Across eight films and nearly 30 years, Mission: Impossible has established itself as one of the greatest action film franchises of all time. Featuring Tom Cruise as Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt, the series capitalizes on the appeal of the spy thriller premise, offers viewers an iconic action hero, and outdoes itself with over-the-top and adrenaline-rush-inducing stunts.
However, the franchise’s future is uncertain, with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning positioned as the last installment in the series. For now, viewers can use our guide to find 10 more great action franchises reminiscent of Mission: Impossible on platforms like Peacock, Max, and more.
James Bond
One of the few action heroes who gives Ethan Hunt a run for his money is the iconic MI6 agent, James Bond. The James Bond franchise franchise has the advantage of time and flexibility over Mission: Impossible, which began in the 1960s and features seven different actors as Bond. Across all seven actors, James Bond has maintained his gentleman spy persona, thrilling fans with his charm and suave mannerisms. Meanwhile, the franchise has shifted and evolved over the years, offering viewers a little bit of everything, whether campiness, romance, chills, thrills, or over-the-top spy stories. James Bond is similar to Mission: Impossible but with more films, style, and variety.
John Wick
John Wick is perfect for viewers who love Mission: Impossible but are interested in a franchise with a little more depth. John Wick is action-packed, and its titular character (Keanu Reeves) is another action hero capable of carrying a full-fledged franchise. Focusing on a legendary assassin who returns to the criminal underworld after losing his wife and dog, John Wick is outlandish, action-packed, and thrilling. However, it’s also a surprisingly human and complex look at grief, mental health, and trauma with intricate worldbuilding. John Wick may not boast the over-the-top stunts of Mission: Impossible, but it's a beautifully, delicately choreographed and crafted action franchise.
Top Gun
Top Gun is arguably the action franchise with the most similarities to Mission: Impossible. After all, it boasts the franchise’s two biggest ingredients: Tom Cruise and jaw-dropping stunts. Top Gun is essentially Mission: Impossible but for aviation enthusiasts, as it follows Maverick Mitchell (Cruise) and his adventures at Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School. The franchise finds a bit more balance between action and drama. However, its groundbreaking aerial stunts make up for what it lacks in hand-to-hand combat. Following the success of Top Gun: Maverick, the franchise has a third film on the way and loads of potential.
Kingsman
Viewers who love Mission: Impossible's stylishness will love Kingsman. Kingsman is a spy action franchise featuring elite spies with a sophisticated and gentlemanly style. The main difference between Kingsman and Mission: Impossible is that the former leans more into dark humor and boasts an irreverent tone. It still has all the ingredients of an action franchise with over-the-top and often shocking action sequences, surprise twists, and suave agents. However, Kingsman doesn’t take itself too seriously, making it the perfect alternative for viewers seeking a self-aware action-packed franchise that pokes a bit of fun at James Bond and Mission: Impossible.
Fast & Furious
Fast & Furious is another franchise that strongly parallels Mission: Impossible with its over-the-top action sequences and stunts. While the franchise shifts between heist, buddy comedy, racing, and spy genres, it always guarantees viewers an action-packed ride. What started as a franchise about illegal street racing soon broadened its horizons, matching Mission: Impossible’s tone with impossible missions, stunts, and heists and capitalizing on big names like Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Fast & Furious isn’t as sophisticated and twisty as Mission: Impossible, but it’s an excellent alternative for some pure action entertainment.
Jason Bourne
While both the Bourne and Mission: Impossible franchises feature spy action, they have different approaches to the genre. Bourne adds mystery to the mix by making its hero, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a CIA assassin suffering from amnesia. Bourne still parallels Hunt strongly with his intelligence, capabilities, and charm despite the amnesia. Meanwhile, the franchise is an excellent choice for viewers seeking a more grounded action franchise. Bourne doesn’t boast the same flashy set designs, over-the-top stunts, and humor as Mission: Impossible, which sometimes serves it well by adding a sense of realism to its stories.
Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones is an action franchise similar to Mission: Impossible but with a historical and supernatural flair. Rather than a suave secret agent, the franchise’s hero is a rugged archeology professor, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford). Like Hunt, though, Jones often faces seemingly impossible odds and high stakes, but always manages to pull off his mission of thwarting villains and retrieving historical artifacts. Indiana Jones boasts a keener sense of adventure and curiosity than Mission: Impossible. However, Jones is just as charismatic and endearing of a hero as Hunt. Ultimately, it’s an excellent, light-hearted, and whimsical alternative for fans of Mission: Impossible.
Mad Max
The Mad Max franchise franchise is the perfect choice for viewers seeking an action franchise with a darker, grittier aesthetic. Mad Max is a dystopian action franchise that centers on the adventures of Max “Mad Max” Rockatansky (Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy), a former police officer who becomes a drifter and “road warrior” in a post-apocalyptic Australia. The apocalyptic fun starts with Mad Max 2, with each subsequent film boasting bigger and better action and stunts. Mad Max: Fury Road’s stunts are especially awe-inspiring considering they’re largely real, relying on very little CGI. Mad Max has a fairly different vibe from Mission: Impossible, but it’s a must-see for any action fan.
Die Hard
While Die Hard’s sequels have received mixed reviews, the Die Hard series is still considered one of the top action franchises. The films follow John McClane (Bruce Willis), an NYPD detective, who frequently finds himself as the only hope to thwart various terrorist schemes. In the first movie, McClane fights terrorists on Christmas Eve to save his wife and child. Die Hard is often considered one of the greatest action movies ever made due to its simple but effective premise and iconic action sequences. It may not be as sophisticated as Mission: Impossible, but its over-the-top action, simple premise, and authentic characters make it a hit.
Terminator
Terminator is a fun action franchise with a sci-fi/time-traveling twist. The franchise follows T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a cybernetic assassin working for Skynet, who travels through time to take out targets and influence the war against Skynet and humans in Skynet’s favor. Terminator may especially appeal to Mission: Impossible fans now, given that the latter franchise has also delved into AI threats in its last two films. Both franchises explore the repercussions of unchecked technological advances, although Terminator goes much further into the sci-fi and post-apocalyptic genre with its mind-bending time travel premise.
Where To Watch The Best Action Franchises Online
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