Will Mission: Impossible 8 Be The Last One?

The Mission: Impossible franchise could be coming to an end with Mission: Impossible 8, as the Tom Cruise sequel might be the last movie. Following the great success of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Paramount charted the immediate future of the franchise. Christopher McQuarrie was brought back to write and direct two sequels that would shoot back-to-back and star Cruise as Ethan Hunt once again. This could be all part of a plan for Mission: Impossible 8 to end the franchise.

There are not many details on what the next two Mission: Impossible movies are about. Set photos have teased more dangerous stunts for Tom Cruise to participate in, while the Mission: Impossible 7 cast is full of returning characters and new ones. Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Vanessa Kirby are just some of the returnees, while Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, and Cary Elwes are a few of the new additions. Most of these cast members are expected to be in Mission: Impossible 8 as well. It might not be known how these factors come together or what other surprises McQuarrie could have in store, but that hasn’t stopped the two Mission: Impossible sequels from being some of Hollywood’s most anticipated upcoming projects.

Despite the excitement for what is still to come, Mission: Impossible 8 could be where the franchise ends. The Mission: Impossible movies have been a staple of Hollywood since 1996, but it seems that Tom Cruise’s journey as Ethan Hunt could be coming to a close. There’s a growing belief that Mission: Impossible 8 is the last movie in the series overall, but will it be?

Mission: Impossible 8 Is The Last Confirmed M:I Movie

Mission: Impossible 8 is currently the last confirmed movie in the franchise. Paramount has the anticipated Mission: Impossible sequel on their release slate for June 28, 2024. The studio originally gave the movie a 2022 release date, but it has had multiple delays since then. Mission: Impossible 8‘s delays are the result of COVID-19, as the pandemic has made production more difficult on it and Mission: Impossible 7. There are also reports that the latest delay was meant to ensure it would be the last and keep the films’ releases just a year apart, as Mission: Impossible 7 reportedly has a cliffhanger ending that sets up Mission: Impossible 8.

At the moment, all of the anticipation for the next two Mission: Impossible movies have meant Paramount hasn’t even come close to announcing any future plans for the franchise – if there are any. The studio doesn’t traditionally rush sequel announcements for the franchise anyways. Instead of taking the approach of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Extended Universe, or Star Wars, where the studios predate sequels and future franchise installments, Paramount has typically elected to wait and decide what comes next for Mission: Impossible until after the latest movie is released. Due to that standard, any announcements about Mission: Impossible 9 or spinoffs shouldn’t be expected to come until after Mission: Impossible 8.

Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 Are Reportedly A Sendoff For Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt

To support the belief that Mission: Impossible 8 could end the franchise, there are reports that Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 are planned as Tom Cruise’s sendoff from the series. The A-list movie star has been playing Ethan Hunt since 1996 and will have been in the role for nearly three decades by the time Mission: Impossible 8 is released. This means he’ll be in his 60s when he potentially walks away from the franchise. While there is no confirmation that Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 are the end for Tom Cruise, it certainly makes a lot of sense for these movies to wrap up Ethan Hunt’s journey. Paramount might have already tipped their hand to this, though, by having the sequels shoot back-to-back, which is something Hollywood has done multiple times to close out franchises.

Tom Cruise’s age is a prime reason why it is better to walk away from the Mission: Impossible franchise in the near future. He’s helped elevate the franchise by pushing his body to do incredible stunts, but that will become much more difficult as he enters his 60s. This could position Mission: Impossible 8 to end Ethan Hunt’s story with him finally retiring from active IMF duties or even dying in one final mission. No matter how the movie ends his story, all signs and reports seemingly point to Tom Cruise walking away from the Mission: Impossible franchise after these sequels.

Will Mission: Impossible 8 Be The Last One?

It’s unclear if Mission: Impossible 8 will be the last movie in the franchise overall, though. The film certainly seems to be building up to Tom Cruise’s exit, as the return of Kittridge suggests how the sequels will tie in elements from all across Ethan Hunt’s missions. McQuarrie could be doing this as a means to help wrap up Hunt’s arc throughout the entire series, something he’s been playing with over the last few films by tying villains into past missions and bringing back Michelle Monaghan’s Julia. If Mission: Impossible 8 continues this, Cruise will be much more difficult to remain part of the franchise moving forward.

Just because Mission: Impossible 8 could be the end of Tom Cruise’s involvement, that does not guarantee that Paramount will bring the entire franchise to a conclusion. The movies have combined to make more than $3.5 billion worldwide to this point, but Paramount should be looking at an overall total of over $5B by the time Mission: Impossible 8 ends. That type of success is not something Hollywood usually turns away from easily. It might be difficult to imagine the franchise continuing forward without Tom Cruise being involved, but the studio is unlikely to completely shelve an IP this strong. It also helps that there are some intriguing stories that could happen if the Mission: Impossible franchise continues after Mission: Impossible 8.

Can Mission: Impossible Work Without Tom Cruise?

The big question about the Mission: Impossible franchise’s future is whether or not the movies can work without Tom Cruise’s involvement. Paramount previously wanted to attempt passing off the franchise to Jeremy Renner after Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, but the movie only proved how valuable Cruise was to the franchise and how much audiences liked him. This led to Renner’s role diminishing in the sequel and effectively walking away from the franchise. The combination of Cruise’s dangerous stunts and leading man charisma make him an incredible fit for the Mission: Impossible franchise, so it isn’t surprising that Paramount refocused the property’s future around him.

While many might argue that the failed baton pass between Cruise and Renner is evidence that the Mission: Impossible movies need their leading man to be successful, that doesn’t mean there is no future without him. The sequels have done an excellent job of building up additional characters who could potentially take over as the lead of the main franchise or even star in spinoffs. Someone like Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust is perfectly positioned to lead future Mission: Impossible movies. Ferguson is a capable action star and rising Hollywood figure, while Faust is a beloved character that audiences could get behind seeing take on a bigger role. As long as other movies can capture the same thrilling action sequences and globe-trotting adventures, the Mission: Impossible franchise can succeed without Tom Cruise.

Why Mission: Impossible 8 Shouldn’t Be The End

Even if Mission: Impossible 8 ends Tom Cruise’s involvement, it should not be the last film in the Mission: Impossible franchise overall. Paramount could take a short break after Mission: Impossible 8 to give Ethan Hunt’s finale some time to breathe, but that shouldn’t stop them from continuing the franchise in the near future. There are too many exciting possibilities for where the IP could go next to have Mission: Impossible 8 be the end.

There is no way of knowing what Paramount thinks could work as future Mission: Impossible movies, but there are plenty of compelling directions to explore. It seems unlikely that Mission: Impossible 9 would immediately try to replace Ethan Hunt, which is again why Rebecca Ferguson’s Isla Faust is best positioned to take on a leading role. If her solo adventure isn’t possible due to how closely her story is tied to Ethan at the end of Mission: Impossible 8, then there is also the chance newcomer Hayley Atwell could be set up as the next franchise lead. Paramount could also elect to make solo films for several supporting characters instead of jumping back to a big ensemble spy film.

It’s also impossible to think about the franchise’s future after Mission: Impossible 8 without considering the likelihood of Mission: Impossible TV shows being made for Paramount+. After all, the movie franchise is a reboot of the original 1966 series. Paramount’s streaming service needs more originals based on known IP, and Mission: Impossible is one of the biggest the studio has access to. This could be how Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, or Vanessa Kirby star in spinoffs, as shows could be viewed as a better testing ground for their individual popularity than a major movie. Of course, Paramount+ could also deliver a soft reboot focusing on a new, younger IMF agent who begins to rise through the organization after Mission: Impossible 8 ends Ethan Hunt’s story.

About The Author

Cooper Hood
(5616 Articles Published)

Cooper Hood is a news and feature writer for Screen Rant. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn’t until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. When he isn’t writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.

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