Mission: Impossible (film series)

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Mission: Impossible
File:Mission - Impossible film series logo.jpg
Official film series logo
Based onMission: Impossible
by Bruce Geller
Produced by
Starring
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
1996–present
Running time
931 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.12 billion
(7 films)
Box office$4.13 billion
(7 films)

Mission: Impossible is a series of American action spy films, based on the 1966 TV series created by Bruce Geller. The series is mainly produced by and stars Tom Cruise, who plays Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The films have been directed, written, and scored by various filmmakers and crew, while incorporating musical themes from the original series by Lalo Schifrin.

Starting in 1996, the films (taking place starting six years after the events of the previous TV sequel series) follow the missions of the IMF's main field team, under Hunt's leadership, to stop an enemy force and prevent an impending global disaster. The series focuses on Hunt's character, and like the television series' structure, is complemented by an ensemble cast, such as Luther Stickell (played by Ving Rhames) and Benji Dunn (played by Simon Pegg), who have recurring roles.

The series has experienced a generally positive reception from critics. It is the 17th-highest-grossing film series of all time, earning over $4.09 billion worldwide,[1] and is often cited as one of the best action franchises to date. The sixth film, titled Fallout, was released on July 27, 2018 and is currently the series' highest-grossing entry. The seventh and eighth films are feature-length two-parters, with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning released in July 2023 and an untitled eighth film scheduled for release in May 2025. The films are co-produced and released by Paramount Pictures.

In 2024, the series received its first Academy Award nominations, with Dead Reckoning being nominated in the categories of Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 96th ceremony. [2]

Films[edit | edit source]

Film U.S. release date Director Screenwriter(s) Story by Producers Status
Mission: Impossible May 22, 1996 (1996-05-22) Brian De Palma David Koepp
and Robert Towne 		David Koepp
and Steven Zaillian 		Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner Released
Mission: Impossible 2 May 24, 2000 (2000-05-24) John Woo Robert Towne Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore
Mission: Impossible III May 5, 2006 (2006-05-05) J. J. Abrams J. J. Abrams, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Mission: Impossible –
Ghost Protocol 		December 16, 2011 (2011-12-16) Brad Bird Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec Tom Cruise, J. J. Abrams and Bryan Burk
Mission: Impossible –
Rogue Nation 		July 31, 2015 (2015-07-31) Christopher McQuarrie Christopher McQuarrie Drew Pearce
and Christopher McQuarrie 		Tom Cruise, J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger
Mission: Impossible –
Fallout 		July 27, 2018 (2018-07-27) Christopher McQuarrie Tom Cruise, J. J. Abrams, Christopher McQuarrie and Jake Myers
Mission Impossible: Death Con December 21, 2024 Freddie Goodwin Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, and Freddie Goodwin Post-production[lower-alpha 1]
Untitled Mission Impossible: Death Con sequel September 19, 2025

Mission: Impossible (1996)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible (film)

Ethan Hunt is framed for the murder of his IMF team during a botched mission in Prague and accused of selling government secrets to an arms dealer known only as "Max". On the run, Ethan seeks to uncover the real traitor and clear his name.

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible 2

Ethan goes back in action and works with professional thief Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Thandiwe Newton). The duo go undercover to stop rogue IMF agent Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) (who is also Nyah's former lover) from stealing a deadly virus, starting a pandemic, and selling the antidote to the highest bidder.

Mission: Impossible III (2006)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible III

Ethan is engaged to Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan), who is unaware of his true job. He assembles a team to face the elusive arms and information broker Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who intends to sell a mysterious dangerous object known as "The Rabbit's Foot".

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Ethan and the entire IMF are framed for the bombing of the Kremlin while investigating an individual known only as "Cobalt" (Michael Nyqvist). Ethan and three other agents are left to stop Cobalt from starting a global nuclear war.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Ethan Hunt comes under threat from the Syndicate. Faced with the IMF's disbandment, Hunt assembles his team for their mission to prove the Syndicate's existence and bring the organization down by any means necessary.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible – Fallout

When an IMF mission to recover plutonium goes wrong, the world is faced with the threat of the Apostles, a terrorist group formed by former members of the Syndicate. As Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfill the original mission, the CIA begins to question his loyalty and his motives.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning

An AI known as "the Entity" is responsible for the sinking of the next-generation Russian submarine Sevastopol. The Entity has since gone rogue and entrenched itself into cyberspace; the secret to stopping or controlling it lies with the key, which Ethan Hunt and the IMF must track down, as various world powers and nefarious forces race to obtain the key in order to use the Entity for their own purpose.

Untitled eighth film (2025)[edit | edit source]

Main article: Untitled eighth Mission: Impossible film

In January 2019, an eighth Mission: Impossible film was announced to be in development, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie and filmed back-to-back with the seventh film.[3][4] It was scheduled to be released on August 5, 2022, but was delayed to November 4, 2022, then to July 7, 2023, then to June 28, 2024, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] It was later delayed to May 23, 2025 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Hayley Atwell joined the cast in September 2019,[7] followed by Pom Klementieff and Shea Whigham.[8][9] In January 2020, Nicholas Hoult and Simon Pegg were announced to be appearing in the film,[10][11] but Hoult was later replaced by Esai Morales in both films due to scheduling conflicts.[12]

In February 2020, it was announced that Henry Czerny and Vanessa Kirby would return as Eugene Kittridge and Alanna Mitsopolis, respectively.[13][14] In February 2021, Deadline Hollywood reported that Part Two would no longer be filmed back-to-back with Part One.[15] Filming of Part Two began shortly after production wrapped on Part One.[16] It was initially billed that both films would be a send-off for Ethan Hunt.[17] The subtitle, Dead Reckoning Part Two, was removed from the film in October 2023.[18]

Future[edit | edit source]

In June 2023, Christopher McQuarrie stated that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Part Two would not end the series, as there are developments for future installments.[19] In July 2023, during promotion for Part One, Cruise expressed interest in continuing to make further films in the series as Ethan Hunt, despite both films having previously been billed as a send-off to the character.[20] Inspired by Harrison Ford's continued success in the Indiana Jones films, Cruise stated that he would like to keep making Mission: Impossible films until he is likewise in his eighties.[21]

Reception[edit | edit source]

Box-office performance[edit | edit source]

Film U.S. release date Budget Box Office Gross References
Domestic International Worldwide
Mission: Impossible May 22, 1996 $80 million $180,981,856 $276,714,535 $457,696,391 [22]
Mission: Impossible 2 May 24, 2000 $125 million $215,409,889 $330,978,219 $546,388,108 [23]
Mission: Impossible III May 5, 2006 $150 million $134,029,801 $264,449,696 $398,479,497 [24]
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol December 16, 2011 $145 million $209,397,903 $485,315,477 $694,713,380 [25]
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation July 31, 2015 $150 million $195,042,377 $487,674,259 $682,716,636 [26]
Mission: Impossible – Fallout July 27, 2018 $178 million $220,159,104 $571,498,294 $791,657,398 [27]
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning July 12, 2023 $219 million (net) $172,135,383 $395,400,000 $567,535,383 [28]
Total $1.047 billion $1,327,156,313 $2,812,030,480 $4,139,186,793 [29]

Critical and public response[edit | edit source]

The Mission: Impossible film series has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with the latter four attracting significant praise directed towards their direction, cinematography, stunts, action sequences, performances, and musical scores.

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore[30]
Mission: Impossible 66% (65 reviews)[31] 59 (29 reviews)[32] B+
Mission: Impossible 2 56% (155 reviews)[33] 59 (40 reviews)[34] B
Mission: Impossible III 71% (224 reviews)[35] 66 (42 reviews)[36] A−
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol 93% (253 reviews)[37] 73 (47 reviews)[38] A−
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation 94% (328 reviews)[39] 75 (46 reviews)[40] A−
Mission: Impossible – Fallout 97% (442 reviews)[41] 86 (60 reviews)[42] A
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning 96% (427 reviews)[43] 81 (66 reviews)[44] A

Music[edit | edit source]

Template:Image frame The television version is in a rarely used [[Quintuple time|Template:Time signature time]] (an unusual time signature with five crotchets to a bar) and is difficult to dance to,[45] as was proven by a memorable segment of American Bandstand in which teenage dancers were caught off-guard by Dick Clark's playing of the Lalo Schifrin single release.

The opening theme music for the first seven films are stylized renditions of Schifrin's original iconic theme, preserving the Template:Time signature rhythm, by Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, Joe Kraemer and Lorne Balfe, respectively. Most of the versions included in the score also retained the Template:Time signature time signature.[45]

For Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr.'s version featured on the first film's motion picture soundtrack, the time signature was changed to standard pop [[4/4 time|Template:Time signature time]] to make it more dance-friendly, although the intro is still in Template:Time signature time.[45] The Limp Bizkit song "Take a Look Around" from the soundtrack to the second film was set to a similar Template:Time signature modification of the theme, with an interlude in Template:Time signature.Template:Citation needed

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Photography was placed on hold, as has been done on most film productions, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ "THE 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS - 2024". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ Grater, Tom (February 15, 2021). "'Mission: Impossible 7' & '8' No Longer Shooting Back-To-Back". Deadline. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  17. ↑ Brent Lang; Matt Donnelly (February 8, 2022). "'Mission: Impossible 7': How COVID-19 Blew up the Budget of Tom Cruise's Spy Sequel". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  20. ↑ Mitchell, Thomas (July 3, 2023). "'Oppenheimer then Barbie': Tom Cruise picks side in box office battle". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  21. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (June 5, 2023). "Tom Cruise Wants To Continue Making 'Mission: Impossible' Movies Into His 80s Like Harrison Ford With 'Indiana Jones'". Deadline. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Mission: Impossible (1996)". Box Office Mojo.
  23. ↑ "Mission: Impossible II (2000)". Box Office Mojo.
  24. ↑ "Mission: Impossible III (2006)". Box Office Mojo.
  25. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)". Box Office Mojo.
  26. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)". Box Office Mojo.
  27. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)". Box Office Mojo.
  28. ↑ "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)". Box Office Mojo.
  29. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  30. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1 at line 2547: attempt to call field 'is_valid_date' (a nil value).
  31. ↑ "Mission: Impossible (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  32. ↑ "Mission: Impossible Reviews". Metacritic.
  33. ↑ "Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  34. ↑ "Mission: Impossible II Reviews". Metacritic.
  35. ↑ "Mission: Impossible III (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  36. ↑ "Mission: Impossible III Reviews". Metacritic.
  37. ↑ "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  38. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Reviews". Metacritic.
  39. ↑ "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  40. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Reviews". Metacritic.
  41. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  42. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Fallout Reviews". Metacritic.
  43. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  44. ↑ "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Reviews". Metacritic.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 They Shot, He ScoredTemplate:Dead link by Dave Karger. Published June 7, 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2011.

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Wikivoyage

Template:Mission: Impossible Template:Tom Cruise Template:Skydance Media

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