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All 6 Mission Impossible Movies Ranked Worst to Best


Feeling a little low following the news of Mission: Impossible 7 suffering yet another major delay? Originally scheduled for 2021, the movie was moved to May this year, and then to September. However, due to the ongoing global pandemic, the movie has now been moved to July 14, 2023, and as a result, Mission: Impossible 8 has been pushed out to June 28, 2024.

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But don't worry - this means we have more time to fit a binge of all six Mission: Impossible movies into our busy schedules! And as such, we have decided to rank all six movies from best to worst.

6. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

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There are many things that can be said about Mission: Impossible II, but unfortunately, 'great' isn't one of them. Like so many others in its orbit, the 2000 movie really is a product of its time, and feels like an MTV-mandated actioner, even if the tracks by Limp Bizkit and Metallica are awesome.

The movie, however, leaves a lot to be desired, and even to this day is the most stand-out entry for all the wrong reasons. Its biggest crime? It doesn't feel like a Mission: Impossible movie. Nevertheless, it's fun to watch Ethan Hunt kick Dougray Scott's butt as he tries to stop a deadly virus from being released.

5. Mission: Impossible (1996)

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We feel guilty placing the original Mission: Impossible so low on this list, but it's only because its sequels are so much better. The first entry in the long-running franchise is a great film, but if you're new to Mission: Impossible, know that this is very much a noir-ish spy thriller, unlike its action-packed sequels.

There's still plenty of action, though, as a young Ethan Hunt ends up on a mission that goes south very quickly. Cruise is nothing short of brilliant here, as he watches his colleagues killed left, right, and center. Mission: Impossible might lack the spectacle of its sequels, but it's a great spy movie nonetheless.

4. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

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Following the disappointing Mission Impossible II, director JJ Abrams gives the Mission: Impossible series the adrenalin and retcon it desperately needed, abandoning the noir-ish spy caper of the original, and the mess that was its sequel. Mission: Impossible III is really where the franchise gets going.

Now retired, Hunt is training new recruits for the IMF (Impossible Mission Force), but when he meets Owen Davian (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman), he is pulled back into the world of impossible missions as he attempts to thwart Davian's deadly plans, which start to get pretty personal.

Related: Where to Watch and Stream the Mission Impossible Movies Free Online

3. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2011)

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Following on from Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation delivers all the spectacle, and introduces a new regular character, disavowed MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), as Hunt attempts to track down the 'Syndicate', a network of operatives hell-bent on new world order.

While a worthy follow-up, Rogue Nation opts for something of a more quiet affair than its predecessor, and as such, feels a lot more like a spy movie than an action movie (which we mean as a compliment). But don't for one minute think that this movie is short on death-defying stunts!

2. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

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It's rare to say that any movie franchise continues to get better, but Mission: Impossible - Fallout is proof that you can still shoot for the stars when it comes to umpteenth sequels. Now six movies in, the franchise is showing zero signs of fatigue, which is great considering there are two more on the way.

Hunt's latest outing sees him join forces with CIA agent August Walker (Henry Cavill) to prevent a nuclear disaster of global proportions. Returning to the fold are Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Sean Harris, Rebecca Ferguson, and Michelle Monaghan. The stakes have never been quite as high as this.

1. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2015)

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If we were to pick the most 'definitive' of all the Mission: Impossible movies, then Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol would be a no-brainer. While Mission: Impossible III sets the stage for the rest of the franchise in terms of quality, Ghost Protocol does for the series what James Bond's Skyfall (2012) did for his.

Ethan Hunt's new team includes Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, and Paula Patton, and from here on in, he's going all-out with his stunts, with Dubai's Burj Khalifa in his sights! The hilarious running theme of gadgets not working properly also lends to making Ghost Protocol the most fun entry in the franchise so far.

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Mission: Impossible 7 now releases in theaters on July 14, 2023, while Mission: Impossible 8 also has a new release date of June 28, 2024.

The seventh installment in the franchise will star Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom will be reprising their roles as Ethan Hunt, Luther Stickell, Benji Dunn, Ilsa Faust, Erika Sloane, Alanna Mitsopolis, Eugene Kittridge, and Zola Mitsopolis.

Newcomers include Hayley Atwell, Shea Wigham, Rob Delaney, Mark Gatiss, Cary Elwes, Greg Tarzan Davis, Pom Klementieff, Charles Parnell, Indira Varma, Esai Morales, and Lampros Kalfuntzos.

Related: Mission Impossible 7: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Plot, Filming Locations, Stunts, News & Everything You Need To Know

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