The Mission: Impossible series consists of some of the best action movies, with a long history of twists and stunts. The same could be said for the cast that has been amassed across almost eight movies for more than 25 years, especially when MCU vets like Hayley Atwell have found themselves a part of that very franchise. Surprisingly, Atwell almost found herself playing against Tom Cruise a lot sooner than her casting in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.
Revealed through an EW interview with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, it turns out that Atwell was considered for two different Cruise projects in the past. One happened to be an earlier Mission sequel, with McQuarrie revealing that other film to be yet another unexpected surprise:
She read for us for Jack Reacher. She was somebody we were interested in for Rogue Nation. It took us a while to find just the right character, just the right opportunity, for Hayley to really play to her strengths.
While it’s not totally confirmed by Christopher McQuarrie’s remarks, it’s not hard to see which roles Hayley Atwell was being vetted for in Tom Cruise’s history. Reading for that first Jack Reacher film from 2012, one can easily theorize that Atwell was a candidate for Rosamund Pike’s role of Helen Rodin.
Meanwhile, the Captain America veteran would have been a total fit for Ilsa Faust, the Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation lead that went to current franchise member Rebecca Ferguson. As far as alternate casting goes, both scenarios would have been awesome to see come to pass. At the same time, Pike and Ferguson's castings are so fantastic that it was really a win-win scenario.
Figuring out who Hayley Atwell could have played seems to be easier than finding out who she is playing in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. Nothing new or groundbreaking has been said about this woman of mystery, who is named Grace. That's really the only major piece of confirmed information about the character; however, we do know that Atwell will be in both upcoming Mission: Impossible sequels.
There’s also the detail of the Agent Carter lead being “a force of destruction” in the Mission franchise, but her allegiances are unknown at this point. Clearly, Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise’s patience has paid off, as Atwell’s finally a part of the team. Though even with the actor secured in their ranks, the complications Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning has faced made for another challenging hurdle. McQuarrie confirmed as much when revealing the following:
[She] might have been on this movie for well over 100 days before she had her first dialog scene, owing to the chaotic nature of the production.
One of the most effective Dead Reckoning teases is the veil of secrecy surrounding this imposing force against the IMF team. With the world wondering what sort of stunts required Hayley Atwell to be handcuffed to Tom Cruise, as well as when the next Mission: Impossible trailer will drop, the march to the movie’s July 14th release date is even more impossible to endure.
Though in light of the story told above, it'd be interesting to know who was considered for Atwell's mystery role before she found her way into the Mission: Impossible fold. While we all sit here and ponder that new thought exercise, there's still plenty of research one can do to prepare for Dead Reckoning Part One; starting off, naturally, through a refresher on the trailer for this summer's upcoming blockbuster:
Those of you ready to move forward with your debriefing can find the entire history of Ethan Hunt’s IMF adventures currently streaming through a Paramount+ subscription with a Showtime add-on. If you’re only looking to catch up on the more recent Mission: Impossible installments, Rogue Nation and Fallout are available for all P+ subscribers to access. This story will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, readers.
