MOVIE NEWS – The latest Mission: Impossible film delivers Ethan Hunt’s biggest loss yet, as fans witness the fate of a beloved, long-standing character. Director Christopher McQuarrie spent years pondering Luther’s future, all while the destiny of Tom Cruise and the entire franchise hung in the balance. How will this impact the fans and the series going forward?

There’s no question that Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has never lost anyone as significant as Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) in 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. But now, it’s revealed that Christopher McQuarrie—or “McQ,” as Cruise calls him—has been plotting the exit of another fan-favorite, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), since the success of Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2018. Seven years later, with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two in theaters, McQuarrie is finally speaking out about Luther’s death.

“The story was about sacrifice. The sacrifice wouldn’t have any real weight without loss. It was a choice Ving was fully on board with—he wanted it and found it deeply moving. Ving is an outstanding actor, so committed, but the franchise hadn’t really given him those chances before. I told him, ‘We need to get you out of the van and into a more emotional role.’ He embraced it. I’d been considering this since Fallout.” – McQuarrie explained on the Empire Spoiler Special Podcast.

Many have criticized how Luther dies in Dead Reckoning Part Two, saying Cruise—despite his skills—doesn’t quite deliver the emotional punch fans expected. This was a rare moment for him to show off his dramatic range, but the scene feels weightless due to his performance. It’s easy to argue that Ilsa’s (Ferguson) death at Gabriel’s (Esai Morales) hands in Part One was also anti-climactic, with fans not getting the catharsis they hoped for.

So what if Ethan Hunt had died too? McQuarrie genuinely considered killing off the franchise’s star. Given the huge production costs, Dead Reckoning Part Two is unlikely to be profitable for Paramount—but imagine the fallout if McQuarrie had chosen to end Hunt’s story completely.

Would the action film have earned its $540.9 million global box office? Would the loyal fanbase have walked away? At one point, McQuarrie admitted he seriously considered showing the IMF agent’s demise on screen. “Everything was on the table. There was a moment editing the final sequence, as Ethan disappears into the clouds, when I thought: ‘If we cut to his grave right now, the sacrifice would land. It would be very powerful.’ But ending a story doesn’t have to mean killing the hero. Once you tie off a story completely, it’s done. In real life, stories continue, whether or not the movies do.”

Luckily, Ethan Hunt survives. Why was that important? Just think: when Daniel Craig’s James Bond died in No Time to Die, it shocked audiences. The same would’ve happened if Cruise exited here. For now, all eyes are on whether Tom Cruise and/or Christopher McQuarrie will return for another Mission: Impossible. Cruise has suggested he’d like Glen Powell to take over the IMF lead, while McQuarrie recently hinted he may step away from the franchise.

As a longtime fan, I hope Dead Reckoning Part Two isn’t Cruise and McQuarrie’s last outing. But next time a major character bites the dust, Tom, give us a few tears for the fans!

Source: MovieWeb