THE BIG PICTURE
Christopher McQuarrie contemplated incorporating a scene with a digitally rejuvenated Tom Cruise and Esai Morales in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, but eventually opted against it due to its distracting nature and budgetary constraints.
McQuarrie sought to bring the 1980s aesthetic to life, specifically drawing from Tony Scott’s style, for this scene. He envisioned Julia Roberts in the role of the young woman, but the expenses associated with digitally rejuvenating multiple actors proved excessive.
Instead, the role was assigned to Mariela Garriga, who is slated to return in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. The original concept for the scene would have blown out the budget allocated for the film’s runaway train segment.
Christopher McQuarrie’s meticulous approach to his filmmaking is evident in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. He leaves no stone unturned in crafting a captivating movie experience for audiences who eagerly anticipate losing themselves in the thrilling exploits of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.
However, one scene that didn’t make the cut could have delivered a substantial star power surprise. McQuarrie had considered a scene that included a digitally younger Cruise and Esai Morales, establishing Hunt’s initiation into the Impossible Mission Force following the apparent murder of a young woman close to Cruise’s character, a role eventually played by Mariela Garriga in the film. This scene was dropped primarily due to its potential to distract the audience, although a trimmed-down version featuring a fleeting shot of a younger Morales does appear in the film.
Nonetheless, as McQuarrie confessed, the initial version of the scene was intended to significantly contribute to the film’s overarching narrative, which would have involved enlisting a top-tier star to capture the vibe of the 1980s flashback. During Empire’s spoiler-heavy podcast dedicated to Dead Reckoning Part One, McQuarrie revealed his stylistic and visual inspiration from Cruise’s 1980s films, with a particular nod to Tony Scott.
Image via Paramount Pictures
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“I thought, ‘Suppose I was directing this sequence, set around 1989. It would be a Tony Scott-styled ‘Mission: Impossible.’ He would have been at the helm before Brian De Palma in that period,” McQuarrie remarked on the podcast. “We considered ‘Days of Thunder’ and its aesthetic, and started brainstorming about how it would appear if Tony Scott had directed this, and who the cast would be? Reflecting on the emerging star of that period, ‘Mystic Pizza’ came to mind. And I thought, ‘Incredible. Julia Roberts, the pre-‘Pretty Woman’ Julia Roberts, as this young lady.'”
Budget: Impossible
McQuarrie explained further that the cost of executing the scene was so exorbitant that it surpassed the budget allocated for the movie’s third act runaway train sequence. However, the scene would have been so startling that it would have shattered the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Ultimately, Garriga was chosen for the role, with the assurance of her return in Dead Reckoning Part Two.
“The only plausible way to do justice to the sequence [using digital rejuvenation] was to persuade Julia Roberts to accept this minor role at the beginning of this story. And naturally, as you’re working through the concept, you start thinking, ‘Now the only thing people will be fixated on is the digital rejuvenation of Julia Roberts, Esai Morales, Tom Cruise, and Henry Czerny.’
The cost of digitally rejuvenating these actors was presented to me even before their salaries were taken into account. If you included two or three of them in one shot, the cost would have been equivalent to that of the train scene by the time we wrapped up. Considering our shooting style, the fluidity, and the camera movement, it wouldn’t align with the movie’s aesthetic in 1989. It wouldn’t make sense to shoot an ’89 ‘Mission’ like a 2023 ‘Mission.’”
Dead Reckoning Part One is now screening in theaters. Part Two is scheduled for release on June 28, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
What scene did Christopher McQuarrie consider for ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ that didn’t make the cut?
McQuarrie had considered a scene featuring a digitally rejuvenated Tom Cruise and Esai Morales. This scene was set to establish Hunt’s initiation into the Impossible Mission Force following the apparent murder of a young woman, a role envisioned for Julia Roberts but eventually played by Mariela Garriga.
Why was the scene with a digitally youthful Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts not included in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’?
The scene was not included due to its potential to distract the audience and its exorbitant cost, which exceeded the budget allocated for the film’s third act runaway train sequence.
Who was chosen for the young woman’s role in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’?
Mariela Garriga was chosen for the young woman’s role in the film, and she is expected to return in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two’.
Who was the director’s source of inspiration for the 1980s aesthetic in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’?
McQuarrie drew inspiration from Tom Cruise’s 1980s films, particularly those directed by Tony Scott, to achieve the 1980s aesthetic for the film.
When is ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two’ scheduled for release?
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two’ is scheduled for release on June 28, 2024.
More about Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
- Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
- Christopher McQuarrie’s Filmography
- Julia Roberts’s Filmography
- Tony Scott’s Filmography
- Mariela Garriga’s Filmography
- Mission: Impossible Film Series
