early showcase of the franchise’s dedication to authentic, practical action, and to Cruise’s legendary fearlessness.
Music
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The iconic “Theme from Mission: Impossible,” composed by Lalo Schifrin, has been a consistent element throughout the franchise. Its distinctive melody has become synonymous with the series, enhancing the suspense and excitement of the films.
Mask Reveal
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The lifelike mask reveal is one of the Mission: Impossible franchise’s most iconic and enduring elements. First featured in the original 1996 film, these masks allow characters to impersonate others with uncanny accuracy. Each installment has cleverly upped the ante with these reveals, making them a suspenseful staple that fans eagerly anticipate.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025) Budget: $400 Million
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The eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, boasts a substantial budget of $400 million. This significant investment reflects the film’s ambitious scale, extensive international filming locations, and high-octane action sequences.
Tom Cruise’s Underwater Stunt
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After intense training for the underwater scene in “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” Tom Cruise held his breath for an impressive six minutes, setting a record. However, the record was later broken by Kate Winslet, who stayed underwater for 7 minutes and 14 seconds during “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Tom Cruise Has Produced Every Film in the Franchise
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From the very beginning in 1996, Tom Cruise has served not just as Ethan Hunt but also as a hands-on producer. He partnered with Paula Wagner to create Cruise/Wagner Productions, taking creative control of the franchise’s direction. His dual role has been essential in shaping the tone, scale, and ambition of each film.
Tom Cruise Insisted on Doing the Cliff Climb Himself in Mission: Impossible 2
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One of the most unforgettable visuals in Mission: Impossible 2 is Ethan Hunt free-solo climbing Dead Horse Point in Utah during the film’s opening. Tom Cruise performed this stunt himself with no safety net—just a harness that was digitally removed in post-production.
Cruise Trained with Military Experts for ‘Fallout’ Helicopter Stunts
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In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Cruise not only flew the helicopter himself, but also underwent extensive flight training to do so safely. Tom Cruise actually learned to fly a helicopter and obtained his pilot’s license.
Subtitles instead of numbers
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Tom Cruise was thrilled when “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” used a subtitle instead of a number, as he has never been a fan of numbering sequels. He prefers to see each film as a standalone feature in the “Mission: Impossible franchise.”
