The eighth movie in theMission: Impossibleseries,Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, is scheduled to hit theaters in May of this year. The film franchise kicked off in 1996, with new installments coming out anywhere from two to six years apart. After almost 30 years of this status quo, anticipation is especially high for this chapter as it remains to be seen whetherMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s castwill be the last to star Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt before he goes off on other career paths.
WhileDead ReckoningandThe Final Reckoningwere originally discussed as being the finalMission: Impossiblemovies, it’s now not certainwhether Cruise will be leaving theMission: Impossiblefranchise afterThe Final Reckoning. Director Christopher McQuarrie and Cruise have both expressed a willingness to continue with additional installments yet, but the franchise’s future is still up in the air. Even if the film series doesn’t end here,it’s likely going to be the end of an era forMission: Impossibleand the beginning of a new one for Cruise.
Image via Paramount Pictures
Given the ambiguity of the situation, no matter whether this is actually the end ofMission: Impossible,The Final Reckoningshould feel like a big finish. Additionally,Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s title is important, as it was initially developed under the nameDead Reckoning Part 2. While the film will still be wrapping up what started in the previous installment,the change in title reinforces the idea that the film could be the last in theMission: Impossibleseries.
The likelihood of the continuation ofMission: Impossiblecould depend on howThe Final Reckoningperforms at the box office. This is especially crucial becausethe eighthMission: Impossible’s high budgetmakes it one of the most expensive films ever made. Its predecessor,Dead Reckoning Part 1, struggled at the box office, further establishing thatthe future ofMission: Impossiblerides onThe Final Reckoning’s success.
“Some Of These Injuries, What’s The Point?”: Tom Cruise Hid A Broken Foot So He Could Film A Centerpiece Mission: Impossible Stunt That The Studio Spent 6 Months Trying To Cancel
Tom Cruise reveals that he once kept his broken foot a secret so that he could pull off a Mission: Impossible stunt that the studio wanted to scrap.
However, ifThe Final Reckoningis the lastMission: Impossiblefilm, that would give Tom Cruise more time to work on other things. While he has acted in and produced other projects while in the middle of theMission: Impossibleseries, if the multi-billion-dollar franchise ends here (or even just goes on a break for a little while), it will free up Cruise’s schedule much more, allowing space to work on movies that he wouldn’t otherwise have time for and explore sub-genres that would be a change of pace for him.
Tom Cruise’s Warner Bros. Deal Indicates He Will Work On A Lot More Original IPs Going Forward
Cruise & Warner Bros. Will Soon Produce New Films Together
For instance, in 2024,Tom Cruise made a deal with Warner Bros.for the production of new original and franchise films(viaWarner Bros. Discovery). This is not Cruise’s first time collaborating with Warner Bros., as he previously worked with the studio on films such asEdge of Tomorrow,Rock of Ages,The Outsiders, and more.Mission: Impossiblehas been a huge part of his time in the film industry, but they’re not the onlymovies that have defined Cruise’s career. While the deal leaves open the option of both one-off films and longer franchises, it’s clear that it will create an opportunity for fresh originals to be made.
“If I Look Scared, I’m Acting. Don’t Stop”: Tom Cruise Relives Filming His Death-Defying Plane Stunt That His Mission: Impossible Director Had Suggested As A Joke
Tom Cruise relives filming his death-defying plane stunt that Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie had originally suggested as a joke.
Mission: Impossiblereaching the point that it has makes this deal even more exciting becauseit is more likely that Cruise will be turning his attention to something entirely newafterThe Final Reckoning’s release. When the franchise has been a recurring part of Cruise’s filmography for so long, a deal like this coming into fruition as the series potentially wraps up could spell an exciting future for fans who want to see a greater variety of work from Cruise. And for fans ofMission: Impossiblewho want to see Cruise work on another long-running franchise, that’s a possibility as well.
I Love Mission: Impossible, But I’m Excited To See What Tom Cruise Does Next
Mission: Impossiblehas been popular for nearly three decades for a reason, and Cruise is responsible for many of the elements that make the films great. The premise of a team that handles missions that would otherwise be impossible forces the franchise to be clever, and this is woven together withMission: Impossible’s great fight scenesand individual characters who are worth following.
What really makes Mission: Impossible so interesting comes from Cruise’s personal investment in the franchise.
However, what really makesMission: Impossibleso interesting comes from Cruise’s personal investment in the franchise.Tom Cruise is known for dangerousMission: Impossiblestuntsthat he often takes on himself, such as the time that he ran up a building. But if theMission: Impossibleseries ends in 2025,Cruise will carry that same care and passion into whatever projects he decides to work on next.
Cruise’s Warner Bros. deal shows that he is interested in continuing to create exciting things, whether it beMission: Impossibleor otherwise. ThoughMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s success might be the key to the continuation of the overallMission: Impossiblefranchise, Cruise’s fans have a lot to look forward to from him in upcoming years, regardless of his biggest series' future.
