'Mission: Impossible' premieres in Vienna
July 23, 2015
Actually, super spy Ethan Hunt had wanted to cut back and focus on his family ahead of "Mission: Impossible 3." But the bad guys just kept coming, and so did the films.
This time the villains are known as the Syndicate, are practically invisible, and want - who'd have thought? - to topple Hunt's espionage organization, International Mission Force.
The mission, should Hunt aka Tom Cruise choose to accept it? Prove Syndicate's existence and eradicate it.
"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" is the fifth and reportedly not the last film in the epic series, which has grossed $2 billion, making it the 20th most lucrative film series ever.
Lead actor and producer Tom Cruise and co-stars like Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson are expected at the world premiere in Vienna on Thursday evening (23.07.2015).
The action picture is set in the Austria capital, known for its stunning buildings representing a span of architectural periods. The premiere event is taking place at the Vienna State Opera house, an ornate theater built in mid-19th century. The opera house has been spiffed up in anticipation of the Hollywood stars.
Starting with the first "Mission: Impossible" film in 1996, Tom Cruise has played the role of both Ethan Hunt and producer - not to mention being his own stunt double. As for hanging on to the side of that airplane, it wasn't a stunt: The 53-year-old actor really did it, as he shared on Twitter.
What "Mission: Impossible" has lacked in character development and plot complexity, it's made up for in action. Based on a television series from the late 1960s and early 1970s, the first of the cinema films, set in Prague, came out in 1996.
From the beginning, Cruise has been in the producer's chair with his production company Cruise/Wagner Productions, which he founded with his former talent agent Paula Wagner in 1993.
"Mission: Impossible" has consistently followed the Hollywood spy film recipe for an action-packed thriller. But according to this set photo posted by Jeremy Renner, who has played William Brandt in the last two of the five films, the latest flick could bring back a James Bond flair.
"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nations" comes to cinemas in the UK and US on July 30 and 31, respectively, and opens in Germany on August 6. Watch the official trailer here: