Mission Impossible is the probably most famous film franchise starring Tom Cruise. Only a few have probably seen the series that underlies the brand. Its fans were furious upon the release of the first film.
Whoever thinks of Mission Impossible probably has Tom Cruise and the eight movies featuring him as Ethan Hunt in mind. Unless you are fans of the series on which the movies are based.
Between 1966 and 1973, the first series aired in Germany under the name Kobra, übernehmen Sie. The series consists of 171 episodes in seven seasons and showcases the Impossible Missions Force, or IMF, whose agents must complete various assignments.
In 1988, a reboot named In geheimer Mission followed, which ran for two years and produced another 35 episodes. Once again, team leader Jim Phelps was involved. He was portrayed by Peter Graves in both series.
Cinephiles will recognize the name: Jim Phelps is also on board in the first film of Mission Impossible from 1996. However, his appearance left fans of the series dismayed.
Not the Jim Phelps from before
Warning Spoiler: Although Mission Impossible is already 30 years old, as we are about to reveal a crucial detail about the plot, a warning is still in order.
What happens to Phelps in the film? At first, everything seems to remain the same: Jim Phelps leads the team of secret agents, which also includes Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise).
However, an operation in Prague goes terribly wrong, everyone but Hunt dies – seemingly including Jim Phelps. Later in the film, however, it turns out that the team leader not only survived the ordeal but was also responsible for the death of his colleagues.
Phelps thus becomes the villain of the story, representing a first within the franchise. Originally, Peter Graves, who portrayed the character in the series, was even supposed to return for the film. However, he declined and expressed great disappointment over the portrayal of the character (via cnn.com).
Some fans are still dissatisfied with how the once-hero Jim Phelps was turned into a villain for the film. On Reddit, the community shares their thoughts on the decision:
- “After watching the original series several times, I believe that was a mistake,” writes TheMacJew.
- “For those who didn’t know or didn’t watch the original series, it was a clever twist. For those who did know it – that is, the fans of the original Mission: Impossible series – it was a mistake,” summarizes TechnoGMNG589.
- “An error. For us older ones, Phelps was our Ethan Hunt. He would never betray the country,” says LordDarthAngst.
- “This is definitely a betrayal of the spirit of the series. That’s exactly why it’s a brilliant reversal,” argues Juliusque, who views the decision in a more nuanced way.
One thing is for sure: Ethan Hunt has successfully replaced his predecessor. And while Peter Graves remains a fond memory for older fans, most viewers will likely associate the name Mission Impossible with the modern figurehead Tom Cruise. In Part 7, there is a villain of a different kind: In Mission: Impossible 7 the villain had to be changed to avoid comparisons with The Lord of the Rings
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!