Tom Cruise allegedly fought to keep Mission: Impossible lead role, co-star claims

Tom Cruise's hold on the Mission: Impossible franchise was reportedly secured through a dramatic face-to-face confrontation with Paramount's then-chairman Brad Grey, according to Simon Pegg. Pegg, who has played Benji Dunn in the last six installments, said Cruise flew from Vancouver to Los Angeles specifically to confront Grey at a party and make clear that he would not be replaced. Pegg added that Cruise brought in Christopher McQuarrie, who rewrote the script to keep Hunt in the field, and that the plan to shift leadership was quashed.

Ghost Protocol, released in 2011, became a global hit after the internal wrangling, with nearly $700 million in worldwide box office. The original script reportedly had Hunt suffer a career-ending leg injury and then move into an administrative role as IMF Secretary, paving the way for a new lead. Stunt coordinator Gregg Smrz recalled Cruise's stance on set: "He was strapping in his harness, looked at me and said, 'I ain't going nowhere.'" McQuarrie's rewrites altered the trajectory, ensuring Hunt remained an active field agent.

Pegg also described the broader power dynamic in Hollywood, noting that Cruise remains influential due to longevity and business acumen. "He's almost like a walking studio," Pegg said, adding that Cruise "has more wherewithal than anybody in any position of power in the studio system because he's been around longer." Rob Lowe recounted a conversation with a Paramount executive about the financial pressures of the franchise. "I got a phone call from Tom today. He wants another $30 million... We've already spent so much money, you literally cannot say no," the executive told Lowe, according to his recollection.

Since Ghost Protocol, Cruise has starred in four more Mission: Impossible films, with the franchise generating over $4 billion worldwide. Renner, who was considered as a potential replacement, appeared in Rogue Nation (2015) and later said he turned down Fallout (2018) if it would have killed his character. Pegg noted that the latest installment, The Final Reckoning, released earlier this year, was billed as the end of a era but observers shouldn't count Cruise out yet.

Pegg also suggested that Hollywood's big-budget model faces sustainability challenges and that studios must rethink production scales to ensure profitability; big-budget films require large returns to break even, he argued, and the industry must adapt to preserve long-running franchises like Mission: Impossible.