Which Filmmaker Was Initially Set To Direct Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is geared up for the release of his upcoming film Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. He reprises his role as the daredevil agent Ethan Hunt, and the film is all set to hit the big screens on May 17, 2025, in India and a week later in the US. Before that happens, let us take you to the first Mission: Impossible film, which came out in 1996. An interesting fact about the movie is that the Tom Cruise starrer was initially supposed to be directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker, and it was not Brian De Palma.
The Oscar-Winner Who Almost Directed Mission: Impossible
The Academy Award-winning filmmaker who was first approached to direct the 1996 film Mission: Impossible was none other than Sydney Pollack. According to an earlier report by Variety, Sydney Pollack was in final negotiations with Paramount Pictures to make two films, one of which was Mission: Impossible. But since every film has its own destiny, Sydney Pollack reportedly (via Deadline) opted out of Mission: Impossible as he decided to direct a remake of the romantic drama Sabrina featuring Harrison Ford.
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And as luck would have it, the spy actioner finally went to Brian De Palma, who was recommended to Tom Cruise by Steven Spielberg. MI became one of the highest-grossing films of 1996. On the other hand, Sydney Pollack’s Sabrina couldn’t do well at the box office despite being a well-intentioned film.
What If Brian De Palma Didn’t Direct Mission: Impossible?
Think about it – what if Brian De Palma didn’t direct the first MI movie? Imagine if it were directed by Sydney Pollack instead. The whole franchise could have gone in a different direction – maybe better or worse, but definitely not the same. The latest MI installment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, earned 87% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. In comparison, the first Mission: Impossible film holds a 65% RT score. So, our expectations are pretty high for MI 8.
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Did Sydney Pollack & Tom Cruise Collaborate Beyond MI Universe?
Previously, Sydney Pollack collaborated with Tom Cruise for the 1993 legal thriller The Firm, which he directed. He also acted in Stanley Kubrick’s mystery drama Eyes Wide Shut, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Stanley Kubrick with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Sydney Pollack on the set of 'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999) pic.twitter.com/iCBhjzhcCR
Coming back to Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth MI instalment has been directed by franchise veteran Christopher McQuarrie, who also helmed the last three Mission: Impossible films. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt. In the previous movie, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, he teamed up with other IMF agents to prevent a deadly new AI program from falling into the wrong hands.
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Although the plot is being kept under wraps, in MI 8, the story will most likely move forward with Ethan Hunt and his team desperately trying to prevent a man from acquiring a powerful AI program, which could lead to far-reaching consequences on a global scale. Besides Tom Cruise in the lead, the film also features Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett in important roles.
You can watch the official trailer of the 1996 Mission: Impossible movie here.
