History Trivia / MissionImpossibleIII

** TPTB wanted to bring back Creator/ThandieNewton as [[Film/MissionImpossibleII Nyah Nordoff Hall]], but she opted to concentrate on spending time with her family. Her role in the story was later changed to a new character named Leah Quint (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) but when J.J. Abrams took over directing the project, the character was totally scrapped from the story.

* ThrowItIn: One of the best shots of the third film came accidentally; when [[spoiler: Julia shoots Musgrave and he crumples to the ground dead]], the briefcase containing the Rabbit's Foot was simply going to fall and open. However, the canister rolled perfectly towards the camera as it panned down and stopped with the biohazard label facing forward in dramatic fashion.

** English Screenwriter Ben Trebilcook penned previous drafts, and had Creator/AngLee in talks to direct. One story involved the destruction of various Wonders of the World, which was set as a prequel to the first movie, and brought back Emilio Estevez. The script contained elements deemed too sensitive, as they drew close parallels to the 9/11 attacks. Another draft featured the trafficking of human organs, and was re-written by Frank Darabont.

* MissingTrailerScene: Ethan yelling "You will never get what you want!" and Davian responding, "You don't think I'll do it?!" was not in the actual movie.

* BannedInChina: The film gave the government some cause for concern, as it depicts the Chinese police as incompetent and shows poor living conditions in Chinese villages. There is also one scene where graffiti advertising a document forgery service (which is apparently a big business in China) can be glimpsed. Interestingly, it is re-included in the Warner Home Video DVD9 release.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film grossed way below expectations and temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on Wiki/TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/{{Paramount}} the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with its sequel, 5 years later, ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* HeReallyCanAct: While Tom Cruise has never been considered a ''poor'' actor, in the cold open he's pitted against a Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman at the height of his power, and matches the Oscar-winner beat for beat.

* RecycledScript: The plot is the same as the first film: [[spoiler: Ethan is set up by [[TheMole a mole]] in [=IMF=] who isn't revealed until near the end, and who tries to frame the boss of the organization who spends time as an AntiVillain trying to [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment hunt down Hunt]], with the audience left unclear if its because the boss really thinks Hunt is a traitor or because the boss ''is'' the traitor. In both their actions force Ethan to go rogue and steal the MacGuffin that the bad guys are after for them, and in both TheMole is in league with an arms dealer. Each movie sees Hunt's family being dragged into the plot to get at him, sees a fairly traditional [=IMF=] plot go off without a hitch only for the team to be ambushed after the fact, and features a reference ot Ethan evading airport security despite [=IMF=] putting "a guy at the airport".]]

* CreditsGag: Which is the last company who got thanked in the Credits? [[{{Series/Lost}} The Hanso Foundation]].

* ActorAllusion: It's coincidental that one of the disguises that Creator/TomCruise adopts in the film is that of a priest. In RealLife, Cruise briefly studied to become a priest before he got the acting bug.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film grossed way below expectations and temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/{{Paramount}} the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with its sequel, 5 years later, ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/DavidFincher and then Joe Carnahan were attached as directors during the film's development phase, with ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaiderTheCradleOfLife'' writer Dean Georgaris hired to provide the script. However, a change in management at Paramount saw Georgaris fired, with Carnahan walking shortly thereafter. Cruise then hired Creator/JJAbrams to provide a new script, and was so impressed with his work that he allowed him to direct the film as well.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film grossed way below expectations and temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/Paramount the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with its sequel, 5 years later, ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film grossed way below expectations and temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/ParamountPictures the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with its sequel, 5 years later, ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film grossed way below expectations and temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/ParamountPictures the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film still temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/ParamountPictures the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.

* StarDerailingRole: While by no means a failure, the film still temporarily derailed Tom Cruise's career, mostly through antics described on DarthWiki/FallenCreator and TheOtherWiki which combined with the underperformance gave Creator/ParamountPictures the perfect pretense to fire him. He ultimately made a CareerResurrection with ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''.