Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
We were almost treated to a younger version of Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Thankfully, we were spared this technological trickery, which raises concerns about the trend of de-aging in Hollywood. Instead of nurturing new talent, the industry is opting to digitally rejuvenate old stars. A similar situation arose in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, where Harrison Ford was de-aged in the opening sequence. While initially exciting, it ultimately felt jarring.
Tom Cruise still possesses the energy and agility of his younger self, so there’s no need to de-age him just yet. The movie does feature a scene with de-aging, but it is applied to the antagonist, Esai Morales. Fortunately, the shot is brief, avoiding the uncanny valley effect that can be unsettling. This scene serves as a flashback, revealing the loss of someone dear to Ethan Hunt and adding depth to his fear and concern towards Gabriel, the character portrayed by Morales.
Too Much Distraction
According to director Christopher McQuarrie in an interview with Total Film, they initially planned to include a younger version of Tom Cruise in the movie’s opening, set in 1989. However, McQuarrie ultimately decided against it because it felt too artificial and distracting to see a younger version of someone he knew so well.
“Originally, there had been a whole sequence at the beginning of the movie that was going to take place in 1989. We talked about it as a cold open, we talked about it as flashbacks in the movie, we looked at de-aging. One of the big things about [the de-aging] I was looking at while researching, I kept saying, ‘Boy, this de-aging is really good’ or ‘This de-aging is not so good.’ Never did I find myself actually following the story. I was so distracted by an actor that I had known for however long was now suddenly this young person.”
However, McQuarrie doesn’t completely rule out using de-aging in the future. He believes he has cracked the code on how to approach it effectively but didn’t think it was the right time or place for it in this film. He stated, “We may still play with it. We never say never.”
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is currently showing in theaters. Check out our interview with the 61-year-old Tom Cruise below.
Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
