'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning' Is Everything Modern Disney Isn't
The Mission Impossible franchise is back at the top of the box office.
The latest installment, "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One," is expected to bring in huge numbers for Paramount.
READ: NEW ‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ EXPECTED TO PUT UP HUGE BOX OFFICE NUMBERS
Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie's film has already received generally excellent reviews, with critics and audiences alike praising its action, adventure, and outstanding stunt work.
But there's another obvious explanation for why the film is expected to do so well financially; the team behind the "Mission Impossible" franchise understand why people go to see summer blockbusters.
And it's a lesson that the modern incarnation of the Walt Disney Company would be wise to learn.
Disney recently released "Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny;" a tremendously important property for the studio's Lucasfilm disvision.
The "Indiana Jones" series has everything studios look for in a modern blockbuster: preexisting IP, a major star and highly regarded creative talent.
Yet even with these seeming advantages, the film has been a disastrous box office disappointment.
READ: INDIANA JONES IS DISNEY’S LATEST DISASTER OF THEIR OWN MAKING
And it's all because Disney refuses to follow the "Mission Impossible" blueprint: make quality films that don't undermine popular characters or lecture the audience.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Tom Cruise attends the UK Premiere of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" presented by Paramount Pictures and Skydance at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on June 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
'Mission Impossible' Follows Simple Formula Others Have Abandoned
It sounds so simple, doesn't it?
Make enjoyable summer popcorn movies that don't inject overtly political messages or turn popular, historic film characters into a shell of their former selves.
"Dead Reckoning" is a smart, fast moving film that showcases the immense talents of Tom Cruise and the supporting cast. Despite some writing and pacing problems, it's an easily enjoyable, entertaining story.
It also doesn't attempt to undermine the Ethan Hunt character or insert a far left political message into the story. It just tells its story while maintaining the characteristics that made Hunt one of film's most iconic figures.
Meanwhile Disney in recent releases has turned Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones into bitter old men, removed popular voice actors from legacy properties, and injected political content into children's movies.
And it's not working.
The studio's lost nearly a billion dollars on recent releases like "Lightyear" or "Strange World." And instead of learning lessons from their string of failures, they're doubling down.
Production stills from Disney's upcoming live action "Snow White" remake were released on Friday. Instead of reassuring audiences that their latest project would maintain at least some of the original's character, the photos showed the exact opposite.
READ: DISNEY CASTS NON-WHITE, NON-DWARFS TO PLAY DWARFS IN SNOW WHITE FILM
They just can't get out of their own way, can they?
Movie Studios Can't Keep Taking Losses To Appease Their Employees
There are many possible explanations for why Disney's moved so far from what they used to be.
Woke employees could be influencing their content direction. Or creative talent pushing stories and characters further left.
Unsurprisingly, CEO Bob Iger, who's openly political, seems oblivious as to why the company faces criticism.
READ: BOB IGER INACCURATELY SAYS DESANTIS CRITICISMS OF DISNEY ARE ‘PREPOSTEROUS’
But by refusing to accept the "Mission Impossible" example, the company's hurt its reputation, prestige and most importantly, its bottom line.
How much longer can Disney accept massive losses just to appease a vanishingly small audience?
However long it is, Tom Cruise clearly will happily accept all those moviegoers Disney is content to alienate.