Film franchises: love 'em, or hate 'em? Well, the truth is, a large percentage of filmgoers absolutely adore them.
Devoted Tom Cruise fans are excited every time he gets back in character as Ethan Hunt, the mysterious leader of a top-secret intelligence/combat unit called the Impossible Mission Force. Ever since the first film in 2000, Cruise has been pulling off increasingly improbable stunts, and famously doing them without a double, and the seventh instalment in the franchise is no different.
For a walk down memory lane and to revisit other film series, click through the gallery and get to know the longest-running movie franchises in cinematic history.