In which year was the first Mission: Impossible film released? The first Mission: Impossible film was released in 1996. Paramount Pictures released it theatrically in the United States on May 22, 1996, launching the film franchise starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.
The movie was directed by Brian De Palma and adapted from the 1966 television series created by Bruce Geller. Its story follows Ethan after a mission in Prague goes disastrously wrong, leaving him suspected of betrayal. To clear his name, he assembles an unofficial team and investigates the conspiracy from outside normal IMF channels.
The 1996 release date is sometimes confused with 1995, when principal photography took place, or 1997, when some international home-video and release activity occurred. The next film, Mission: Impossible 2, arrived in 2000, four years after the original.
The first movie became a major commercial success, earning about $457.7 million worldwide. Its success established Mission: Impossible as a long-running theatrical action-spy series rather than merely a television adaptation.