He had a dream start when he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay right away with his resounding debut “The Usual Suspects” (1995) – an achievement that surprised Hollywood.
However, after his initial success, his career encountered many difficulties and in the early 2000s, he was almost forgotten by Hollywood, even considering leaving the film industry. McQuarrie himself once revealed: “Tom didn’t know this, but when I first met him on the project “Valkyrie”, I had just decided to leave the industry.” It was not until Tom Cruise, recognizing his special potential, put his trust in him and gave him the opportunity to cooperate, that McQuarrie had the opportunity to return and shine.
McQuarrie’s talent and vision were proven through a series of successful projects. Many of them are close collaborations with Tom Cruise such as Valkyrie (2008), Jack Reacher (2012), Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and especially his becoming the main director, shaping the style of Mission: Impossible from Rogue Nation (2015) to Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), along with the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
“He is not only my best friend,” Cruise said to the audience full of filmmakers and distributors, “he is a valuable asset to every artist, studio and audience around the world that he serves.”
The respect and friendship between Cruise and McQuarrie is not only the glue that holds together a brand that has lasted nearly three decades, but also a testament to something rare in Hollywood: enduring artistic belief. Thanks to people like them, the “Mission: Impossible” franchise has continued to grow, become more engaging and bold, reaching the pinnacle of the action/spy genre.
McQuarrie’s acceptance of the Director of the Year award at CinemaCon 2024 is not only a worthy honor for his contributions, but also carries a meaningful message for the entire industry: it is often the quiet, unpretentious individuals who nurture and realize the most groundbreaking and ambitious ideas.
The next collaboration between Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie in the movie “Mission: Impossible – Final Karma” will be in theaters from May 30.