Tom Cruise’s Face Cost Marvel Thousands of Dollars

in Marvel, Movies & TV

Tom Cruise as Peter "Maverick" Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Credit: Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise expressed dislike for Marvel’s interpretation of Ethan Hunt, the character he plays in the Mission: Impossible franchise, costing the company to destroy thousands of comic books.

tom cruise in top gun
Credit: Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise is one of the world’s biggest movie stars. Currently flying high with his remarkable return as Peter “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), the actor has played some of Hollywood’s most recognizable action heroes. In addition to his Top Gun pilot, Cruise is renowned for his portrayal of Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible Franchise.

Beginning in 1996 with Mission: Impossible (1996), Cruise has played Ethan Hunt for over twenty years. In fact, the next two installments in the action series, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024) will take the movie star to almost three decades in the spy-thriller saddle.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt riding motorcycle
Credit: Paramount Pictures

Related: Directors Says Tom Cruise Movie Was “Brutal” and “Regretful”

Like any popular franchise, multiple adaptations of the film have appeared over the years. From the “Mission: Impossible” Nintendo 64 game to comic books from Marvel Comics, Ethan Hunt has transcended the big-screen many times. It would be the latter, however, that would cause a fuss.

According to Cracked, Marvel once destroyed thousands of “Mission: Impossible” comic books after the movie star found an issue with the artist’s representation of Ethan Hunt’s face — a face inspired by Tom Cruises.

Inspired?

Tom Cruise The Mummy
Credit: Universal Pictures

Seemingly, the Hollywood actor is notoriously picky about media using his likeness, so much so, that the artists behind the “Mission: Impossible” comic established a generic brown-haired action hero to lead the story. Despite this, Marvel still sent Cruise a copy of the comic for approval.

But, as the report reveals, Cruise took issue with Ethan Hunt’s appearance, calling it too “feminine”. The concern from the Top Gun actor saw Marvel remove all versions of the issue from publication, before reissuing a reprint with a more suitably, “Cruise-ified” appearance. As seen on comic reselling sites, the original print of Ethan Hunt’s “feminine” face can sell for up to $700. Hopefully, sometime in the future Cruise will bring his true likeness to the Marvel Universe.

Possibly Nova/Tom Cruise as Iron Man/Captain Marvel Variant shooting a beam at possibly Wanda
Credit: Marvel Studios

Cruise is yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans got close to thinking the star was about to make his debut when the trailer of Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) dropped earlier this year, sparking rumors that Cruise would appear as a Variant of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man in screenwriter Michael Waldron’s story.

The theories were ultimately shattered when the movie revealed it was Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel Variant and not Superior Iron Man that appeared with Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X), John Krasinski (Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange).

2022 would prove Cruise does not need a Kevin Feige MCU film to stay relevant as Top Gun: Maverick became this year’s most talked-about movie.

tom cruise as iron man
Credit: Screenshot via Rahal Arts/Instagram

Cruise’s return as the arrogant but loveable pilot, Peter “Maverick” Mitchell, has taken the world by storm. Marking Cruise’s biggest box office opening of his career, Top Gun: Maverick from director Joseph Kosinski has netted half a billion dollars globally thus far. Appearing alongside Cruise in the sequel is fellow Top Gun (1986) star Val Kilmer as Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, with franchise newcomers Miles Teller (Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw), Glen Powell (Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin), Jon Hamm (Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson), Jennifer Connelly (Penny Benjamin), and Monica Barbaro (Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace), and Ed Harris (Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain), also starring.

Tom Cruise as Peter "Maverick" Mitchell
Credit: Paramount Pictures

Related: Actress Speaks Out on Being Replaced In ‘Captain Marvel’ Franchise, MCU Future Shattered

The Paramount Pictures Top Gun sequel was released to widespread praise from fans and critics, proving that Tom Cruise is still one of Hollywood’s biggest and most popular movie stars.

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two is slated to release on July 14, 2023, and June 28, 2024, respectively.

Did you ever read the “Mission: Impossible” comic book? Let us know in the comments down below!

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