Jeremy Renner begins his career comeback this weekend with the premiere of “Mayor Of Kingstown” Season 3 on Paramount+. But what else does the future hold for an actor on the upswing after his near-fatal snowplow accident? Maybe a return to some old franchises, like “Mission: Impossible“?

READ MORE: ‘Mayor Of Kingstown’ Trailer: Jeremy Renner Returns For A Third Season Of His Prison/Crime Series On June 2

Variety reports (via Collider) that in a new interview, Renner confirmed he won’t rule out a return for his “M:I” character William Brandt.  

Continue reading Jeremy Renner Explains His ‘Mission: Impossible’ Departure, Is “Game” To Return As William Brandt In New Installment at The Playlist.

Exclusive: Prime Video’s excellent Western sci-fi series the “Outer Range” returns this May for a second season on Prime Video, and it’s as gripping and enigmatic as ever. Josh Brolin, the series’ star, recently stopped by our Bingeworthy TV podcast to discuss the new season, but given all the many secrets and spoilers of that show, we’ll save that conversation a little closer to its release (May 16 on Prime).

Continue reading ‘Sicario 3:’ Josh Brolin Says Christopher McQuarrie No Longer Involved, Taylor Sheridan A Question Mark, But It’s Getting “Closer” at The Playlist.

One of the last 2023 blockbusters has an official streaming release date. Variety reports that “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” lands on Paramount+ next week on January 25. Then it hits international markets starting in February. But there’s something interesting in addition to that news: the latest installment in the “M:I” series lost the “Part One” in its name, which basically confirms the upcoming sequel will indeed receive a new subtitle.  

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ Arrives On Paramount+ On January 25, Loses ‘Part One’ In Its Moniker at The Playlist.

The two ‘Sicario’ films are very interesting thrillers to discuss. The first one, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is one of the better action thrillers in recent memory, and it actually cemented screenwriter Taylor Sheridan as a force in Hollywood. The sequel, ‘Day of the Soldado,’ saw the return of Sheridan but included director Stefano Sollima. That film wasn’t as well-received, though I would suggest people rewatch it on its own merits.

Continue reading ‘Sicario 3’ In The Works With Original Cast, Taylor Sheridan & Christopher McQuarrie Said To Be Involved at The Playlist.

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” arrived in theaters last month with plenty of intrigue. Would the latest Ethan Hunt adventure top 2018’s “Fallout” (spoiler alert: it didn’t)? What other action set-pieces would happen besides that absurd motorcycle jump Tom Cruise did off a mountain (answer: plenty)? And which IMF member wouldn’t make it to next year’s “Dead Reckoning Part Two” (another spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen the movie yet: you’ve been warned if you read on)?

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’: Christopher McQuarrie Explains Character Deaths & Hints At More To Come at The Playlist.

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” didn’t fare as well commercially as Paramount expected, taking in $452 million in its theatrical run so far. And most of that comes from overseas, particularly China, where the film is a big hit. But lower numbers than “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” aside, the seventh film in the franchise is still a smash hit critically, and fans can’t wait for the sequel that arrives in theaters June 28, 2024.

Continue reading Paul Schrader Calls ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ “Tiresome Claptrap,” Says AI Could’ve Written The Script at The Playlist.

**Spoilers below for “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1.” You’ve been warned…**

The threat of death is an underlying aspect of every ‘Mission: Impossible’ film. Honestly, that threat doesn’t just apply to the characters and their gunfights and elaborate car chases. The franchise’s star, Tom Cruise, regularly puts his own real life in danger in the creation of these films. However, in the latest ‘M:I’ film, ‘Dead Reckoning Part 1,’ a character on screen does meet their demise.

Continue reading Christopher McQuarrie Explains The “Tough Decision” Of Killing A Key Character in ‘Dead Reckoning’ at The Playlist.

The adage of Hollywood and or pundits who closely follow Hollywood, writers, armchair analysts, etc., is that you should always have a plan and never just “make it up as you go.” Filmmaking is such a massive endeavor and a massively expensive endeavor, a plan to execute all the ambitious things you want to do is critical, and it’s why some big films feature massive and extensive pre-production periods: precisely to map out and work out how to pull all that stuff on in advance so on the day of shooting, no one is wasting money.

Continue reading Christopher McQuarrie Convinced Studio To Keep Expensive ‘Mission Impossible’ Sub Scene & Then Feared He Had To Cut It at The Playlist.

Something that’s brought up in a new Happy Sad Confused podcast with “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning—Part One” star Hayley Atwell. The host of the podcast, Josh Horowitz, essentially says ‘Mission Impossible’ movies should not work. Unlike most films with a screenplay and plan, ‘Mission Impossible’ films do have a script, but they are incredibly malleable, and writer/director Christopher McQuarrie and star and producer Tom Cruise are constantly iterating while they shoot the film.

Continue reading Haley Atwell On Making Up Her ‘Mission Impossible’ Character With Tom Cruise & McQ As They Went at The Playlist.

Arguably the most dynamic, well-oiled, and spectacular action franchise there is, the ‘Mission: Impossible’ series is pure fentanyl for the thrill-ride junkie. But as slick as the films are, if there’s ever been a baseline deficiency, it’s that the series always placed a premium on pounding propulsion over meaningful pulse. Centering on the unknowable super spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise)—something of an enigmatic cipher—humanity has never been the series’ strong suit.

Continue reading ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ Review: The Humanity Behind Ethan Hunt’s Mask Is Finally Exposed In An Exhilarating Part One at The Playlist.

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” lands in theaters in about three weeks, and with comes another batch of jaw-dropping stunts from actor Tom Cruise. Cruise’s turns as IMF agent Ethan Hunt showcase the actor’s willingness to take physically demanding risks. Just a few examples: hanging outside a plane in “M:I Rogue Nation” or jumping out of one in “M:I Fallout.”  

READ MORE: Christopher McQuarrie Says 2-Part ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ Won’t Be The End, Already Has Ideas For “What Comes Next”

But according to Cruise’s “Dead Reckoning” costar Pom Klementieff, there is one stunt the actor refused to do in the new film: kick her in the stomach.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible 7’: Pom Klementeiff Asked Tom Cruise To Kick Her In The Stomach For Real During Fight Scene “But He Wouldn’t Do It” at The Playlist.

Next month we’re getting another dose of star Tom Cruise risking his life doing ridiculous stunts for our entertainment with “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.” The seventh installment in the Ethan Hunt saga will be one half of a two-part story. However, while the two films had originally felt like a swan song for Cruise’s Teflon action hero, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie is suggesting there is much more gas in the tank.

Continue reading Christopher McQuarrie Says 2-Part ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ Won’t Be The End, Already Has Ideas For “What Comes Next” at The Playlist.

Fresh off the record-breaking (and potentially Oscar-minted) success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” its megawatt producer and star Tom Cruise is back with a shiny new sequel to his other most iconic franchise. 

READ MORE: Christopher McQuarrie Downplays Report Of Tom Cruise Exiting After ‘Mission: Impossible 8’

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” on our list of The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2023, was first announced back in February as the first of a two-feature story arc that will serve as the epic send-off to the character of Ethan Hunt, which Cruise has played in six films over 25 years.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ Trailer: Tom Cruise May Never Stop Saving the World at The Playlist.

The last three installments of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise have each had an intriguing subtitle: “Ghost Protocol,” “Rogue Nation,” and “Fallout.” The same goes for the next two films in the series, the one-two punch finale of “Dead Reckoning.” Sounds pretty cool, but what does it mean, especially in regard to Tom Cruise‘s elite spy Ethan Hunt?

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’: Christopher McQuarrie Explains The Upcoming Blockbuster Actioner’s Subtitle at The Playlist.

The relationship between actor Tom Cruise and screenwriter/director Christopher McQuarrie goes back to “Valrykie” (2008), and they’ve been nearly inseparable ever since. Even if McQuarrie isn’t directing the project, he’s either writing it or rewriting it (sometimes during production, such as “Edge Of Tomorrow”). And in some cases, writing, exec-producing, and even guiding it through post-production (see “Top Gun: Maverick,” which has earned a massive $1.3 billion at the global box office and McQuarrie was very involved with).

Continue reading Tom Cruise & Christopher McQuarrie Charting 3 New Films: A Les Grossman Project, An Original Musical & More at The Playlist.

There have been suggestions that Tom Cruise‘s time playing super-spy Ethan Hunt in the “Mission: Impossible” films could be coming to end with “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2,” which is currently filming in the United Kingdom and expected to shoot elsewhere in the world. Variety previously reported the film would become a “send-off” for Hunt. “The plan is for the seventh and eighth films to serve as a sendoff for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character — a “culmination” of the entire series, as one insider described it,” the report claimed.

Continue reading Christopher McQuarrie Downplays Report Of Tom Cruise Exiting After ‘Mission: Impossible 8’ at The Playlist.

For nearly a decade now, Christopher McQuarrie has decided to strictly work on Tom Cruise films. You have to go back to 2013’s “Jack the Giant Slayer” to find a non-Cruise film written or directed by McQuarrie. And it appears the filmmaker isn’t ready to end the collaborations after the next two “Mission: Impossible” films either. 

READ MORE: ‘Mission Impossible 7: Dead Reckoning: Part 1’ Trailer: It’s Time To Pick A Side

Speaking on the newest episode of the Light the Fuse podcast (via The Wrap), Christopher McQuarrie teased what is coming next after he’s done working on “Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part 1” and “Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part 2,” expected to be released in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Continue reading Christopher McQuarrie Teaming Up With Tom Cruise On A “Gnarlier” Post-‘Mission: Impossible’ Film at The Playlist.

It took 30 years to convince Tom Cruise to make a sequel to 1986’s “Top Gun,” hit by Tony Scott, but the decision has definitely paid off. Today, “Top Gun Maverick” crossed the $ 1 billion mark worldwide, becoming Cruise’s highest-grossing film ever worldwide.  That’s also the second-highest grossing film since the pandemic began in March 2020. ‘Maverick’ has grossed $521.7 million domestically and $484.7 million in overseas markets.  

Continue reading ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Crosses $1 Billion At The Box Office Becoming Tom Cruise’s Biggest Hit Ever at The Playlist.

The latest trailer of ‘the Mission Impossible franchise, “Mission Impossible 7” was leaked onto Twitter this weekend, and now it’s officially out. The official trailer was screened at CinemaCon in April, with lead-star, Tom Cruise showing off the trailer to patrons of the event. Cruise also revealed the full title, “Mission Impossible 7: Dead Reckoning: Part 1.”

READ MORE: ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part 1’ Is Official Title For 7th Film.

Continue reading ‘Mission Impossible 7: Dead Reckoning: Part 1’ Trailer: It’s Time To Pick A Side at The Playlist.

CinemaCon 2022 is underway in Las Vegas and Paramount‘s presentation included a big promotional push for Tom Cruise‘s massive “Mission: Impossible 7.” The studio unveiled a new, never-before-seen trailer for the film which has had an infamously difficult international production during the pandemic. This arduous shoot apparently suffered multiple COVID-19 outbreaks and writer/director Christopher McQuarrie was reportedly so ill, he had to be hospitalized.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part 1’ Is Official Title For 7th Film at The Playlist.

Shooting any film during the pandemic has been a challenge, but it sounds like “Mission: Impossible 7” has taken the cake. Despite Tom Cruise’s viral outburst chastising crew members, it doesn’t look like the brass were taking COVID-19 safety seriously enough on the shoot. An in-depth piece from The Hollywood Reporter has revealed some shocking details about the rough production that eventually resumed during the heat of the pandemic in multiple countries including The United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, and Abu Dhabi.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible 7’: Christopher McQuarrie Was Reportedly Hospitalized With Severe COVID After Multiple Outbreaks On Set at The Playlist.

Well before the pandemic arrived, people were already anxiously awaiting the release of “Mission: Impossible 7” and “Mission: Impossible 8.” The duo of star Tom Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie have already turned in multiple sequels to the franchise, each eclipsing the previous in terms of box office gross and overall quality. But then the pandemic hit and the ‘M:I’ franchise might have been hurt more than any other in terms of delays and production costs.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ Reportedly Will Cost $290 Million To Produce & Might End On A Cliffhanger at The Playlist.

It feels like a lifetime ago that Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” set the world on fire and pumped new energy into the action franchise led by Tom Cruise. Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media were so enthralled by the audience reactions they greenlit two sequels that were initially planned to be shot back-to-back, with McQuarrie returning to both write and direct.

Continue reading Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible’ Sequels Delayed Again By Paramount To 2023 & 2024 at The Playlist.

We’ll have to wait even longer to get our Tom Cruise fix from Paramount Pictures. The studio has further delayed the releases of both “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible 7” along with “Jackass Forever.” This comes after multiple hiccups for the “Top Gun” sequel, with the release playing musical chairs for almost two years.

Continue reading Paramount Delays ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ & ‘Jackass Forever’ To New Dates In 2022 at The Playlist.

A quarter-century on, the Tom Cruise-fronted franchise has perfected a recognizable house style. But that was not the approach when the series began.

Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible’ At 25: Revisiting The Franchise’s Auteurist Roots at The Playlist.