'Mission: Impossible 5': How the franchise has found under-the-radar talent
The fifth film in the 'Mission: Impossible' will be helmed by another new director. In choosing directors, the franchise has previously brought on new talent that later turned into some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
The 'Mission: Impossible' films star Tom Cruise.
Paramount Pictures/AP
The newest 鈥淢ission: Impossible鈥� movie, 鈥淢ission: Impossible 鈥� Rogue Nation,鈥� is set to be released this July.
The new film finds actor Tom Cruise reprising his role as Ethan Hunt, a spy for the fictional Impossible Missions Force agency. Cast members from the fourth film, 2011's 鈥淢ission: Impossible 鈥� Ghost Protocol,鈥� that will return for the fifth film include actors Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner. The film will also star Alec Baldwin and Rebecca Ferguson.
The movie series is based on the 1960s espionage TV show. The first film the series' modern incarnation was released in 1996.
The franchise has sustained itself incredibly well creatively over the years, with selecting "Ghost Protocol,鈥� as one of the best films of the year in 2011. (鈥淕host鈥� was also the movie of the year.)
How has the franchise kept itself fresh? One strategy has been to bring on talented up-and-comers to helm the films. The first film was helmed by Brian De Palma, a veteran who had already directed such movies as 鈥淐arlito鈥檚 Way鈥� and 鈥淪carface鈥� before he took on 鈥淢ission Impossible,鈥� and the second was directed by John Woo, already an established force in action films. But for the third movie, executives brought on J.J. Abrams, who is now pop culture royalty (he鈥檚 been trusted with the new 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� movie, after all), but before directing 鈥淢ission: Impossible III鈥� had only directed episodes of the WB drama 鈥淔elicity鈥� and ABC鈥檚 hit shows 鈥淟ost鈥� and 鈥淎lias.鈥澛�
And for "Ghost Protocol,鈥� producers brought on Brad Bird, who was chiefly known for animated movies 鈥淭he Incredibles鈥� and 鈥淩atatouille.鈥� Many critics praised Bird鈥檚 direction, with Monitor film critic Peter Rainer writing that Bird 鈥渕akes the transition smoothly 鈥� [the movie is] a very good thrill ride,鈥� and critic Kenneth Turan writing that 鈥淏ird has done a stylish and involving job here, turning in an entertaining production that's got considerable visual flair.鈥澛�
The director for this summer鈥檚 movie? Christopher McQuarrie, who directed the 2012 critically panned movie 鈥淛ack Reacher鈥� (also with Cruise). McQuarrie is also a screenwriter and worked on the scripts for such misfires as 鈥淭he Tourist鈥� and 鈥淛ack the Giant Slayer鈥� as well as the better received 鈥淓dge of Tomorrow鈥� and the critically acclaimed film 鈥淭he Usual Suspects.鈥澛�
We鈥檒l see how McQuarrie does when the movie comes out next month, but the 鈥淢ission Impossible鈥� franchise certainly has a good track record for spotting talent.