10 Unbelievable Mission Impossible Facts

One thing that sets the Mission Impossible film franchise is its longevity and consistency in its release dates. It is true that there are older franchises out there, such as Bond, X-Men, and Star Wars, but they have been marked with reboots and/or long gaps in between films during their storied histories.

However, since 1996, the franchise has released one installment after the other, and with the release of Mission Impossible 7 and 8 in 2021 and 2022 respectively (assuming all goes well), the franchise will mark 26 years in cinemas with no reboots or lengthy waits in between its movies.

It is pretty evident that the franchise's consistency can be attributed to Tom Cruise's desire to push its limits through his starring and producing roles. With the possible exception of John Woo, all directors have enjoyed their time on the role and J.J. Abrams and Chris McQuarrie have returned to the franchise as producer and director respectively.

That said, it cannot be denied that Cruise's control over the franchise has played a significant role in its longevity.