Jeremy Renner Reveals Why He Left ‘Mission: Impossible’ and Discusses Potential Return
Jeremy Renner has opened up about his departure from the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise and discussed the possibility of returning as William Brandt. While Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt has been the central figure of the action series since its inception in 1996, various supporting characters, including Renner’s Brandt, have come and gone. Renner joined the franchise in ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ (2011) and reprised his role in ‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015), but hasn’t appeared since.
In a recent interview with Collider, Renner explained that he stepped away from the franchise to spend more time with his young daughter, as the role required significant time away from home, primarily filming in London.
Also Read: Jeremy Renner’s Marvel Return in Question After Snowplough Accident
Despite this, Renner didn’t close the door on a potential return. He stated:
“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. 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.”
Initially considered as a possible successor to Cruise, Renner’s role in ‘Rogue Nation’ was significantly reduced, and his character was not heavily involved in the action. Brandt’s storyline saw him working for the CIA after the IMF’s disbandment while remaining loyal to Hunt and Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin).
‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ did not address Brandt’s absence, and his current status remains unclear even after ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’. However, his return could be easily integrated into future plots, possibly through his continued work in the intelligence community or even as a retired agent whom Hunt trusts.
Another scenario is Brandt returning as an antagonist once the Entity storyline concludes in the upcoming ‘Mission: Impossible 8’. Although unlikely to be a main villain, Brandt could oppose Hunt similarly to how Isla Faust has been positioned. Renner’s willingness to return suggests that Brandt’s reappearance is a possibility for future ‘Mission: Impossible’ films.
– Farheen Ali
