Mission: Impossible franchise in decline, new report reveals

A recent industry report surveying Hollywood insiders paints a grim picture for the future of Tom Cruise’s long-running Mission: Impossible series. While the action franchise has amassed over $4.7 billion globally across eight films, its creative and financial trajectory appears to be faltering.

Famed for performing his own jaw-dropping stunts, Cruise has become inseparable from the franchise’s identity, portraying IMF agent Ethan Hunt through increasingly dangerous espionage missions. The latest entry, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, pulled in nearly $600 million worldwide—a figure that might seem impressive until production costs are factored in.

With a reported budget nearing $400 million, The Final Reckoning was not significantly profitable. According to Variety’s newly released “franchise scorecard,” which analyzes the current state of Hollywood’s biggest franchises (including the MCU and DCU), Mission: Impossible is underperforming in several key areas.

The report notes that the film’s domestic box office grew by only 16.4% compared to previous entries, while global earnings dropped by 2.1%—a concerning trend given the rising costs. Perhaps most alarming is the franchise’s cost-effectiveness score, sitting at -50.5%. In short, the latest film brought in roughly the same revenue as past installments but cost far more to make.

Variety’s data visualization further shows that industry professionals now view the Mission: Impossible franchise as having lower “creative health” and “commercial potential” than other major brands such as Star Wars, James Bond, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Despite Cruise’s star power and the franchise’s iconic status, the numbers suggest that its future may be far less secure than fans or studios had hoped.