Original Cast of 'Mission: Impossible' Displeased with Tom Cruise Franchise

The "Mission: Impossible" franchise, now a cinematic juggernaut, has its roots in a successful 1960s television series that many may overlook. However, the original cast members were far from pleased with the film adaptations that followed.

The CBS series debuted in 1966, known in some regions as "Kobra, übernehmen Sie." Initially led by Dan Briggs, portrayed by Steven Hill, and later by Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, the show followed the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) as they embarked on daring missions across its seven-season run, which concluded in 1973.

After a 15-year hiatus, an attempt to revive the series featured only Peter Graves from the original cast. The revival, titled "In geheimer Mission" in Germany, failed to capture the audience's attention as its predecessor had, leading to its cancellation in 1990 after two seasons and 35 episodes.

The franchise, however, saw a resurgence in 1996 when acclaimed director Brian De Palma introduced a new cinematic interpretation featuring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. This reboot shifted the focus away from the original series, showcasing Hunt's thrilling escapades filled with breathtaking stunts.

Despite the significant changes, there were still connections to the original series; notably, Ethan Hunt's superior in the first film was none other than Jim Phelps, portrayed by Jon Voight. Spoilers for the first "Mission: Impossible" film follow!

A Hero Turned Villain

In a shocking twist, Phelps, who was a hero in the original series, is revealed as a villain in De Palma's film, betraying his team and causing the deaths of several agents. Before Voight took on this role, Graves was approached to reprise his iconic character but was dissatisfied with the direction the film took, particularly with Phelps's transformation and demise. In a statement to CNN shortly after the film's release, he expressed his regret, saying, "I wish they had chosen to name him something else. They could have easily resolved the issue by including a scene where I say, 'Hey folks, I'm retired, I'm going to Hawaii. Thank you, goodbye, feel free to take my place.'"

Other Original Actors Share Their Discontent

Graves was not alone in his criticism. Greg Morris, who played the electronics expert Barney Collier in the original series, reportedly stormed out of the theater in anger without finishing the film. Martin Landau, who portrayed the master of disguise Rollin Hand for three seasons, also voiced his discontent. He revealed that an early idea for the film involved the original team dying in the first scene, a concept he vehemently opposed. "It was basically an action-adventure film and not 'Mission: Impossible,'" Landau stated. "The essence of 'Mission: Impossible' was a kind of mind game. The ideal mission was to go in and out without anyone knowing we were there. […] Why would we willingly send our characters to their deaths? I said no—and the script wasn't particularly good either!"

Despite the original cast's reservations, the film was a commercial success, grossing $457.7 million worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing film of 1996, trailing only "Twister" and "Independence Day."

Interestingly, one of the most expensive scenes in film history, which involved significant effort from Cruise and his team, is not part of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. For those curious about which film it is, further details can be found in an additional article.

DThis article is a revised re-publication of a piece previously featured on FILMSTARTS and has also appeared on our Spanish sister site, Espinof.com.