At one point, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 was going to feature a flashback sequence early on that included de-aging Tom Cruise to portray a young Ethan Hunt. But that plan was ultimately put on ice after director Christopher McQuarrie determined it would be too distracting--at least for now.
Speaking with GamesRadar, McQuarrie opened up about a 1989 sequence for Mission: Impossible 7 that «we talked about it as a cold open, we talked about it as flashbacks in the movie, we looked at de-aging.» But apparently that key last part--de-aging--made the filmmaker nix the whole thing.
«One of the big things about [the de-aging] I was looking at while researching, I kept saying, 'Boy, this de-aging is really good' or 'This de-aging is not so good,'» McQuarrie said. «Never did I find myself actually following the story.»
However, that doesn't mean McQuarrie is writing off the idea for the future of the franchise. In fact, the director--who also helmed Rogue Nation and Fallout in the Mission: Impossible series--believes he may have «cracked the code» on how to actually implement a de-aged Cruise.
Mission: Impossible 7 wouldn't have been the only big blockbuster this summer to utilize de-aging if the film proceeded with the plan. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens with 25 minutes of de-aged Harrison Ford, as the adventure movie begins with a sequence set in 1944. Speaking of which, Cruise expressed his admiration for Ford earlier this month. Cruise added thathe hopes to keep starring in Mission: Impossible movies into his 80s like Ford has done with Indiana Jones.
Premiering earlier this week, Mission: Impossible 7 could have a record-setting start for the franchise at the box office. For more, check out
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