Tom Cruise could exit the Mission: Impossible franchise with the upcoming sequel, but will Mission Impossible 8 be the end of the franchise overall?
The Mission: Impossible franchise may end with Mission: Impossible 8, as the Tom Cruise sequel may be the final movie. After the huge success of Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Paramount charted the immediate future of the franchise. Christopher McQuarrie was re-written and directed for two consecutive series that would portray the streak and star Cruise as Ethan Hunt once again. This could all be part of a plan for Mission: Impossible 8 to end the franchise.
There are not many details about what the next two "Mission: Impossible" films are about. The still images have sparked plenty of more dangerous stunts for Tom Cruise to take part in, while the cast of Mission: Impossible 7 is filled with returning characters and new characters. Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Vanessa Kirby are just some of the returnees, while Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Essai Morales, and Carrie Elwes are a few of the new additions. Most of these cast members are expected to be in Mission: Impossible 8 as well. It may not be known how these factors come together or what other surprises McQuarrie could have in store, but that hasn't stopped the sequel Mission: Impossible: from being some of Hollywood's most highly anticipated upcoming projects.
Despite the excitement of what's to come, Mission: Impossible 8 could be where the franchise ends. Mission: Impossible films have been a staple of Hollywood since 1996, but it seems like Tom Cruise's journey as Ethan Hunt may be coming to an end. There is a growing belief that Mission: Impossible 8 is the last movie in the series overall, but will it be?
Mission: Impossible 8 is currently the last confirmed movie in the franchise. Paramount has the highly anticipated film Mission: Impossible Sequel on its release slated for June 28, 2024. The studio originally gave the film a 2022 release date, but multiple delays have since. Mission: Impossible 8 delays are a consequence of COVID-19, as the pandemic has made production more difficult for him and Mission: Impossible 7. There are also reports that the latest delay was intended to ensure that the films are kept only a year apart from their releases, as Mission: Impossible 8 is reported to have been delayed. : Impossible 7 has a hardcore ending that defines Mission Impossible 8.
For now, all anticipation for the next two missions: Impossible Movies means Paramount isn't even close to announcing any plans for the franchise — if any. The studio doesn't traditionally rush to franchise sequel ads anyway. Instead of taking the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Extended Universe, or Star Wars approach, where studios predate future sequels and franchise installments, Paramount has usually chosen to wait and decide what comes next for Mission: Impossible until after the latest movie is released. According to this criterion, no advertisements about Mission: Impossible 9 or sub-results should be expected to appear until after Mission: Impossible 8.
Will Mission: Impossible 8 be the last?
It's unclear if Mission: Impossible 8 will be the last movie in the series overall. The movie certainly seems to pile on with Tom Cruise's exit, as Kittridge's return hints at how the sequels relate to elements from all of Ethan Hunt's missions. McQuarrie could do this as a way to help end the Hunt arc throughout the entire series, something he's been playing around with for the past few films by associating villains with previous missions and bringing Julia back from Michelle Monaghan. If Mission Impossible 8 continues like this, it will be very difficult for Cruise to remain part of the franchise moving forward.
Just because Mission: Impossible 8 might be the end of Tom Cruise's engagement, that doesn't guarantee Paramount will end the entire franchise. The films have combined to gross over $3.5 billion worldwide to date, but Paramount should be looking at a total of more than $5 billion by the time Mission Impossible 8 is over. That kind of success isn't something they usually shy away from. About Hollywood easily. It might be hard to imagine the franchise going forward without Tom Cruise's involvement, but it's unlikely the studio would pull off an IP with such force. It also helps that some interesting stories could happen if the Mission Impossible franchise continues after Mission Impossible 8.
Could Mission: Do the Impossible Without Tom Cruise?
The big question about the future of the Mission: Impossible franchise is whether the movies can work without Tom Cruise's involvement. Paramount previously wanted to try to pass the franchise on to Jeremy Renner after Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, but the movie just demonstrated how important Cruise was to the franchise and how much audiences liked him. This dwarfed Renner's role in the sequel and effectively distanced himself from the franchise. The combination of Cruise's dangerous stunts and the charisma of the lead man make him incredibly well-suited for the Mission: Impossible series, so it's no surprise that Paramount refocused the future of the property around it.
While many would argue that the failed pass between Cruise and Renner is proof that Mission: Impossible Movies needs its leading man to be successful, that doesn't mean there's no future without him. The sequels have done an excellent job of building additional characters who will likely take the lead role in the main franchise or even star in the spin-offs. Someone like Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust is in a perfect position to lead future Mission: Impossible films. Ferguson is a capable action star and a rising Hollywood personality, while Faust is a beloved character that audiences can see in a bigger role. As long as other films can capture the same action sequences and exciting adventures around the world, the Mission: Impossible franchise can do without