Mission: Impossible is a television show.
The Impossible Missions Force ( IMF ) is a fictional agency with varying designations depending on the medium , an independent espionage agency in the television version or a governmental agency of the United States government in the film version . Mission: Impossible . In the first season , the team is led by Dan Briggs , played by Steven Hill ; Jim Phelps , played by Peter Graves , takes charge for the remaining seasons . Mission : Impossible is a 1996 American action spy film directed by Brian De Palma , produced by and starring Tom Cruise . The film was a critical and commercial success , eventually becoming the third highest-grossing film of 1996 .