Tom Cruise isn’t slowing down, and neither is Ethan Hunt. With Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning racing toward its release, the franchise’s eighth instalment promises to go bigger, faster, and more dangerous than ever before. A new trailer drops major hints that this could be a full-circle moment for Cruise’s final turn as Hunt, revisiting key beats from every mission the IMF agent has endured.
It opens with footage of Ethan hanging upside down from a moving aircraft, because of course it does. From there, the montage speeds through a series of stunts that look increasingly impossible (even by this franchise’s standards). Cruise runs, jumps, crashes, and climbs his way across multiple continents, all while surrounded by familiar allies and new recruits.
Set immediately after the events of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, the new film picks up with Ethan holding the key to shutting down the rogue A.I. known as the Entity. Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, remains the principal threat, hellbent on exploiting the A.I.’s immense power. Hunt must locate a sunken Russian submarine that contains the source code needed to destroy the Entity, but he’s not going alone.
Hayley Atwell’s Grace returns, now firmly part of the IMF team. Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg reprise their long-running roles as Luther and Benji. Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett are also back. New additions to the ensemble include Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman, Nick Offerman, Katy O’Brian, Holt McCallany, and Janet McTeer.
One noticeable absence is Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust. Her death in the last film left a clear mark on Ethan, whose emotional reaction to the loss suggested it was more than just another mission casualty. That personal weight appears to carry over into Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
While Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One pulled in over US$570 million at the box office, it fell short of expectations given its hefty production cost. Dropping the “Part Two” subtitle from this new instalment suggests a strategic reset to present Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning as a standalone climax rather than simply a continuation.
But whether this is truly Hunt’s last ride remains to be seen. What’s certain is that Cruise has no intention of easing into retirement. Not when there’s still time to dangle from a plane or sprint through exploding cityscapes. Not when the mission, should he choose to accept it, isn’t quite finished.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will open in cinemas on 23 May.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
Si Jia
