Why Mission: Impossible’s Original Stars Turned on Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise has always been clear about his approach to filmmaking: he’s in it for the masses. He’s not one to fret over studio meddling or anxious producers, and he certainly doesn’t lose sleep over the opinions of those who inspired his projects. While not every venture has gone to plan—The Mummy springs to mind—his philosophy remains unchanged. Cruise is known for being open to collaboration, and plenty of colleagues have described him as approachable and receptive to fresh ideas. Still, when it came to launching the Mission: Impossible franchise, he managed to ruffle more than a few feathers among the original television cast.

For some of those who brought the IMF to life on the small screen, the cinematic reboot was nothing short of a slap in the face. The films, which have now grossed nearly $5 billion worldwide, bear little resemblance to the seven-season series beyond the name and Lalo Schifrin’s unmistakable theme. The original stars didn’t just grumble in private—they made their discontent public, even as the films soared at the box office.

Discontent Among the Original Cast

Peter Graves, who played Jim Phelps in the TV series, was particularly incensed by the direction taken in Brian De Palma’s first instalment. The revelation that Jon Voight’s Phelps was, in fact, a traitor, left Graves fuming.

“I am sorry that they chose to call him Phelps,”

he complained.

“They could have solved that very easily by either having me in a scene in the very beginning, or reading a telegram from me saying, ‘Hey boys, I’m retired, gone to Hawaii. Thank you, goodbye, you take over now.’”

Martin Landau, who portrayed Rollin Hand, was equally unimpressed by the film’s decision to dispatch most of the original team in the opening act.

“I was against that,”

he told MTV.

“Why volunteer to essentially have our characters commit suicide? I passed on it. I said, ‘It’s crazy to do this’. The script wasn’t that good either!”

Refusing to Look Back

Barbara Bain, known for her role as Cinnamon Carter, didn’t mince words about her lack of interest in the new direction. She flatly refused to watch any of the films, insisting they had

“nothing to do with the show,”

and dismissed Cruise’s high-octane exploits as

“a one-man thing, not a team,”

adding that a cameo was

“wasn’t of interest to me one way or the other.”

Despite the original cast’s vocal objections, their views did little to slow the juggernaut. With directors like Brad Bird and Christopher McQuarrie at the helm, later entries such as Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, and Fallout have been hailed as some of the most entertaining action blockbusters of recent years. The franchise’s formula may have shifted, but audiences have shown little sign of missing the old team dynamic.

Blockbuster Success, Divided Legacy

In the end, the Mission: Impossible films and the original series share little more than a name and a penchant for the improbable. The television cast’s disapproval, while understandable, has been largely drowned out by the roar of box office receipts and the applause of new fans. For Cruise, the criticism was just another obstacle to vault over—preferably while dangling from a helicopter.