Jaw-Dropping Revelation: Surprising Celebrity Almost Cast as the Flashback Mystery Woman in Mission Impossible 7
Summary: Mission Impossible 7's flashback scene almost featured a renowned veteran actress, but the film proves that de-aging technology is unnecessary Embracing the timeless essence of the franchise, the movie maintains its thrilling narrative without relying on gimmicks
Summary
Director Christopher McQuarrie of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One contemplated incorporating flashbacks featuring a de-aged Julia Roberts.Note: The placeholder
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has been replaced with the appropriate content, and the sentence has been rewritten for clarity and conciseness.The use of de-aging technology was ultimately considered excessively costly and diverting. It is crucial to prioritize the story itself rather than the technology involved.
While flashback scenes may still be utilized in upcoming films to offer background information, it is more important to prioritize practical action and thrilling stunts over the usage of de-aging effects.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One director Christopher McQuarrie has disclosed that the film's flashback scenes initially had intentions of featuring a de-aged version of a prominent female Hollywood star. Tom Cruise reprises his role as superspy Ethan Hunt in the latest installment of the enduring action franchise, where he confronts an AI threat known as The Entity and its human emissary Gabriel, played by Esai Morales. To establish Gabriel's past with Ethan, the movie includes multiple flashback sequences of the villain shooting a mysterious woman named Marie, portrayed by Mariela Garriga, while seemingly framing Ethan for her demise in 1989.
In a recent interview on part one of the Empire Spoiler Specials podcast (via SlashFilm), McQuarrie explains that the plans for the flashback scenes in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One were initially more extensive. Alongside de-aging Cruise, the director expressed interest in casting Julia Roberts and also de-aging her for the particular scene. Below is McQuarrie's complete comment:
If Esai Morales and Tom Cruise were to be de-aged and accompanied by a 23-year-old woman as their confidant in Berlin in 1989, it would be completely unrealistic. Therefore, we began exploring who Marie's character would have been in that era. Personally, I imagine a scenario where Tom Cruise, circa 1989, stars in Tony Scott's 'Mission: Impossible.' That would be the type of movie and director that Marie would have been involved with before Brian De Palma.
To capture the essence of that time period, we studied the style of 'Days of Thunder' and pondered how it would have looked if Tony Scott had directed it. We delved into identifying the ingenue and breakout star of 1989, which led us to 'Mystic Pizza.' It struck me that a young Julia Roberts, pre-"Pretty Woman," would be perfect for the role of this young woman.
In order to do justice to the sequence using de-aging, the most ideal solution would have been to convince Julia Roberts to take on a smaller role at the beginning of the story. However, as we considered this conceptually, it became clear that the focus would shift solely towards the de-aging effects on Julia Roberts, Esai, Tom, and Henry Czerny. Additionally, the cost of de-aging these individuals alone exceeded the budget even before factoring in their salaries. Furthermore, if we were to include two or three of them in a single shot, the expenses would have been comparable to the cost of the entire train scene.
Mission: Impossible Doesn't Need De-Aging
The force multiplier of the production values, including the scene shooting approach, the natural flow, and the dynamic camera movement, was truly remarkable. Naturally, such a style would not have been suitable for a film made in 1989, as it would not align with the essence of a 'Mission' movie from that era, compared to a more contemporary 2023 version.
Discussing the decision not to de-age Cruise for Mission: Impossible 7's flashbacks, McQuarrie emphasizes that the effect was ultimately considered too distracting. Whether the de-aging is impressive or unsuccessful, it takes away from the scene, diverting the audience's attention to the technology rather than the story.
Taking audiences out of the story is combined with the high cost of executing the effect. Given the Mission: Impossible franchise's focus on dangerous and thrilling stunts, it is more worthwhile to allocate the funds towards bringing these practical elements to life. Even without showing Cruise's face, the flashback scene in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One effectively conveys the impact of Gabriel's betrayal on Ethan's life.
Since Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two is closely connected to the previous sequel, it is likely that additional flashbacks will provide more insight into Ethan's past and his relationship with Gabriel. However, these scenes primarily serve to enhance the flavor and context of the present action, which is more captivating. While it would have been enjoyable to witness de-aged versions of Roberts and Cruise together on-screen in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, it is evident that McQuarrie made a better decision by exploring another approach.
Source: Empire Spoiler Specials (via SlashFilm)
