When Tom Cruise Was Fired As Mission Impossible’s Ethan Hunt For “Effectuating Creative Suicide” After Taking MI3 Stunts Way Too Far

Tom Cruise has been known for delivering action-packed performances for over four decades now, and his most-loved action flicks belong to the Mission Impossible and Top Gun film franchises. While he impressed fans with Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, he is now gearing up for the release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. While the hype is high for the upcoming release, did you know Tom was once fired from the franchise?

Did that statement make your jaw drop? As per previous reports and a statement by Paramount Pictures’ chairman Sumner Redstone, the actor who plays Ethan Hunts in the movies was fired for being ‘someone who effectuates creative suicide.’ Read on to know why they took this drastic decision and how he was once more brought on board.

Tom Cruise is well known for doing his own stunts – no matter how daredevil they are, and the Mission Impossible films are no different. The ‘Mummy’ actor has brought his fans to the edge of their seats by cliff rock climbing in MI2, scaling the Burj Khalifa in MI4, jumping off a HALO in MI6, and lots, lots more. However, his stunts during MI3 gave the production company a heart attack, forcing them to cut ties with Tom.

As reported by Fandom Wire, although fans love Tom Cruise’s insane stunts, the producers of the Mission Impossible films reached their limits (if only they knew what the future MI films would be like) after Cruise filmed Mission: Impossible 3’s infamous bridge shootout scene. This was reportedly the last straw for Paramount Pictures because the scene had ‘The Last Samurai’ star running the entire length of the bridge and getting slammed into a vehicle. Seeing how putting himself in danger gave the actor kicks, Paramount decided to cut ties with him – for good.

The Wall Street Journal in 2006 noted Sumner Redstone – the chairman of Paramount’s parent company Viacom, publically criticised Cruise for his irrational behaviour, saying, “We don’t think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot […] His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount… He had never behaved this way before, he really went over the top.”

However, after his whistle-worthy performance in the 2008 action-comedy Tropic Thunder, Paramount Pictures had a change of heart and approached Tom Cruise to rejoin the Mission Impossible film franchise. However, there was a clause. The condition under which they brought Ethan Hunt back to the MI franchise was that Jeremy Renner becomes a part of the franchise as a tentative future replacement for Cruise’s character.

The fourth MI film – Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, was a massive hit (collecting a whopping $700 million at the box office), and Cruise continues playing the much-loved character. Jeremy starred as William Brandt in two MI films – Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation.

Tom Cruise-led Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is scheduled to release in theatres on July 12.

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