Unscripted Intrigue: Dead Reckoning Star Addresses Mission Impossible's Unconventional Filming Approach

In a recent interview with Variety, Simon Pegg, who plays Benji in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, sheds light on the script process for the Tom Cruise action films. Pegg clarifies that despite the non-traditional production process used by director Christopher McQuarrie and Cruise, there are actual script pages that guide the filming process. While the creative team embraces a fluid approach to developing the story and characters, Pegg emphasizes the presence of a script to work from on set.

On the day of the shoot, we always have a script ready. The scenes have been written and we have had enough time to learn them. However, McQ allows the locations, characters, and actors to contribute to the storytelling. Sometimes, he lets the story unfold by observing the streets of Rome or the canals of Venice.

Working in this way is spontaneous, as we have a general idea of what we're doing, but the specific details often come together at the last minute. As an actor, I embrace this challenge and enjoy it. It's like having a mission impossible alongside our "Mission: Impossible." However, it's important to note that McQ always has a clear plan in mind and doesn't make things up as he goes along. The vision is already there, you just have to gradually uncover it.

Mission: Impossible's Unique Production Methods Explained

Cruise and McQuarrie make an ideal team, likened to Lennon and McCartney in their working relationship, according to Pegg in the Variety interview. Both Cruise and McQuarrie have previously shared their approaches to crafting the stories for the Mission: Impossible movies. Before starting work on Mission: Impossible 7, McQuarrie had envisioned an intense train crash sequence, while Cruise desired a motorcycle leap off a cliff with a parachute. In addition, it was revealed that as early as 2018, the concept of focusing on an AI threat in Mission: Impossible 7 was conceived. This suggests that a general story with stunt ideas is established early on, allowing for further development during production. Newcomers such as Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff have attested to this, expressing how McQuarrie and Cruise involve them in shaping their own characters.

The Mission: Impossible script is not just a static blueprint but a living document that allows for flexibility and exploration during filming. Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie are open to better ideas that may arise on set, allowing them to adjust and adapt in real-time. This method has proven successful, as the latest installments under McQuarrie have received the highest reviews in the franchise. The overwhelmingly positive reception of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One reviews further supports the effectiveness of this process.