Mission Impossible Movies: Lesser Known Facts About Tom Cruise Starrer Franchise

The Mission: Impossible film series originated from a hit 1960s TV show of the same name, which aired from 1966 to 1973.

Tom Cruise performed daring stunts in the Mission: Impossible films, including hanging off a plane and climbing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Original cast members of the TV show criticized the Mission: Impossible films for prioritising action over character-driven storytelling.

To keep Tom Cruise's involvement in Mission: Impossible III under wraps, filmmakers used decoy actors playing Ethan Hunt to deceive paparazzi. 

The Mission: Impossible franchise has earned over $3.5 billion worldwide, ranking as the 18th highest-grossing film franchise of all time as of 2023.

Tom Cruise handpicked Brian De Palma to direct the first Mission: Impossible film, drawn to De Palma's distinctive style and vision.

The first Mission: Impossible film surprisingly lacked gun action, with no firefights or shootouts, and Ethan Hunt didn't use a gun. 

Original TV series stars Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Greg Morris made cameo appearances in the first Mission: Impossible film. 

Tom Cruise has collaborated closely with producer J.J. Abrams on multiple Mission: Impossible films, with Abrams producing four installments. 

The Mission: Impossible franchise has featured a diverse range of directors, including Brian De Palma, John Woo.