Jeremy Renner addresses why he had to leave Mission: Impossible films

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Jeremy Renner has shared some insight into his exit from the Mission: Impossible franchise, as well as hinting at a possible return in the future.

The Hawkeye star featured in two of the much-loved action films: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation four years later.

However, Renner did not return for the two Tom Cruise-led offerings that followed in 2018 (Fallout) and 2023 (Dead Reckoning), with his character William Brandt having retired from the spy force at the end of Rogue Nation.

In a new interview with Collider, the 53-year-old Marvel star revealed that his choice to leave the franchise was motivated by wanting to focus on being an active father to his daughter, Ava.

“Yeah. I had to leave that,” Renner explained. “I was supposed to do more with them.

“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.”

Renner shares Ava, 11, with his ex-wife, Canadian model Sonni Pacheco, and has spoken of his love and appreciation for his daughter on several occasions.

However, Renner admitted that he would “jump” at the chance to return to the film now that Ava is older.

“Maybe now that my daughter is older that could happen,” Renner continued.

“I’d always jump into a Mission: Impossible anytime and back into Brandt. It’s great.”

A return to the franchise is possible since his character is still alive in the film’s universe; however, there is no confirmation on whether he will be back on screens as Brandt. The eighth Mission: Impossible film will be released in 2025.

Renner was involved in a life-threatening snowplough accident in January 2023 in which he suffered more than 30 broken bones and required surgery and a stay in the intensive care unit while in critical condition.

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Nearly a year and a half after the incident, Renner has made a significant recovery and recently unveiled some of the gorier details of his injuries, including the graphic claim that his “eyeball was out”.

Renner has repeatedly named his daughter as one of his reasons for survival and dedicated a music video to her earlier this year.

“To my daughter, my everything, my only thing, my number one,” he said in the video’s introduction.

“You are the best part of me,” Renner continued. “Your grace, your thoughtfulness, and your constitution make me so very proud.”