The Mission: Impossible franchise is a global juggernaut. Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt has thrilled audiences for nearly 30 years. But its 1996 debut faced a hurdle. The entire cast of the original 1966 TV series turned down the film’s initial pitch. They hated the idea of their iconic characters meeting grim fates. This clash between old and new shaped the movie’s path. Here’s why the cast walked away and how it changed the franchise.
The 1966 Mission: Impossible TV series ran for seven seasons. Created by Bruce Geller it followed the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). Led by Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) the team tackled covert missions with brainy espionage. Stars like Martin Landau (Rollin Hand) Greg Morris (Barney Collier) Barbara Bain (Cinnamon Carter) and Peter Lupus (Willy Armitage) became household names. The show won eight Emmys and three Golden Globes. Its intricate plots and iconic theme by Lalo Schifrin left a mark. Fans loved the team’s clever disguises and teamwork.
Fast forward to the 1990s. Paramount Pictures wanted a film reboot. Tom Cruise a fan since childhood saw it as the perfect launch for his production company Cruise/Wagner Productions. He teamed with producer Paula Wagner and director Brian De Palma. Their vision was bold. The script’s first act would see Phelps’ IMF team wiped out. Ethan Hunt a new agent would rise from the ashes. The twist aimed to shock audiences. It set up Hunt as a lone hero framed for his team’s murders.
The original cast was approached to reprise their roles. The pitch? Return as Phelps Hand Collier and others only to be killed off early. Martin Landau was blunt. In a 2009 MTV interview (via SlashFilm) he called it “crazy.” He said the film was an action-adventure not the mind game of the TV show. “The ideal mission was getting in and out without anyone knowing we were there” he told MTV. Killing the team felt like “suicide” for their characters. He passed.
Peter Graves was equally upset. Jim Phelps was the heart of the series. The script turned him into a traitor who faked his death and betrayed the IMF. Graves refused to tarnish his character’s legacy. In a CNN interview after the film’s release he slammed the script. He wasn’t alone. Greg Morris who played tech wizard Barney Collier walked out of a screening. He called the film an “abomination” in a 1996 interview. Barbara Bain and Peter Lupus also declined. The cast felt the film betrayed the show’s spirit.
De Palma and Cruise pivoted. Jon Voight was cast as a reimagined Jim Phelps. New characters played by Emilio Estevez Kristin Scott Thomas and Emmanuelle Béart filled the doomed team. The shock of their deaths—especially Estevez’s elevator crush—kept the twist’s impact. Landau later noted the team’s names were changed preserving the original characters’ legacies. This softened the blow but didn’t erase the cast’s distaste. The film leaned into action over espionage. The CIA vault heist and train chase became iconic.
Critics had mixed feelings. Roger Ebert gave it three stars praising De Palma’s style but not the plot. The New York Times called it convoluted. Still it grossed $457 million on an $80 million budget. Fans were divided. Some loved Cruise’s charisma and the suspense. Others echoed the cast’s gripes. X posts today show lingering debate. One user called it “a betrayal of the team dynamic.” Another defended it as “a fresh start.” The film launched a franchise but alienated its roots.
The rejection shaped the series. Later films like Ghost Protocol and Fallout leaned into team dynamics. Ving Rhames’ Luther Stickell and Simon Pegg’s Benji Dunn became fan favorites. The franchise avoided TV series characters after the Phelps backlash. Pom Klementieff’s Paris in Dead Reckoning nods to Leonard Nimoy’s TV character but stays distinct. The 2025 film The Final Reckoning may close Ethan Hunt’s story. The original cast’s stand ensured their characters lived on untarnished.
Source: Collider