Unmade Mission: Impossible Movies You Never Knew Were Almost Made

Many fans who are deeply invested in the “Mission: Impossible” spy series may be unaware of the numerous unmade films within this popular movie franchise. While Christopher McQuarrie has helmed every “Mission: Impossible” film since the fifth installment, the series was initially intended as a platform for multiple directors. Consequently, various directors have been linked to different movies in the series, resulting in many potential sequels that never made it to the big screen. Here are some of the most significant “Mission: Impossible” films that were never produced.

The much-anticipated “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” is nearly upon us, carrying forward the grand narrative from “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” in 2023. While not officially confirmed, it’s widely expected that this film will mark Tom Cruise’s last appearance as Ethan Hunt – a point emphasized heavily in the promotional materials. While the franchise could potentially persist without him, Tom Cruise’s fame and daring stunts have been instrumental in shaping the series since he joined. It’s intriguing to note that Tom Cruise nearly played roles in several unreleased “Mission: Impossible” movies.

5. Oliver Stone’s Mission: Impossible II

Ethan Hunt Fights A Villainous Supercomputer

The initial “Mission: Impossible” movie was a massive hit and an excellent kickoff for the film series, indicating that a follow-up was inevitable. Yet, the sequel would introduce a significant shift, primarily in its leadership role. Brian De Palma helmed the first “Mission: Impossible” film, but he opted not to continue with the sequel. Consequently, the creative minds behind the franchise believed that “Mission: Impossible” could serve as a platform for emerging directors, allowing each movie to highlight the distinct talents of a new filmmaker.

In summary, director Oliver Stone, famously known for films like “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July”, was tapped for the second movie. David Marconi penned the script for Stone’s rendition, which centered around Ethan Hunt and the IMF battling a malicious supercomputer. The movie would have commenced with Ethan traveling to Vietnam, where he would spend most of the film combating human adversaries allied with the supercomputer. However, an interesting twist unfolded as the computer gradually manipulated Ethan, causing hallucinations and even impersonating IMF agents (as reported by No Film School).

Impossible II” by Oliver Stone shares some similarities with the story from “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” but it wasn’t the type of direction the “Mission: Impossible” franchise was aiming for at that time. The movie became too philosophical, featuring a scene where Ethan Hunt ventures into a simulated Garden of Eden. This departure from the action-packed first film didn’t sit well with the creators, so they decided to change course. As a result, Oliver Stone left the project and was replaced by John Woo, who directed the final “Mission: Impossible 2.”

4. Ben Trebilcook’s Mission: Impossible III

It Was Too Close To 9/11

A blog post on the Essex Film Collective reveals that Ben Trebilcook wrote a script for another unproduced Mission: Impossible film during the late 1990s. In his account, Trebilcook shares how he caught the eye of Cruise/Wagner Productions, who inquired about potential projects suitable for Tom Cruise. As a result, Trebilcook adapted one of his old action scripts into what could have been the third installment of Mission: Impossible.

Subsequently, the 9/11 tragedy occurred. Trebilcook mentions that a particular scene in his movie was similar to this actual event. Due to this resemblance and Hollywood’s dislike for action-packed movies during that period, his script was put on hold. Consequently, Mission: Impossible III had to seek its narrative elsewhere.

3. David Fincher’s Mission: Impossible III

A Gritty Take On Mission: Impossible

To maintain the action-packed and stylish trend set by the first two “Mission: Impossible” films, directors Brian De Palma and John Woo initiated, the third installment opted to continue this formula. In doing so, they recruited another renowned filmmaker, David Fincher, who is famously known for directing movies such as “Se7en” and “Fight Club”. Fincher joined the project in 2002, with the release of his “Mission: Impossible III” set for 2004.

There’s more information available about Oliver Stone’s unrealized Mission: Impossible movie compared to David Fincher’s. However, what we do know is that Fincher’s script leaned towards a darker and more realistic approach, which aligns with his usual style in filmmaking. Unlike Mission: Impossible III, the project Fincher was working on seemed to focus on the illegal organ trade in Africa, a stark contrast from the action-packed style of its predecessors. The studio appeared to be less enthusiastic about this drastically different interpretation of the Mission: Impossible series.

Tom Cruise has discussed David Fincher’s abandoned Mission: Impossible film, providing further explanation as to why it didn’t materialize. As stated by Cruise, the movie was declined because they recognized it wouldn’t meet audience standards, given the unique style audiences had come to anticipate from Mission: Impossible. Fincher likely wouldn’t have provided that signature style, leading to J.J. Abrams being recruited as director for Mission: Impossible III instead, delivering on the more spectacle-oriented version of the franchise that audiences were accustomed to.

2. Joe Carnahan’s Mission: Impossible III

A Mission: Impossible Set In Africa

David Fincher wasn’t the sole director associated with Mission: Impossible III whose vision for the project ultimately didn’t come to fruition. Following the success of Narc, Tom Cruise tapped Joe Carnahan to direct the third Mission: Impossible film, hoping he could deliver what the franchise required. Alongside Dan Gilroy, who wrote Nightcrawler, Carnahan proposed a version of the movie that was less gritty than Fincher’s but less comedic than Mission: Impossible II. Carnahan referred to his film as having a “punk rock” feel.

Similar to Fincher’s version, Carnahan’s “Mission: Impossible III” primarily took place in Africa and delved into the topic of its militarization. The antagonist was influenced by Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bomber, but specific story details are scarce beyond this revelation. Carnahan has clarified that the movie he wrote was more intimate in scope compared to previous “Mission: Impossible” films, aligning more with his past projects.

Nevertheless, Paramount had a different vision as well – they aimed for a larger box-office success. Consequently, they enlisted Robert Towne to rework the screenplay. The revised script indeed boosted the film’s commercial performance, but it wasn’t what Carnahan desired. Carnahan has openly stated that the altered script bore too much resemblance to Mission: Impossible II, leading him to depart from the project (as reported by Collider)).

1. Edgar Wright’s Mission: Impossible IV

The Most Mysterious Unmade Mission: Impossible

Among the unreleased Mission: Impossible films, Edgar Wright’s version of Mission: Impossible 4 is shrouded in the greatest enigma. After Mission: Impossible III, J.J. Abrams opted not to return, causing the franchise to embark on another director search. In the year 2010, Edgar Wright was selected for the role, becoming part of the project. Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum penned the script for this movie, with production set to commence.

It isn’t clear why he decided to do so, but eventually Edgar Wright parted ways with the project. Later, Brad Bird stepped in as the director, while Nemec and Appelbaum continued their roles as screenwriters. It remains unclear how similar Wright’s version would have been to the final cut of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Nevertheless, it would be intriguing to see how Edgar Wright, known for his work on films like Shaun of the Dead, would approach a Mission: Impossible film.

2025-05-08 00:05