Technically, it’s possible to make a quality television show without casting Shea Whigham as a supporting character. That being said, why would you want to? Whigham’s filmography reads like a whos-who of prestige television, including – but not limited to – “Homecoming,” “Fargo,” “Waco,” and, of course, his breakout role on “Boardwalk Empire.” Whigham’s glowering expression and quiet intelligence as a performer have also put him on the radar of some of Hollywood’s most heavily lauded filmmakers. Martin Scorsese? David O. Russell? Damien Chazelle? Jeff Nichols? He’s worked with them all.
And still, the Legend of Whigham goes. Yesterday, “Mission: Impossible” series director Christopher McQuarrie announced on Twitter that Whigham would be joining the next two films in the long-running franchise. The actor joins an already impressive cast that includes stalwarts Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson as well as newcomers Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff.
You won’t see him coming…#MI78 pic.twitter.com/B17enQCj3x
— Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie) December 20, 2019
Not much is known about the next entries in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise. Despite telling reporters in 2018 that he was effectively done with the franchise – the exact quote was that he would “rather have leprosy” than be forced to think up ways to top his previous entries in the franchise – McQuarrie signed on for two more movies shortly after that. Whether he plays a tiny bad or a big bad – McQuarrie’s tagline doesn’t exactly suggest he’ll be playing Ethan Hunt’s loving step-father – Whigham follows in a fine tradition of grizzled old ‘Mission: Impossible’ spooks, one that dates back to Jon Voight in the original movie and includes actors like Alec Baldwin, Billy Crudup, and Sean Harris in the sequels.
Here’s hoping that Whigham finally gets the high-profile role in a feature film he’s long-deserved. Regardless, ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ is set to hit theaters on July 23, 2021, so McQuarrie and company should have plenty of time to try and deliver on the sky-high expectations from the rest of the franchise.