Exclusive: Mission: Impossible 7 Unveils Jaw-Dropping Extended Scenes Featuring Ethan's Enigmatic Woman

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One!

Summary

In the initial edits of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, there was an expanded involvement of Marie, Ethan Hunt's enigmatic companion in the flashback sequences. Nevertheless, Christopher McQuarrie, the director, had a change of heart about the film after receiving feedback from an early test screening. Consequently, he opted to remove various scenes that prominently showcased Marie's character.

While criticisms about Marie's limited presence in the film may be justified, the sequel must strive to achieve a better balance to truly capture the tragic nature of her loss.

In Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, the introduction of a mysterious woman held great potential; however, her involvement was unfortunately eliminated after a difficult test screening. This film primarily centers around Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise), who faces a formidable challenge against a sentient artificial intelligence and its henchman, Gabriel (portrayed by Esai Morales). Gabriel's role in the demise of Ethan Hunt's enigmatic partner, Marie (played by Mariela Garriga), personalizes their conflict. Ethan takes the lead in an intense battle, which significantly contributes to the astounding success of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One at the box office.

During the Empire Spoiler Special Podcast, director Christopher McQuarrie of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One shared that a single early viewer's feedback significantly impacted the prominence of Marie in the film. This viewer, who was not an avid fan of Mission: Impossible, expressed their criticisms in a direct and sharp manner, causing McQuarrie to consider a complete revision of the film. Consequently, certain scenes featuring Marie were removed from the final cut, and the director expressed gratitude for the valuable feedback. Read McQuarrie's quote below:

"A viewer sent me an incredibly harsh email – not hostile, but incredibly honest, pinpointing the elements that didn't work for him in the movie. These were issues that genuinely bothered him, even though he wasn't particularly drawn to franchise action films. When I woke up and read this email, I was overwhelmed with a sense of nausea. It was extremely brutal. However, it compelled me to view things from a different perspective, which is the true value of test screenings. He is credited in the special thanks section."

Did Marie Need More Of A Presence In Mission: Impossible 7?

The animosity between Ethan and Gabriel runs deep. Gabriel's murder of Marie long before Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One provides Ethan with valid reasons to confront the man, even without the added threat of an impending AI attack. Gabriel's assault on Marie compelled Ethan to join the IMF in the first place. Regrettably, this motivation feels somewhat hollow since Marie has minimal presence in the movie.

Marie is a newly introduced character in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which necessitates Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One to establish her significance and develop her character properly. Despite presenting her as someone integral to Ethan's life, the film fails to fully explore Marie as a distinct character. Instead, her demise occurs before any proper introduction, reducing her to nothing more than a ghost in Ethan's life.

Considering this, it becomes challenging to feel any concern for Marie. She could easily be substituted with any other relevant character, and it would not affect the film in any way. Although the Mission: Impossible series revolves around Ethan Hunt, there should be some exploration of Marie's character to make her demise truly heartbreaking. While the criticism about there being an excessive amount of Marie in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is valid, the sequel, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two, can rectify this issue by achieving a better balance.