Tom Cruise’s long-standing action franchise Mission: Impossible went through a lot of changes that improved the course of its narrative. The second installment, which was released in 2000, is universally known to be the weakest entry in the series. Despite so, its box office gross was enough to guarantee a sequel.
Because of this result, Cruise could not go back to the same formula, and he needed to make certain decisions. Director John Woo no longer returned for the third entry, and so the actor worked with David Fincher. Things did not fall into place, and he had to get a new filmmaker on board in the form of Joe Carnahan. They worked on the potential film for over a year, but creative differences got in the way.
J.J. Abrams’ Alias Revived Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible Franchise
The Mission: Impossible 3 project eventually landed on J.J. Abrams’ lap, who at the time was a debut filmmaker. He wrote the drama thriller series Alias starring Jennifer Garner, which Tom Cruise admitted he had never seen. The director gave him a copy of the first two seasons on DVD despite knowing the actor would never have time to watch them.
He was wrong – Cruise loved the show, and the actor asked Abrams to spearhead Mission: Impossible 3. Even though it was just his first stint at helming movies, the filmmaker did not let the opportunity slip from his fingers. He told MTV:
“The thing about Mission: Impossible is that it is an incredible challenge, it’s an incredible opportunity, and I just couldn’t feel luckier that I’m gonna get to do that movie, ‘cause I think the series is really fun. I’m a huge fan of the TV show.”
Still, people warned Abrams about taking the job. Working with Tom Cruise, who both starred in and produced the film, would have put so much pressure on the director. He revealed in a behind-the-scenes video via YouTube:
“Mission: Impossible 3 was the first movie that I directed, and it was because Tom gave me the shot and I didn’t know what I was getting into, and people warned me, ‘Oh, the movie star is the producer, that could be a real problem.’”
But Abrams defended his choice and claimed he had nothing to fret about because Cruise made him feel they were helping each other. Abrams further added:
“Tom was as aware of the process of making the movie, of what it needed, as anyone I could’ve imagined. Every day, I felt that he and I were in the trenches together in this incredible way where we were both sort of pulling each other up this mountain, and he wasn’t a movie star looking to do a vanity project. He was an incredibly focused, dedicated producer who also happened to be starring in the movie.”
In the end, the movie did its magic and revived the franchise. As a result, Abrams’ career soared high, and he started getting bigger projects.
Mission: Impossible 3 Realigned The Film Series
Mission: Impossible 3 took a drastic and dramatic course for Ethan Hunt compared to what viewers witnessed in John Woo’s installment. J.J. Abrams managed to keep the action rooted in the main character, the same way he designed Jennifer Garner’s Sydney Bristow in Alias. This time, fans saw Hunt’s vulnerable side.
The movie gave a more human approach, usually emphasizing the quieter side of life. Somehow this creative redirection gave the films a new avenue of storytelling. Fans would definitely say that Abram’s version saved the franchise.
Now, years later, the Mission: Impossible flicks continue to astonish fans with unique narratives and death-defying stunts, along with the element of nostalgia that makes the viewers keep coming back for more.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two will hit theaters on June 28, 2024.
