5. The Mission: Impossible Franchise
There’s hardly a moviegoer alive that hasn’t at least heard of the Mission: Impossible franchise. In recent years, it’s become as much an excuse for Tom Cruise to engage in professional daredevilry than anything else, but the franchise continues to produce popular blockbusters regardless. The franchise is so successful, in fact, that casual fans might even be unaware that it’s not an original premise.
The entire movie franchise as it exists today owes its success to the 1960s TV series of the same name. The original show followed a team of covert operatives known as the “Impossible Missions Force” (yes, really) and ran for a whopping seven seasons before ending in 1973. It was also revived in the 1980s for an additional sequel series which ran for two seasons. So why are the movies so much better than the show they’re based upon?
In essence, the answer boils down to one very simple asset: Tom Cruise. The Hollywood superstar has led the film franchise to near-legendary status with his undeniable screen presence and willingness to engage in some of the most ridiculous stunts ever captured on film. Gone is the campy and gimmicky action of the original show, replaced with Cruise’s high octane stunts and modern spy stories. (Admittedly, it’s every bit as gimmicky, but it’s so much cooler.)