Paramount Nearly Replaced Tom Cruise With Marvel Star in Mission: Impossible
Paramount once considered a future for Mission: Impossible without Tom Cruise at the helm. Discover which Marvel actor was lined up as his successor, and how Cruise managed to keep his iconic role.
For decades, Tom Cruise has been the face of Mission: Impossible, but there was a time when the studio behind the franchise was seriously contemplating a change at the top. Simon Pegg recently revealed that Paramount executives were actively considering a new direction, with Jeremy Renner—then a rising star thanks to his Marvel credentials—earmarked as the potential new lead.
Renner, fresh from acclaim for The Hurt Locker, was being positioned as Hollywood’s next big thing. Yet, what prompted the studio to consider such a dramatic shift, and how did Cruise manage to remain at the centre of the action? The story is rather more complicated than it first appears.
Studio Doubts and Cruise’s Public Image
Paramount’s uncertainty about continuing with Cruise in the late 2000s was not without reason. While he remained a major box office draw, his public persona had taken a few knocks. The now-infamous Oprah Winfrey interview, where he leapt onto the sofa professing his love, became tabloid fodder and left many viewers bemused.
“They’re making it seem like I’m losing my mind,”
Cruise later remarked about the incident. His outspoken comments on psychiatry during a Today Show appearance also unsettled studio bosses.
Early drafts of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol reflected these concerns. The script originally saw Ethan Hunt sidelined by a leg injury, moving him into a desk job at the IMF. This would have allowed Renner’s character, William Brandt, to step up as the new action lead, with Cruise’s role reduced to a supporting presence. The intention was to gradually shift the spotlight away from the established star.
How Cruise Retained His Place in the Franchise
From a business perspective, passing the baton to a younger actor made sense. However, Cruise was never one to follow convention. According to Pegg, he took matters into his own hands, flying from Vancouver to Los Angeles to confront Paramount’s chairman, Brad Grey, at a party. There, he firmly put an end to the replacement plan.
With the help of trusted writer Christopher McQuarrie, the script for Ghost Protocol was reworked, ensuring Ethan Hunt remained the driving force of the story. The result was a box office triumph, and Cruise continued to lead the franchise through several more instalments.
The Mission: Impossible Legacy
The Mission: Impossible series has seen a variety of directors and critical receptions over the years. From Brian De Palma’s original in 1996 to Christopher McQuarrie’s recent entries, the films have consistently performed well at the box office. Each release has brought its own flavour, but Cruise’s presence has remained the one constant.
All of the Mission: Impossible films are currently available to stream on Paramount+ in the United States.