The Big Picture
- Jeremy Renner is open to returning to the
Mission: Impossible
franchise now that his daughter is older. - Renner originally left the franchise to spend more time as a father when the shooting schedule became too demanding.
- Renner expresses love for the character and notes that he would now be open to a return if Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie come calling.
Mission: Impossible has grown and grown since Christopher McQuarrie took the reins of the film franchise in 2015, and big names have come into the series since then. One of those, however, has been a notable absentee recently, as Jeremy Renner has not appeared in the past two movies. So where is William Brandt, and will we get to see him again? In a recent interview with Collider’s Christina Radish, for the third season of Mayor of Kingstown, Renner expressed his openness to returning to the Mission: Impossible franchise. Renner, who played Brandt in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, shared fond memories of his time with the series and its star-studded cast.
As Renner explains, his departure from the franchise was due to the demanding filming schedules that conflicted with his responsibilities as a father. Still, he was effusive in his praise of the big cheese behind the series. He told Collider:
“Yeah. I had to leave that. I was supposed to do more with them. I love those guys. I love
Tom [Cruise]
so much. We had so much fun, and I love that character a lot. It requires a lot of time away. It’s all in London. I had to go be a dad. It just wasn’t gonna work out then,”
However, with his daughter growing older, Renner is not ruling out a return to the high-octane world of espionage and breathtaking stunts that define the Mission: Impossible films.
Jeremy Renner Isn’t Ruling Out a Return to ‘Mission: Impossible’
“Maybe now that my daughter is older that could happen. I’d always jump into a Mission: Impossible anytime and back into Brandt. It’s great,” he said, reflecting on the potential for reprising his role as William Brandt, the character known for his mix of serious combat skills and a sharp sense of humor, who was once considered the possible successor to Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.
The possibility of Renner’s return to the franchise could excite fans who appreciated his contribution to the earlier films. His character brought a unique dynamic to the team, complementing Cruise’s Ethan Hunt with a blend of tactical expertise and lighthearted banter. Renner’s willingness to dive back into the role suggests that if schedules align, we might just see William Brandt back in action. After all, with Ving Rhames’ Luther Stickell certainly getting on in age and Rebecca Ferguson‘s Ilsa Faust gone, the team is starting to feel a bit light, so a return for Renner would be welcome.
As Mission: Impossible continues to expand with more sequels in the works, the inclusion of Renner could provide not just a nostalgic callback to earlier installments, but one toe into the future, while expanding the universe even further. For now, fans can look forward to seeing if and how Renner’s potential return unfolds, as the actor balances his Hollywood career with his commitments at home.
Stay tuned to Collider for more from Jeremy Renner. Rogue Nation is available on Paramount+ along with Mayor of Kingstown.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Ethan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.
- Release Date
- July 31, 2015
- Runtime
- 131 minutes
Watch on Paramount+
