Tom Cruise protects Ving Rhames role in 'Mission: Impossible' franchise

Ving Rhames, who played 'Luther Stickell' in the Mission: Impossible franchise, has revealed a bitter reality about the films.

Besides spilling a rare insight about the film series, the 65-year-old also teased the upcoming Christopher McQuarrie directorial.

According to Rhames, the forthcoming action flick is filled with emotions and has a lot to do with human experience ‘especially between Tom [Cruise] and I.’

The Pulp Fiction star, while sharing a hidden information, said that his character of Luther was supposed to die in the first film, but fortunately he made it till the eighth part.

In conversation with Screen Rant's Ash Crossan, the Lilo and Stitch famed actor said: “I've never really taken time to think about it. But for me, I was very fortunate, because in the first one, Tom Cruise and Brian De Palma called me – The first one, I died in the first 10 pages”

He continued: “I said, "Why is it the black man always dies in the first 10 pages?”

As per Ving, even Tom Cruise had trouble understanding why Luther’s character was being killed off.

“Tom said, "Yeah. Why is that?" So, now, I just finished number eight, so I feel pretty fortunate”, shared the American actor.

Cruise starrer Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is slated to hit theatres on May 21, 2025.