In light of the recent 'Mission: Impossible' release, let's ponder over the future trajectory of Hollywood's action movie genre.
Venturing into the Unknown: Mission Impossible Redefines Succession with Tom Cruise's Potential Departure
After nearly three decades plunging into danger, the iconic Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible series are on the brink of an end as Tom Cruise battles through his latest escapade, dubbed The Final Reckoning. But with Cruise's indomitable spirit, speculation about the franchise's future lingers like a lingering question mark.
Tom Cruise undeniably serves as the beating heart of the series, maintaining a steadfast commitment to the films until his final breath. The speculation surrounding his exit has been stirred up multiple times, particularly when Jeremy Renner joined the cast as William Brandt in Ghost Protocol, raising whispers of his potential ascension to the lead role. Yet, these rumors never materialized, and since Ghost onwards, Cruise has consistently worked with an additional star as a co-lead.
Aside from Renner, Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust, Hayley Atwell's Grace, and Henry Cavill's August Walker each emerged as potential frontrunners to take the reins of the series. Their incorporation as foils or mirrors for Ethan served not only to explore the characters' rivalries but also to gauge audience reactions towards potential successors to Cruise. Whether intentional or not, the stage seems set for a potential new protagonist to step in, should Cruise's age catch up to him. In true Mission: Impossible fashion, this new face might share the limelight with the veteran agent, allowing Cruise to dazzle on death-defying stunts while enabling a fresh lead to handle shootouts and hand-to-hand combat.
With Ethan assembling his latest team and forging ahead to investigate a deep-sea wreckage, while the remaining members go head-to-head against Russian special forces, it appears this modus operandi may well be the route the series takes if Cruise intends to lead the films until his body dictates otherwise.
On the contrary, Cruise now holds a deal to produce films for Warner Bros., boasting potential projects like a movie with renowned director Alejandro González Iñárritu and even an Edge of Tomorrow sequel. This could potentially provide Paramount with a breather to keep the Mission: Impossible franchise afloat without Cruise, giving audiences time to miss Ethan while becoming invested in a new or returning ensemble cast. A grand return for Cruise later, complete with a legacy sequel akin to Top Gun: Maverick, could be met with collective exhilaration.
Failing that, the vacuum left by the absence of a major action spy franchise may open the doors for newcomers to make their mark. The genre has been historically dominated by giants like Mission: Impossible, Jason Bourne, and James Bond, with several potential upcoming entries from the aforementioned franchises. With such a scarcity of action-packed offerings, any aspiring actor or director can seize the opportunity to leave their imprint and become the next big name in the realm of action films.
Some actors have already caught the action bug, with Dev Patel gearing up for the medieval action-thriller The Peasant following his directorial debut in Monkey Man. Simu Liu has his sights set on the live-action Sleeping Dogs movie, while Florence Pugh gladly dove headfirst into a breathtaking skyscraper stunt in Marvel’s Thunderbolts, showcasing a shared hunger among emerging talents to engage in genuine, hands-on work.
Cruise has been a tireless advocate for young performers to educate themselves on the craft by studying classic movies and leading separate boot camp sessions for his respective Final Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick co-stars. A focus on practical work has been a cornerstone of Mission: Impossible's appeal, and various actors seem to be following in Cruise's footsteps, with Pom Klementieff among them. Fans are eager to catch any action-oriented film that promises a tangible, heart-pounding experience, leaving the question of whether studios will seize the moment and enable the fresh blood to provide these exhilarating adrenaline rushes.
As we eagerly await the next wave of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, and Doctor Who installments, keep an eye out for potential newcomers vying for a piece of the action movie pie. With such a dearth of high-stakes spy thrillers on the horizon, these aspiring action stars could climb the ranks faster than a speeding bullet.
- The speculation about the Mission: Impossible franchise's future has been fueled by the potential departure of Tom Cruise, with outlets like Gizmodo and io9 discussing the possibilities.
- If Tom Cruise were to exit the series, upcoming actors like Dev Patel, Simu Liu, and Florence Pugh could seize the opportunity to make their mark in the realm of action films, similar to the way Mission: Impossible has been historically dominated by giants.
- In themovies-and-tv section of Entertainment Weekly, one might find discussions on the future of action-packed spy thrillers, with the potential absence of major franchises like Mission: Impossible opening the doors for newcomers to make their debut.
