Exclusive – Mission: Impossible Series In Development, Tom Cruise Producing
It seems like Maverick is starting to change his tune on a few key things when it comes to his relationship with his most frequent collaborating studio. Our trusted and proven sources tell us that a Mission: Impossible series is in development at Paramount+ with Tom Cruise signed on as producer. This is a significant change in Cruise’s attitude towards streaming properties if previous reports are to be believed.
We’ve exclusively learned a Mission: Impossible series is in development for Paramount+ with Tom Cruise attached as producer.
There’s no word on Cruise actually appearing in the Mission: Impossible series, but rather working solely as a producer. Considering next year’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two has been reported to be Cruise’s last time playing Ethan Hunt – as well as Cruise’s penchant for sticking to the big screen rather than the small – his involvement in front of the camera seems doubtful.
We also don’t know if this will act as a reboot of the property, a continuation with another actor assuming the role of Ethan Hunt, or option but with a new actor and character assuming the lead role.
As for why Cruise has changed his mind about a Mission: Impossible show, we can only speculate. It’s possible it’s something of a concession on Cruise’s part, considering the underperformance of the latest Mission: Impossible feature.
Regardless, a return to the small screen seems fitting, considering Mission: Impossible began its life as a TV series in 1966, a decade and a half before Tom Cruise made his feature film debut with 1981’s Endless Love. The CBS series’ first protagonist was Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill, but in Season 2 he was replaced by Peter Graves as James Phelps. Graves remained the series lead until it shuttered in 1973, and he was also the lead for the show’s two season ABC revival in the late eighties.
Tom Cruise Vs. Paramount
In spite of Mission: Impossible‘s origins, learning that Tom Cruise is friendly to the idea of a new TV series is a little surprising. According to a year-old report, Cruise’s negative feelings about streaming content isn’t limited to his refusal to release Top Gun: Maverick to streaming during the height of the pandemic.
Last March, The Hollywood Reporter released a story about Cruise and Paramount locking horns over a number of issues. The chief point of contention was a budget increase to include an extensive submarine sequence in this year’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One, but there had been other disagreements.
Paramount had supposedly approached Cruise for permission to develop two streaming TV series: one based on his 1990 racing movie Days of Thunder and another based on Mission: Impossible. According to THR, the Top Gun: Maverick star gave a thumbs down to both ideas.
THR’s source at the time was undisclosed, but Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins has at least confirmed part of it, in a July interview with Variety.
As for why Cruise has changed his mind about a Mission: Impossible show, we can only speculate. It’s possible it’s something of a concession on Cruise’s part, considering the underperformance of the latest Mission: Impossible feature.
Once we know more about the upcoming Mission: Impossible series, we’ll make sure you know.
