Tom Cruise Could’ve Been De-Aged For Mission Impossible 7 (Thank God He Wasn’t)
That one time Hollywood welcomed natural beauty.
In the year 2023, when technological takeover becomes a huge issue throughout the entertainment industry, and writing and acting professionals are forced to go on strike to fight for their rise against the mindless use of it, filmmaking CGI and special effects are almost no longer surprising.
No matter how beautiful and impressive the graphics are, the audience has seen it all before.
This may be one reason why directors and producers of some films are rethinking the use of such technology where it's not absolutely necessary.
Without the shock factor and increased appreciation, it's almost pointless to add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the budget when the movie can be just as good.
As director Christopher McQuarrie revealed in an interview with GamesRadar+ and Total Film, he had a plan to use the graphics to de-age Tom Cruise for a specific storyline in Mission: Impossible - The Phantom Menace Part One that would have taken place in 1989. The scene almost came to life as they even did some tests on Cruise, but it was scrapped.
“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. Never did I find myself actually following the story,” McQuarrie explained.
The actual test only proved this theory further, as the director was too distracted by the younger image of someone he knew so well to concentrate on the job. Eventually, it was decided that the movie would work just as well without a 1989 flashback, and Tom Cruise was left to rock his very well-groomed but natural look that perfectly suits his age.
McQuarrie was absolutely right in thinking that Mission: Impossible - Part One would do well without the addition of fancy technology. The movie has already grossed $15 million on its opening day and is predicted to reach $90 million in its five-day run.
If you want to see part 7 of the Mission: Impossible franchise starring Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell and Vanessa Kirby, you can head to your local theater and get your tickets now.
Source: GamesRadar+ and Total Film, Deadline