Hollywood's Action Cinema Direction Post-'Mission: Impossible' - What's Next?
Fresh Take:
After three decades, Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible franchise seem to be treading their final steps with The Final Reckoning. The burning question lingering now is: "who's next?" This query has hovered over this action-packed series for years, manifesting in various forms.
Tom Cruise is undeniably the lifeblood of this franchise, and his unwavering dedication to this series has been evident throughout the years, even amidst rumors suggesting that Jeremy Renner might take over as the lead if Cruise decided to hang up his spy gear. However, such speculations never materialized, and Cruise has maintained his leading role ever since.
From Ghost Protocol onwards, Cruise has always had a co-lead standing beside him. Rebbecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, and Henry Cavill have all embraced their roles with aplomb, each making a case for themselves as potential inheritors of Cruise's mantle. Whether intentionally or not, it feels like the series is trying to acclimatize audiences to the prospect of a new lead.
As a result, we could potentially witness a future where a new protagonist handles shootouts and hand-to-hand combat while Ethan continues to pull off death-defying stunts, much like in The Final Reckoning. Alternatively, if Cruise chooses to step back, Paramount could potentially keep the franchise going without him for a movie or two. This would give audiences time to miss Ethan while becoming invested in a new or returning set of characters, setting the stage for a triumphant return of their beloved agent.
However, Cruise has recently inked a deal with Warner Bros. for developing and producing films, potentially including an Edge of Tomorrow sequel. If the studio allows it, Paramount could keep the Mission: Impossible series going without Cruise. This would provide a perfect opportunity to build anticipation for Ethan's return, mirroring the excitement surrounding Top Gun: Maverick.
In the absence of the Bond or Bourne franchises, indie action movies could find a golden opportunity to fill the action void. Recently, several actors seem to be embracing the action genre wholeheartedly. Following his directorial debut, Dev Patel is gearing up for an action-packed medieval thriller, The Peasant, while Simu Liu is eyeing a Sleeping Dogs movie to showcase his Shang-Chi skills. Florence Pugh even convinced Disney to let her jump off a skyscraper for a stunt in Thunderbolts, showcasing a new breed of action stars willing to get their hands dirty.
Cruise himself has championed the importance of practical action, even going so far as to conduct separate boot camps for his co-stars. This focus on practical action has consistently been one of the strengths of the Mission: Impossible series, and it appears that this ethos is being carried forward by actors like Pom Klementieff. Audiences, too, seem hungry for authentic action, which this genre typically delivers. Whether studios will seize this opportunity remains to be seen.
As we eagerly await future developments in the action genre, here's a quick rundown of upcoming Hollywood releases: Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who. So gear up and prepare yourself for the next wave of excitement in the world of entertainment!
Insights:
- Jeremy Renner: There were earlier rumors of Jeremy Renner, who played Will Brandt in Ghost Protocol, stepping into the lead role. However, he last appeared in the series in Ghost Protocol and hasn't been linked to any future projects yet.
- Glen Powell: Recently, there were speculations regarding Glen Powell, a co-star in Top Gun: Maverick, potentially becoming the next lead. However, Powell himself debunked these rumors in late 2024.
- Other Possibilities: While the Mission: Impossible series features a large ensemble cast, there's no indication that any of the existing actors, such as Simon Pegg or Henry Cavill, are being groomed for Ethan Hunt's role. For now, there seems to be no clear successor to Tom Cruise in the series.
- Despite the ending of The Final Reckoning, technology-focused entertainment news sites like io9, Gizmodo, and Movies-and-TV might continue discussing the future of the Mission: Impossible series and potential successors to Tom Cruise's role as Ethan Hunt.
- As more actors embrace the action genre, such as Dev Patel, Simu Liu, and Florence Pugh, entertainment outlets like io9, Gizmodo, and Movies-and-TV might analyze how these new action stars compare to Tom Cruise in terms of carrying action-packed films.
- As the Mission: Impossible series continues to evolve, whether with Cruise or a new cast, entertainment websites such as io9 and Movies-and-TV would watch for potential crossovers with other popular franchises, such as Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who, providing fans with a combination of excitement and anticipation.
