Christopher McQuarrie Says He'd "Rather Have Leprosy" Than Direct 'Mission: Impossible 7'

Sorry fans of Christopher McQuarrie’s take on the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. Despite rave reviews and great box office numbers, the writer-director has no interest coming back for a third go around with Ethan Hunt and the crew of the Impossible Missions Force.

Speaking in the recent Empire Podcast, the filmmaker was asked about coming back for a third film, which would be the seventh in the franchise. While it appears that he toyed with the idea a little bit, McQuarrie has no interest in tempting fate three times.

READ MORE: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’: Action That Is The Cinematic Equivalent Of Multiple Orgasms [Review]

He explains:

Eddie Hamilton [Editor on ‘Fallout], every day in the editing room was like, ‘Come on, man, it’s obviously a trilogy you’re coming back, you have to finish it, you didn’t kill Lane,’ and I was like, ‘It’s somebody else’s problem.’ Tom [Cruise] has asked, the studio has asked, and I was like, ‘You know maybe I’ve got an idea for…’ and then the reviews came out and I was like, ‘Get outta here. Just stop.’ I felt so bad for the director of ‘Mission 6’ and I feel even worse of the director of 7. I’d rather have leprosy than be in the position of the person having to confront the pressure of the hyperbole of this movie on their first day of shooting the film. It’s too much to confront. I’d need a long nap before I could contemplate it.”

McQuarrie has already done what no other ‘Mission: Impossible’ director has done by directing two entries in the 22-year-old franchise. And with the incredible reviews from his last two films, the director just doesn’t want to end on a bad note. McQuarrie wants to walk away at the top of his game, and one has to commend the filmmaker on making that decision.

Granted, if Paramount were to unload a dump truck full of cash on the director’s doorstep, then maybe McQuarrie’s thoughts on a trilogy of films would change. But as of now, it looks like “Mission: Impossible 7” is on the hunt for a new director.