Christopher McQuarrie Turned Down DC Film Projects to Stay With ‘Mission: Impossible’

Mission: Impossible – Fallout, the seventh film in the franchise, went on to become the most critically and financially successful film in the series, thanks in large part to director Christopher McQuarrie. In the wake of that film’s success, the filmmaker reportedly passed on directing a DC Comics project in order to collaborate with star Tom Cruise on the upcoming Top Gun sequel and more Mission: Impossible films.

In a piece from The Hollywood Reporter about McQuarrie potentially signing on to direct two more Mission: Impossible sequels, the outlet claimed, “In the aftermath of Fallout, McQuarrie found himself courted by many studio suitors who were opening up their pantries for him. Warner Bros. even tried to seduce him with DC projects, but he decided to take a breather and stay true to his friend and partner, Cruise.”

It would only make sense that McQuarrie would become a top choice for studios for action properties, thanks to the success of both Fallout and his previous partnership with Cruise, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. With Henry Cavill having starred in Fallout, the director had previously revealed potentially being interested in re-teaming with the actor for a Superman film.

When fielding questions from fans on Twitter last fall, the director responded to a fan asking about his interest in a Superman film, “They still know where to find me.” Another fan followed up with the specific suggestion of McQuarrie adapting Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman, with McQuarrie writing, “If they ever call me, I’ll call you.”

The filmmaker had also previously revealed that he had spoken with Cavill on set about potential avenues to explore with a new film.

“That’s really what it is. I mean, when Man of Steel came up, it was because somebody had asked me, did I want to work with Henry again? Which I would in a second. I go through the door that opens,” McQuarrie told Collider. “We had a lot of time hanging out on set, and Henry’s a huge fan of Superman. I can’t help but talk story to people, so he told me his take on Superman and I thought it was really great, and I gave him my two cents.”

Given how crowded McQuarrie’s slate is looking in the upcoming years and with Cavill’s tenure as the Man of Steel unclear, we won’t be holding our breath to see the duo collaborate on a DC Comics project.

Would you have liked to see the director’s take on a DCEU film? Let us know in the comments below!