In 1996, Tom Cruise produced and starred in which film?

In 1996, Tom Cruise took on a new and pivotal role both in front of and behind the camera for the action-spy film *Mission: Impossible*. It was the first movie he ever produced, establishing Cruise/Wagner Productions with his then-agent Paula Wagner to gain more creative control over his projects. The film was a massive undertaking that successfully rebooted a classic television property for a new generation and launched one of the most successful and long-running action franchises in Hollywood history.

Based on the popular television series from the 1960s, the film adaptation took a different approach. While the show was known for its ensemble cast, the movie was crafted as a star vehicle for Cruise, who played the lead role of Impossible Missions Force (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt. Directed by Brian De Palma, the film features a complex plot in which Hunt is framed for the murder of his entire team and must go on the run to uncover the real traitor and clear his name.

The film was a huge box office success, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of the year. It was praised for its intricate plot, tense atmosphere, and groundbreaking action sequences, most notably the now-iconic scene where Ethan Hunt is suspended from a wire just inches above a pressure-sensitive floor in a CIA vault. The movie cemented Cruise’s status as a global action star and set the high-stakes, practical-stunt-driven tone that would define the franchise for decades to come.