The rumor is circulating, the rumor is circulating, of the end of the Mission: Impossible franchise. At least, as we know it. Indeed, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning marks the eighth adventure for Agent Ethan Hunt since his appearance as Tom Cruise in 1996. Almost 30 years later, the 62-year-old actor continues to save the world, but this new installment seems to have a particular flavor, like the taste of the end of an era in the mouth. Will we see Ethan Hunt's final mission on screen on May 21? Let's take stock.
Mission: Impossible plays The Final Reckoning card
It's worth putting out the fuse in the credits immediately: at this point, there has been no OFFICIAL confirmation or denial announcing Mission: Impossible 8 as the final installment in the franchise. However, there have been a lot of language elements, whether from the actors, director Christopher McQuarrie or even in the first images of the film that point in this direction.
First of all, let's go back to the feature film. The Final Reckoning can be translated into French as the final judgment, or even the last judgment, since the threat is an AI and the nod to Terminator is obvious. Although many elements are found from one film to the next, such as plot elements or characters – notably between Rogue Nation and Fallout – this is the first time that the title itself plays on the filiation. The Dead Reckoning was also saddled with a "Part 1." This unprecedented process suggests the unprecedented threat posed by The Entity, as if it were the final boss.
In line with this idea, everyone has noticed that the trailer for this Mission: Impossible strongly emphasizes the terminus aspect. All of Ethan's previous missions are mentioned in the subtext, the presence of William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), a CIA analyst who was the victim of the famous robbery in the first part, in the cast... There is a definite backward glance with phrases like "Everything you've been, everything you've done, has led us to this." or Tom Cruise declaring on camera, as a message to the viewer, "Trust me, one last time." Two examples among many others that smell of the end of the road, especially concerning characters like Luther (Ving Rhames), the only one apart from Ethan present in all the films of the franchise.
And then there are these little remarks, placed here and there during the interviews, by the members of the cast. In April 2025, Simon Pegg (Benji) announced that The Final Reckoning would be the culmination of the eight films, bringing together everything Ethan had accomplished up to that point. The same goes for director Christopher McQuarrie, who told Empire in February 2025 that it was a "satisfying conclusion to a thirty-year story."
As you may have noticed, no one dares to say a word about whether or not Mission: Impossible will continue after The Final Reckoning. Nevertheless, when all is said and done, it becomes very difficult to imagine a ninth test for Ethan Hunt once he has faced the sum total of his entire life.
Mission: Impossible without Tom Cruise?
Conversely, McQuarrie had announced during Dead Reckoning that he had other plans in mind for the continuation of the franchise. As for Tom Cruise, he does not hide his desire to pursue his love of stunts as long as his fitness allows, even into old age. And it is hard to see him abandoning a franchise that he has carried on his shoulders since the first installment, especially since we must not overlook the ego of the man who does not appreciate a new member overshadowing him. We can cite Jeremy Renner, a little angel who left too soon, or Rebecca Ferguson whose presence and importance has been reduced from film to film despite the popularity of the character.
And even if, by some miracle, Tom Cruise agrees to permanently put Ethan Hunt on the shelf after The Final Reckoning, there's little doubt about the continuity of the franchise itself, which existed before the actor and whose economic potential should see it continue long after him. One might even say that the Mission: Impossible force was a collective effort before being vampirized by a single face, and that once time has done its work—or Paramount is in dire need of cash—it could become so again on the big screen. Although we assume that a certain someone will still have a say in future recruits.
So is Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning the final installment in the saga? There's also a strong likelihood that this is an orchestrated marketing ploy to get people to go en masse to see the "conclusion" in theaters. However, it must be acknowledged that it would be a shame to insist so much that this doesn't have any on-screen consequences, at least for Ethan Hunt. Because as for the license itself, there's no need to worry, it will return.
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