After its highly anticipated debut at Cannes last week, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is set to continue its global journey with a premiere in New York on Sunday night. This marks the eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, and it’s being promoted as the final adventure for Tom Cruise’s iconic character, Ethan Hunt.
During the red carpet event, Tom Cruise confirmed the film's significance, stating, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.” This statement has led fans to speculate about the future of the franchise. Two years prior, Cruise expressed admiration for 80-year-old Harrison Ford’s career, indicating he hoped to continue making Mission: Impossible films until he reached Ford’s age. However, when The Hollywood Reporter inquired about whether his perspective had changed—given that he is currently 62—Cruise humorously remarked, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.”
Tom Cruise went on to declare, “I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy films — I’m excited.” Reflecting on nearly three decades of the Mission: Impossible franchise, which began in 1996, Cruise shared that he finds it challenging to identify a single rewarding aspect of his journey. He noted, “There’s been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in.” He expressed gratitude for everything he has learned about storytelling, leadership, and filmmaking, stating, “It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional. I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it, I just love making movies.”
When discussing the preparations he undergoes before performing the film's intense stunts, Cruise added a touch of humor, stating, “There’s a lot of pre-stunt rituals that keep me alive — it depends on what I’m doing and the amount of preparation I have to do. A lot of thought goes into it, and they are very complex and very interesting.”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning features a stellar cast, including Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Greg Tarzan Davis, Angela Bassett, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Charles Parnell, Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman, Tramell Tillman, and Katy O’Brian. The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who returns for his fourth Mission: Impossible film. At the premiere, McQuarrie praised Cruise, describing him as “the most giving, most game — he’s down for anything. Whether or not he understands something, he’s fully willing to jump into something, whether he feels it or not. He’s a great teacher and a great student.”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is set to hit theaters this Friday, promising to deliver another thrilling chapter in the beloved franchise. Neha Joy contributed to this report.
