{"id":100379,"date":"2025-07-28T21:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T21:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/100379\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T21:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T21:34:14","slug":"every-tom-cruise-sequel-ranked-worst-to-best-number-1-is-a-stone-cold-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/100379\/","title":{"rendered":"Every Tom Cruise Sequel Ranked Worst To Best (Number 1 Is A Stone Cold Classic)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tom Cruise<\/strong><\/a>‘s career in sequels serves as impressive evidence that the star knows how to return to an iconic role. Cruise’s rise to fame<\/a> as one of the biggest movie stars in the world is filled with beloved movies, like Top Gun, Jerry Maguire, and Minority Report. However, he doesn’t have as many franchises as one other big-name star.<\/p>\n

For a large portion of his career, the Mission: Impossible movies <\/a>were the only franchise Cruise had. In more recent years, he has shown a willingness to return to his popular past roles. With rumors of a Days of Thunder sequel<\/a>, there may be more in the future as well. While not every sequel is a winner, when Cruise returns to a franchise, it’s usually worth it.<\/p>\n

11 <\/p>\n

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)<\/p>\n

As Jack Reacher<\/p>\n

Before Reacher was a hit show, the character from Jack Reacher books<\/a> headlined his own movie with Tom Cruise as a controversial choice for the role. Despite Cruise not resembling the character as described, the first Jack Reacher was a solid hit. It seemed poised to be a new franchise for Cruise, only to be derailed by one lackluster sequel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It feels small in scale and uninspired, making it feel like the decision to end the franchise was made before the movie was finished.<\/p>\n

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back sees Reacher seeking to unravel a conspiracy and clear the name of his former colleague. Cruise fits back into the stern and violently efficient hero, offering his typical committed performance, but there\u2019s not much else to recommend.<\/p>\n

It is strange to see Cruise in a movie that is so devoid of stakes or personality<\/strong>. It feels small in scale and uninspired, making it feel like the decision to end the franchise was made before the movie was finished. In the end, Reacher is a much better fit for the television world.<\/p>\n

10 <\/p>\n

Austin Powers In Goldmember (2002)<\/p>\n

As Tom Cruise\/Austin Powers<\/p>\n

The Austin Powers movies pulled off a rare feat in the comedy world by delivering a comedy sequel that was actually better than the first, with Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. However, they could not repeat the success a third time as Austin Powers in Goldmember felt like the franchise was running out of jokes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The movie introduces a new villain and yet another character for Michael Myers to play, with the eccentric Goldmember, as well as Michael Caine in a fun role as Austin\u2019s father. However, with too many repeated gags and pop culture references, it is simply not as funny as the first two movies.<\/p>\n

The movie within a movie also features Kevin Spacey as Dr. Evil and Danny DeVito as Mini-Me.<\/p>\n

However, Goldmember does feature one of the funniest sequences in the franchise, with a star-studded movie-within-the-movie with Tom Cruise playing Austin Powers. Cruise is quite funny in action hero mode while reciting some of Austin Powers\u2019 famous lines.<\/p>\n

9 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible II (2000)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

It says a lot about the Mission: Impossible franchise that the worst movie in the bunch is still a lot of fun. Mission: Impossible II shifted from the paranoid action thriller vibe of the first Brian De Palma movie to a full-blown action ride from Hong Kong action legend John Woo.<\/p>\n

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\"Collage<\/p>\n

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Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tIn Defense Of Mission: Impossible 2 – Why I Love It
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible 2 may be messy and disjointed, but it\u2019s one of the most stylish and ambitious sequels in this beloved action franchise.<\/p>\n

The movie follows Ethan Hunt as he recruits a thief to help him take down a former IMF agent who has stolen a deadly virus. It is one of the more straightforward plots of the franchise and therefore doesn\u2019t pack quite the same thrills. Likewise, the franchise had not built up to its death-defying Mission: Impossible stunts<\/a> yet.<\/p>\n

Part of the reason Mission: Impossible II is regarded as a lesser entry in the franchise is that it doesn\u2019t particularly feel like a Mission: Impossible movie<\/strong>. It is loud and bombastic, filled with shootouts and melodrama. However, the final act of the movie is basically one extended action sequence that delivers everything fans could want.<\/p>\n

8 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible \u2013 The Final Reckoning (2025)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

In what could be the final Mission: Impossible movie ever<\/a>, The Final Reckoning overcomes some serious issues to deliver a worthy and satisfying conclusion<\/strong>. The movie is a direct sequel to the cliffhanger ending of Mission: Impossible \u2013 Dead Reckoning and, unfortunately, has to lean in even more to that movie\u2019s dull AI villain, the Entity.<\/p>\n

The movie also manages to use its position as the final movie to deliver some surprising emotional beats.<\/p>\n

The movie was made largely during the COVID pandemic, making for a chaotic production. That is reflected in the first act of the movie, which is a complete mess of convoluted exposition and hectic editing. Luckily, the movie gains its footing and delivers on what we want to see.<\/p>\n

The plot never improves too much, and the inclination to make an apocalyptic-level threat was misguided. However, the submarine sequence and the biplane sequence are two incredible action set pieces that rank among the franchise\u2019s best. The movie also manages to use its position as the final movie to deliver some surprising emotional beats.<\/p>\n

7 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible III (2006)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

Following the mixed reaction to Mission: Impossible II, the third movie in the franchise took a bit longer to come together, but it was another step forward in the spy series. Mission: Impossible III finds Ethan Hunt torn between his new life as a married man and wanting justice for the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 who was killed by an evil arms dealer.<\/p>\n

This was the movie that really embraced the vibe of the original series, with the team dynamic, the clever gadgets, and the fun use of disguises<\/strong>. However, the biggest asset was the performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman, delivering the best Mission: Impossible villain<\/a> to date.<\/p>\n

David Fincher was originally going to direct Mission: Impossible III.<\/p>\n

The action was fun, and J.J. Abrams injects the movie with his typical bouncing energy that works well. Seeing Ethan as a happy everyman was one issue with the movie, as it took away from the allure of the character, but he would recapture that in later movies.<\/p>\n

6 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible \u2013 Dead Reckoning (2023)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning was the beginning of the end for Ethan Hunt’s story<\/a>, even introducing a backstory that we had never previously heard of. That marks some of the major flaws of the movie, as it seems to be making a lot of it up as it goes along.<\/p>\n

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\"Tom<\/p>\n

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Related<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tFinding Mission: Impossible 9’s Tom Cruise Replacement Is Much Harder Than Top Gun’s
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Top Gun 3 looks set to move the franchise away from Tom Cruise\u2019s Maverick character, and Mission: Impossible may soon need to do the same.<\/p>\n

The movie finds Hunt racing against time and an old nemesis to find a valuable key that is also being sought by the all-powerful and all-knowing AI villain, The Entity. With plenty of old allies and new characters thrown into the mix, there is a lot of story to handle.<\/p>\n

However, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning proves again that a weak story in the Mission: Impossible series can be saved by some great action sequences<\/strong>. There are car chases, shootouts, sword fights, and a fantastic train set piece that will have the audience completely ignoring the plot holes.<\/p>\n

5 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible \u2013 Ghost Protocol (2011)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the movie that really proved that the Mission: Impossible franchise was willing to go to heights that no other action franchise could reach<\/strong>. The fourth movie found Ethan Hunt and his IMF team operating with no backup in order to stop the launch of a nuclear warhead.<\/p>\n

Four movies in, the Mission: Impossible franchise was also willing to subvert expectations.<\/p>\n

Pixar director Brad Bird makes a terrific step into the live-action world, creating a thrilling and fast-paced action adventure that was also filled with humor without abandoning the high stakes. Four movies in, the Mission: Impossible franchise was also willing to subvert expectations.<\/p>\n

Cruise is especially impressive this time around, nailing the more humorous tone but also fully committing as an action star. The Burj Khalifa sequence in Mission: Impossible 4<\/a> is a turning point for the franchise and remains a high point of the series.<\/p>\n

4 <\/p>\n

The Color Of Money (1986)<\/p>\n

As Vincent Lauria<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tThe Color of Money
\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\n Release Date<\/strong>\n <\/dt>\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 17, 1986<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

\n Runtime<\/strong>\n <\/dt>\n
\n

\t\t\t\t119 minutes<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

\n Writers<\/strong>\n <\/dt>\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWalter Tevis, Richard Price<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

The Color of Money is one Tom Cruise sequel that is likely overlooked by a lot of fans. It may not belong to one of the biggest franchises, but it remains one of the best long-awaited follow-ups in movie history. 25 years after The Hustler, Paul Newman returns as Fast Eddie, a pool hall hustler who is getting past his prime.<\/p>\n

With Martin Scorsese at the helm, the movie follows Eddie as he faces the reality of his fading talents while also mentoring a young pool shark, played by Cruise. Newman is terrific in playing the more mature and world-weary hero, in a role that earned him his first Oscar win.<\/p>\n

Tom Cruise performed many of the trick shots seen in the movie.<\/p>\n

It is also a lot of fun seeing Cruise in a supporting role, playing a less likable character than he is typically known for<\/strong>. However, the scene in which he plays pool while dancing to Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” is a sign that he was meant to be a movie star.<\/p>\n

3 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible \u2013 Rogue Nation (2015)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

For the first four movies in the Mission: Impossible franchise, each installment was directed by a different filmmaker. However, when Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation came along, it was not surprising that the decision was made to keep director Christopher McQuarrie<\/a> at the head of the whole series.<\/p>\n

\t\t<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/p>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tMission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Ending Explained (In Detail)
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning puts the entire world on the line in Ethan Hunt’s most important mission yet, but how does it all shake out?<\/p>\n

The fifth Mission: Impossible movie sees the IMF shut down and Ethan Hunt once again on the run. As he tries to take down the powerful criminal organization known as The Syndicate, he crosses paths with the mysterious and dangerous Isla Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).<\/p>\n

With Isla, Hunt is given his first love interest that makes sense. She is from he same world as him, and Cruise and Ferguson share wonderful chemistry together. McQuarrie also knows how to deliver the thrills on top of the strong characters, taking things up a notch in terms of the scale of the action<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2 <\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible \u2013 Fallout (2018)<\/p>\n

As Ethan Hunt<\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is not only the best Mission: Impossible movie<\/a>, but it is also one of the best action movies of the 21st century. It confirmed that Tom Cruise was one of the greatest action movie stars of all time and pushed the franchise to some incredible heights that it was never quite able to top.<\/p>\n

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is action movie perfection.<\/p>\n

Cruise is fully committed to his heroic role, making Ethan Hunt a truly endearing character who will stop at nothing to ensrue the mission is accomplished<\/strong>. There are also some wonderful new additions to the franchise, such as Vanessa Kirby as the shady yet alluring Alanna and Henry Cavill as the hard-hitting foil to Hunt.<\/p>\n

Christopher McQuarrie proves that bringing him back was a wise choice as he creates some breathtaking and exhilarating sequences. From the HALO jump sequence to the bathroom brawl to the extended foot chase through Paris to the amazing climactic helicopter battle, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is action movie perfection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tom Cruise‘s career in sequels serves as impressive evidence that the star knows how to return to an…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":100380,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[171,53,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-100379","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-movies","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-movies","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114933010445477873","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}