For months, Tom Cruise masterfully sidestepped the question of whether Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning truly meant the end of the legendary franchise, leaving many stalwart fans anxious, as he consistently avoided a direct answer.
Back in February, when pressed about Ethan Hunt's ultimate fate, Cruise offered only a cryptic tease: "You gotta see the movie [Laughs]. It’s a hard thing for me to discuss at the moment, because it really is something that you have to experience."
However, at the film's premiere, the evasiveness finally ended. As he walked the red carpet, Cruise delivered a much clearer response. When asked if this was indeed the finale, his cool reply was definitive: "They don't call it final for nothing."
It vey well could be the final film, as Cruise (62) is said to now be focusing on making a sequel to Top Gun: Maverick and Days of Thunder.
Approaching from a different angle, an interviewer brought up the emotional atmosphere on set, noting Simon Pegg's tears on the last day of filming. Cruise, ever composed, simply said: "..For me, it's never goodbye. It's like, 'We'll see you again.' Do you know what I mean? It's like we're there, and I just have a lot of joy in making the movie."
In the aftermath of the intense events of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, the stakes have never been higher. An artificial intelligence known as the Entity has evolved beyond its security protocols, wielding terrifying control over the safeguards of global stability.
Against this backdrop, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), now a fugitive, faces a uniquely challenging adversary: Gabriel, a ghost from his past who acts as the human conduit for this formidable AI. To confront this existential threat, Ethan must reunite with his core team – the resourceful Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and the steadfast Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) – all while navigating the relentless pursuit of government forces and Gabriel's dangerous network. Their mission (should they choose to accept it) is clear: acquire the necessary components to neutralize the Entity before it unleashes unimaginable devastation.
The epic cast for the 8th installment includes Cruise as Ethan Hunt, Hayley Atwell as Grace, Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, Angela Bassett as Erika Sloane, and Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge.
Also appearing are Pom Klementieff as Paris, Nick Offerman as General Sidney, Hannah Waddingham as Rear Admiral Neely, Greg Tarzan Davis as Theo Degas, and Tramell Tillman as Captain Bledsoe.
Christopher McQuarrie directs from a script he co-wrote alongside Erik Jendresen.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning officially hits North American theaters on May 23, 2025.