Jeremy Renner starred in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in 2011 and later returned for 2015's Rogue Nation. After that, his character - IMF agent William Brandt - exited the long-running action series, though Renner was indeed asked back for Mission: Impossible - Fallout in 2018.
Filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie only wanted him on set for a week, though...so he could kill off Brandt!
"I remember they tried to bring me over for a week so they could kill my character, and I was like, 'No, you don’t get to do that. You’re not going to drag me over there and just kill my character,' like get out of here!" Renner recently told Josh Horowitz (via ActioNewz.com). "If you’re going to do this and you’re going to use my character, you’re going to do it right."
"I yelled at [director Christopher McQuarrie]," the actor added with a laugh. "Dude, you’re not going to do this to me like that; you’re not going to do me wrong."
We'd eventually learn that Brandt had retired from fieldwork and, heading into the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning sequel, it's unclear (and unlikely) that Renner will reprise the role there.
Elsewhere in the conversation, he also denied the long-held belief that he was being lined up to take over the franchise from Ethan Hunt actor Tom Cruise.
"No, it was always Tom’s show, that would be a Tom decision, if he ever wanted to change that narrative," Renner confirmed. "And as he’s maturing as an actor, he kinda wants to hold on, he’s doing ‘Top Gun’ again, right? He’s rebooting that, and let’s [lean] into the things in his life that he’s comfortable with now...the guy’s a beast and works harder than anyone I know."
Despite clashing with McQuarrie over plans to kill his character, Renner also recently revealed he would be open to starring in another Mission: Impossible movie (assuming Brandt gets to live, of course).
"I was supposed to do more with them," he said. "I love those guys. I love Tom so much. We had so much fun, and I love that character a lot. It requires a lot of time away. It’s all in London. I had to go be a dad. It just wasn’t gonna work out then."
"Maybe now that my daughter is older that could happen. I’d always jump into a ‘Mission: Impossible’ anytime and back into Brandt. It’s great."
Only time will tell what the future holds in store for Renner and Mission: Impossible, but you can check out the full interview in the player below.