10 Movies That Saved Their Respective Franchises

Mission: Impossible was a series in the shadow of bigger spy movies like James Bond and Jason Bourne. It would take 2011's Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol to turn things around and transform the franchise into the success it is today.

The first thing Ghost Protocol did, was establish the identity of the series going forward. While previous entries focused on Ethan Hunt alone, Ghost Protocol gives several moments to Brandt, Jane and Benji, who all get character development. This allowed the film to be more of an ensemble like in the TV show, rather than be just a Tom Cruise vehicle.

Ghost Protocol also prioritizes actual spy work rather than the gun-focused action that the series was devolving into beginning with Mission: Impossible II. This allowed the franchise to set itself apart from the competition with creative heist-like missions and an emphasis on getting in and out of the area.

Finally, the film introduces the big Tom Cruise stunt with Ethan Hunt climbing the Burj Khalifa all by himself. The reception to the scene led to Cruise upping the ante in future Hunt outing, from hanging outside a plane in Rogue Nation to performing a HALO jump in Fallout.