Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Trailer: Tom Cruise Pushes the Limits One Last Time

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Apr 8

TOM CRUISE PLAYS ETHAN HUNT IN MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -THE FINAL RECKONING **FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE. | © 2025 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED**

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in what may be his final bow as the iconic IMF operative in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which drops into theaters May 23. This explosive eighth installment in the high-octane spy saga promises the franchise’s most perilous stunts yet—and the trailer delivers on that promise with Cruise leaping from fighter jets, plummeting underwater in a submarine, and clinging to the side of a plane in freefall.

A Reckoning Years in the Making

Initially conceived as Dead Reckoning Part Two, The Final Reckoning picks up the narrative threads of its 2023 predecessor. Ethan Hunt is still racing against time to neutralize The Entity, a rogue AI capable of destabilizing world powers and controlling global digital infrastructure. The stakes are not just global—they’re existential.

This chapter marks a culmination for the series, and possibly for Hunt himself, as The Final Reckoning teases a conclusive, emotionally resonant ending. Longtime fans may be bracing to say goodbye to one of modern cinema’s most enduring action heroes.

A Stacked Ensemble, Familiar and New

**PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE. | © 2025 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED**

Tom Cruise leads a returning cast of franchise veterans, each reprising their integral roles in what promises to be the most emotionally and physically demanding entry yet. Simon Pegg returns as Benji Dunn, the tech-savvy operative who’s been Ethan’s trusted right hand through countless missions. Ving Rhames is once again Luther Stickell, the longtime ally and quiet strategist whose loyalty has defined the IMF team. Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Grace, the cunning thief introduced in Dead Reckoning, now with shifting allegiances. Vanessa Kirby steps back into the role of Alanna Mitsopolis, the arms dealer whose charm is matched only by her danger. Esai Morales continues as the enigmatic villain Gabriel, the series’ most mysterious and cerebral antagonist to date. Also returning are Pom Klementieff as the silent assassin Paris, and both Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis as determined government operatives closing in on Hunt’s trail.

Joining the ensemble are several new faces, each bringing fresh energy to the high-stakes global conflict. Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham brings gravitas and presence in a role being tightly guarded. Nick Offerman, known for his grounded authority, enters the world of IMF with a potentially pivotal character. Katy O’Brian brings physicality and edge, while Tramell Tillman and Stephen Oyoung round out the supporting cast with roles expected to weave into the political and tactical web of the narrative. Notably, Lucy Tulugarjuk joins in a yet-undisclosed role that adds Indigenous representation to the franchise for the first time—further expanding the global tapestry of Mission: Impossible’s world.

Stunt Work at the Edge of Human Capability

Cruise’s reputation for jaw-dropping practical stunts reaches new heights—literally. In one sequence, he performs a skydive from a fighter jet. In another, he clings to the underside of a plane flipping in midair. And then there’s the much-rumored underwater submarine escape, which Cruise hinted at in a recent Empire interview.

“When you stick your face out [of an airplane], going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” Cruise explained. “I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”

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It’s clear The Final Reckoning aims to cement Cruise’s legacy—not just as an actor but as a daredevil redefining what’s physically possible on screen.

A Franchise That Redefined the Modern Blockbuster

Since Brian De Palma’s 1996 original, the Mission: Impossible series has evolved from stylish espionage thriller into a full-blown cinematic event franchise, rivaling James Bond and Fast & Furious in scope, while maintaining its commitment to practical effects and narrative sophistication.

With director Christopher McQuarrie returning once again, The Final Reckoning promises to send the franchise off with elegance, emotion, and edge-of-your-seat thrills. Whether this is truly the end for Ethan Hunt remains to be seen—but if it is, Cruise is determined to go out with a bang.