How Old Was Tom Cruise in Every ‘Mission: Impossible’ Movie?
Tom Cruise is known for numerous action movie franchises, and Mission: Impossible certainly comes to mind. Cruise began playing Ethan Hunt in 1996, and he’s still not finished with the unforgettable character. So, how old was Tom Cruise when he started the Mission: Impossible movies? Here’s what to know about Cruise’s age.
‘Mission: Impossible’ (1996): Tom Cruise was 34 years old
Tom Cruise was just 34 years old when he started playing Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible. The first film featured Ethan as a 32-year-old field agent for the Impossible Mission Force, making him just 2 years younger than the actor who plays him. Cruise famously performs his own stunts throughout the entirety of the franchise no matter his age.
‘Mission: Impossible 2’ (2000): 38 years old
When Mission: Impossible 2 was released in 2000, Tom Cruise was 38 years old. A newspaper in the film confirmed that the events unfolding in the sequel took place three years after the events of the first film, making Ethan Hunt 35-36 years old.
‘Mission: Impossible III’ (2006): 44 years old
The third Mission: Impossible film wasn’t released until six years after the sequel. Ethan Hunt was quite a bit older, and Tom Cruise aged as well. At 44 years old, Cruise rejoined the cast for another go.
‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol’ (2011): 49 years old
Tom Cruise was nearly 50 years old when he filmed Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. And stunt coordinator Gregg Smrz revealed to Yahoo that the filmmakers originally planned to make this Cruise’s final film as Ethan Hunt, but Cruise refused to allow that to happen despite his age.
“There was a point in the script when he’s fighting Michael Nyqvist where he was supposed to get his leg broken,” Smrz said. “They wanted it hyper-extended at the knee, just shredded — end of career, you know? The studio was going to write him out, and Tom did not want it. He was strapping in his harness, looked at me, and said, ‘I ain’t going nowhere.’ Then he walked out on set and did his thing. We had [the leg break] all set and ready to go, and it disappeared.”
‘Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation’ (2015): 53 years old
Ghost Protocol was far from Tom Cruise’s last hurrah, as he proved he was willing to keep playing Ethan Hunt no matter his age. In Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, Cruise was 53 years old.
While speaking to Fandango when Rogue Nation came out, Cruise reflected on how the first Mission: Impossible came out 20 years prior. “It’s exciting,” Cruise shared. “It really has been quite a ride, very exciting, to see how the audiences, global audiences, have embraced Ethan and the Mission franchise.”
‘Mission: Impossible — Fallout’ (2018): 56 years old
Tom Cruise joined the cast once more for Mission: Impossible — Fallout in 2018. He was 56 years old at the time, and perhaps not as resilient as he once was in his younger years. The star reportedly injured his right leg and snapped his ankle while trying to leap from one building to the next. This forced the studio to stop production on the film for nine weeks so Cruise could heal, which cost them $80 million in production costs.
‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1’ (2023): 61 years old
Tom Cruise is 61 years old in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1, the 2023 installment of the franchise. Like in past films, Cruise continues to perform his own stunts in his 60s.
“I strive for excellence,” Cruise said, according to CNN. “There’s always another story to tell, there’s always another mountain to climb. And I always feel like I can do it better. I’m not the kind of person that will beat myself up, but I’m constantly working to become competent and strive to understand my craft and the world, and just keep pushing myself.”
Also on the topic of the film, Cruise told The Sydney Morning Herald that he hopes to continue filming into his 80s. “Harrison Ford is a legend; I hope to be still going,” Cruise shared. “I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him. I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible films until I’m his age.”
‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 2’ (2024): 62 years old
Finally, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 2, is set to release on June 28, 2024. This means Tom Cruise will be nearly 62 years old when the next film releases.
The future of Mission: Impossible beyond Dead Reckoning remains unclear. But actor Simon Pegg believes Cruise will stick with the franchise no matter what. “I don’t see this story stopping,” he shared, according to CNN. “I think he’ll be jumping off things when he’s 100.”
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