Tom Cruise – We Are Movie Geeks

Museum of the Moving Image Summer 2025 Screening Series Includes Tom Cruise Retrospective And 70mm Festival

Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) has announced its slate of three major screening series for the summer, linked by the theme of big-screen moviegoing.

From late June through August, MoMI will present the 22-film retrospective Tom Cruise, Above and Beyond, which captures the full range of his charismatic star performances from the 1980s to present; its annual See It Big: 70mm! summer festival, with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey as its centerpiece; and the weekly Summer Saturdays with Dolby Atmos, featuring a wide-ranging selection of films, from science fiction to musicals, to demonstrate the spectacular audio and visual upgrades to its Sumner M. Redstone Theater.

Tom Cruise, who is both producer and star of the Mission: Impossible films, is also a main attraction in the Museum’s exhibition Mission: Impossible – Story and Spectacle. The exhibition explores how the series combines technical ingenuity, personal discipline and artistic commitment, all in service of storytelling, character development, and performance – with a focus on practical stunts.

It was announced on Tuesday that Cruise will receive an Oscar at The Governors Awards in November.

Watch as he opens the 2002 Oscars as only this ultimate actor can.

SUMMER 2025 SCREENING SERIES AT MOMI:
Screenings take place at the Sumner M. Redstone Theater and/or the Celeste and Armand Bartos Screening Room at Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, NY 11106. Schedule and tickets are available at https://movingimage.org/

Tom Cruise, Above and Beyond

June 20–August 17

Tom Cruise has been so central to our conception of Hollywood for so many decades that he’s more than a movie star—he encourages us to ask: what is it that makes a movie star? He was instilled with an undaunted charisma and confidence that became the metatext of his early star-making 1980s roles (from Risky Business and Top Gun to The Color of Money and Cocktail). Then, at the end of that decade, Cruise began to select parts that deftly subverted his golden-boy image, from his galvanizing, Oscar nominated role in Born on the Fourth of July to the homoerotic horror of Interview with the Vampire and the end-of-the-millennium one-two punch of Eyes Wide Shut and Magnolia—all movies that still drift through the cultural consciousness. He has long been a mainstay of elegantly constructed crowd-pleasers working with major directors (A Few Good Men, The Firm, Jerry Maguire, Minority Report), while in the 21st century Cruise has become increasingly dedicated to the physical spectacle of action cinema, producing and performing his own stunts in the Mission: Impossible films and beyond. Cruise’s entire captivating career speaks to his legacy as a singular movie star, and all the contradictions—of mystery and emotional transparency, of relatability and untouchability, of strength and vulnerability—that entails.

His appearance at the 2024 Olympics was AMAZING!

https://movingimage.org/series/tom-cruise-above-and-beyond

Films: Risky Business (Dir. Paul Brickman. 1983, 35mm), The Outsiders (Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. 1983, 35mm), The Color of Money (Dir. Martin Scorsese. 1986, 35mm), Legend (Dir. Ridley Scott. 1985), Cocktail (Dir. Ronald Donaldson. 1988, 35mm), Born on the Fourth of July (Dir. Oliver Stone. 1989), A Few Good Men (Dir. Rob Reiner. 1992), Rain Man (Dir. Barry Levinson. 1988), Jerry Maguire (Dir. Cameron Crowe. 1996), Edge of Tomorrow (Dir. Doug Liman. 2014), The Firm (Dir. Sydney Pollack. 1993, 35mm), Interview with the Vampire (Dir. Neil Jordan. 1994, 35mm), Eyes Wide Shut (Dir. Stanley Kubrick. 1999, 35mm), Magnolia (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson. 1999, 35mm), Minority Report (Dir. Steven Spielberg. 2002, 35mm), Collateral (Dir. Michael Mann. 2004, 35mm), War of the Worlds (Dir. Steven Spielberg. 2005, 35mm), Top Gun (Dir. Tony Scott. 1986, 70mm), Top Gun Maverick (Dir. Joseph Kosinski. 2022), Days of Thunder (Dir. Tony Scott. 1990, 70mm), Tropic Thunder (Dir. Ben Stiller. 2008), Jack Reacher (Dir. Christopher Mc Quarrie. 2012).

Summer Saturdays with Dolby Atmos

June 28–August 30

In May 2025, Museum of the Moving Image’s Sumner M. Redstone Theater unveiled a major, newly renovated audio system, featuring Dolby Atmos surround sound capability, and a new laser projector. With 63 output channels, featuring Dolby speakers and amplification, the Redstone is now an even more spectacular place to watch and hear movies, giving films an unprecedented level of aural detail, creating a spatial atmosphere of immersive realism. Put simply: everything looks and sounds better with these upgrades. To celebrate and demonstrate the theater at its best, the Museum will present a summer series of movies mixed or re-released in Dolby Atmos – every Saturday this summer from June 28 to August 30. Prepare to be overwhelmed by a science-fiction blockbuster or a rousing musical or a psychological drama with brilliantly layered sound design or even a reconstituted classic!

Films: Blade Runner 2049 (Dir. Denis Villeneuve. 2017), Titanic (Dir. James Cameron. 1997), Edge of Tomorrow (Dir. Doug Liman. 2014), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (3D) (Dirs. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman. 2018), West Side Story (Dir. Steven Spielberg. 2021), Top Gun Maverick (Dir. Joseph Kosinski. 2022), A Star Is Born (Dir. Bradley Cooper. 2018), Uncut Gems (Dirs. Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie. 2019), The Wizard of Oz (Dir. Victor Fleming. 1939), Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (Dir. Quentin Tarantino. 2019)

Peni (Kimiko Glen), Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage) in Sony Pictures Animation’s SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.

See It Big: 70mm! (2025)

Presented by MUBI

July 31–August 24

MoMI’s annual summer tradition returns with a thrilling selection of films screening in 70mm prints. With a larger frame size that captures more detail and light, 70mm offers the biggest, brightest image—the ideal film format for ambitious cinematic spectacle. The centerpiece remains 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and there’s nowhere better in New York to watch Stanley Kubrick’s monolithic masterpiece than in the Sumner M. Redstone Theater, which was designed with an eye towards its space-age aesthetic. The series also includes Tom Cruise classics that feel the need for speed (and size), Top Gun (1986) and Days of Thunder (1990), and Alfred Hitchcock’s grand-scale suspense thriller North by Northwest (1959), a work of genius best experienced large and loud. And this year, with the Redstone Theater’s new major upgrade to Dolby Atmos sound, these spectacular films will also sound better than ever. Additional title to be announced.

Keir Dullea (as David Bowman) seen in closeup inside HAL 9000 in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Dir. Stanley Kubrick. 1968). Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

Tom Cruise, Debbie Allen, Wynn Thomas And Dolly Parton To Receive Academy Honorary Awards At The Academy’s 16th Governors Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. The four Oscar® statuettes will be presented at the Academy’s 16th Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood.

“This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “The Academy’s Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”

Allen’s indelible impact on screen spans nearly five decades as a choreographer, actor, and producer. She choreographed the Academy Awards® ceremony seven times, as well as films including “Forget Paris,” “A Jazzman’s Blues” and “The Six Triple Eight.” Her producing credits include “Amistad” and “A Star for Rose.” Allen made her mark as an actress with “Fame,” “Ragtime” and “Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling.”

Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

One of the most recognized and highest-grossing actors of all time, Cruise has been a committed advocate of the theatrical experience, and he helped to usher the industry through a challenging time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Showcasing a deep commitment to his craft – including performing all of his own stunts – his expansive body of work includes his Oscar-nominated acting roles in “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Magnolia,” and the Oscar-nominated “Top Gun: Maverick,” for which he earned a Best Picture nomination as producer. His other notable film credits include “Risky Business,” “A Few Good Men,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Vanilla Sky” and the “Mission: Impossible” film series.

95th Oscars® nominee Tom Cruise arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023.

Parton is an international icon whose remarkable career spans seven decades. A renowned musical artist and one of the most accomplished in history, with 49 studio albums and more than 100 million records sold worldwide, she has starred in such films as “Nine to Five” and “Steel Magnolias.” She has earned two Oscar nominations in the Original Song category for “Nine to Five” and for “Travelin’ Thru” from “Transamerica.” With this Governors Award, a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Parton will be recognized for her decades-long humanitarian efforts. She has founded various charitable and philanthropic organizations, including the Dollywood Foundation, which was created in 1988 to inspire the children of East Tennessee – her home state – to achieve educational success. Additionally, her literacy program, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” launched in 1995 in honor of her father, has provided children with 285 million books. It evolved into an international movement and remains the signature program of the Dollywood Foundation.

Dolly Parton performs “Travelin’ Thru,” from the film Transamerica nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, during the 78th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 5, 2006.

Acclaimed production designer Thomas began his career working on Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” which would be the first of several collaborations between the two. Thomas’s film credits include Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X” and “Da 5 Bloods.” Other notable credits from his career include the Best Picture-winning “A Beautiful Mind,” as well as “Cinderella Man” and “Hidden Figures,” to name a few.

Alfre Woodard, Academy Governor **Wynn P. Thomas** and Nate Parker at the 2022 Governors Ball held at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, CA on March 25, 2022.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, also an Oscar statuette, is given “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities.”

The 16th Governors Awards are presented in partnership with Rolex, the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

An Oscar statue is seen during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 14th Annual Governors Awards at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles on January 9, 2024. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

See The MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE – Story and Spectacle Exhibition At Museum Of The Moving Image in NYC

With schools going on break and summer holidays in full swing, it’s also the summer movie season and so far, it’s been stellar. Box office numbers have been up, and people are going back to the cinemas in droves. We’ve seen in 2025 such juggernauts as A MINECRAFT MOVIE, LILO & STITCH, SINNERS … but one of our absolute favorites has been MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING. Tom Cruise proves once again his movie star charisma brings audiences out to witness the spectacle. No one can entertain like he does. In her review, Cate Marquis says, “The stunt sequences are the major appeal of the series, and this one delivers. Thrilling, physics-defying sequences are abundant in this nearly three-hour long action thriller extravaganza.” Thus far, the film has grossed worldwide $506,816,000. (Box Office Mojo)

If you’re in New York City for your summer vacation, a visit to the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) is a must.

They have launched a major initiative celebrating the phenomenon of Paramount Pictures’ thrilling MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise, and the release of the eighth film in the series, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—The Final Reckoning. The exhibition will spotlight star and producer Tom Cruise’s exceptional commitment to practical stunt work, and explore how the series combines technical ingenuity, personal discipline, and artistic commitment, all in service of storytelling, character development, and performance.

https://movingimage.org/event/mission-impossible-story-and-spectacle

The MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE experience at MoMI will be anchored by MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – Story and Spectacle, an exhibition that immerses visitors in the breathtaking stunts and key dramatic moments of the series, pulling back the curtain to allow insight into story and character development and the planning and execution of action sequences. The exhibition and related programs will provide a focal point for fans of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise, both those in New York and worldwide through virtual and/or livestreamed events.

Sections of the exhibition will be devoted to each film in the series, with a focus on that film’s key stunt or action sequence, along with unique behind-the-scenes content that offers insight on how the remarkable stunts were prepared for and filmed, complemented by related production artifacts.

“For almost 30 years, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films have thrilled audiences with suspenseful stories and unparalleled practical stunts,” said Barbara Miller, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs. “MoMI is excited to partner with Paramount Pictures on this major exhibition to explore the series’ unique achievements and create a fun, illuminating experience for fans and visitors.”

Access to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – Story and Spectacle will be included with general Museum admission tickets during its run.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – Story and Spectacle and related programs are supported by a Market New York grant from Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.

Photo credit: Thanassi Karageorgiou_MoMI

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – Our Favorite Highlights From Tom Cruise And Director Christopher McQuarrie’s Movie

Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

“There is never an easy day on Mission: Impossible. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Cruise’s legendary superspy Ethan Hunt has by now made both their names synonymous with achieving the unimaginable. But in The Final Reckoning, an eighth entry that is the jaw-dropping, satisfying arc to a now 30-year story, the pair of them are facing their most dangerous and narratively complex challenge ever. Simply put the film is EPIC!

The 9th movie is the culmination of Hunt’s journey, bringing back characters and plot threads from the franchise’s very beginning while delivering the spectacular action fans have come to expect.

Read Cate Marquis’s review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2025/05/mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning/

Here are a few of the brilliant highlights from MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING.

Tom Cruise’s Unmissable Theatrical Experience: This is why we go to the movies! As always with “Mission: Impossible,” the film is designed for the big screen. The scale of the stunts and the immersive nature of the filmmaking demand a theatrical viewing. Cruise is truly a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. The star issued this statement on Tuesday morning.

pic.twitter.com/zkf0sr7zuI
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) May 27, 2025

The “Mission: Impossible” franchise is renowned for its practical and breathtaking stunts. The previous installment, “Dead Reckoning Part One,” featured a highly publicized motorcycle jump off a cliff and a massive train sequence. The new film has some of the most daring set pieces in cinema.

The aerial sequence against Gabriel: The basis of the story in the aerial sequence in The Final Reckoning finds Esai Morales’ Gabriel has just flown off in a classic Stearman biplane, forcing Ethan to give chase in a second one, transfer to its undercarriage and climb onto the wing of Gabriel’s plane, to fight him. In the real world, this staggering sequence was filmed at 10,000 feet above sea level, with Cruise battling hurricane-force winds, and a pilot trying his very best to throw him off. Co-star Henry Czerny probably says it simplest. “What Tom does up there is something you’ll never forget, for the rest of your life.”

Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Diving The Sevastopol: For Cruise, shooting The Sevastopol sequence was physically exhausting, to a level that he could only really discover by getting in the tank and finding out firsthand. McQuarrie says, “Despite their best-laid plans, the sequence proved to be a scheduling nightmare, with them able to set aside ten days to shoot. For the director and star and producer, that number wasn’tnearly enough to put what they knew they were truly capable of up on screen. “The accepted limit for shooting underwater was six shots per day. So, I designed a sequence that would comprise twenty shots total. This ensured that ten days was more than enough time. It also ensured Tom would have to work much harder and hold his breath longer to get the shots required. Such is Mission.”

Historic Box Office: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” had a strong opening, and “The Final Reckoning” is the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s story. THR reported that the film opened to a series-best $79 million domestically and a franchise-high $191 million globally, according to weekend actuals (M:I’s final domestic tally was up from Sunday’s estimate of $77.5 million). The numbers include a three-day weekend gross of $64 million for Final Reckoning. “

Music Score: The music for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (and by extension, “The Final Reckoning” as it’s a two-part story) was composed by Lorne Balfe. Max Aruj, after providing additional music for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, and Alfie Godfrey took the baton for The Final Reckoning and made it even more thrilling! Their powerful and propulsive score incorporates Lalo Schifrin’s classic theme. Listen to the score here: https://missionimpossible.lnk.to/thefinalreckoningAY

Actress Hannah Waddingham as Admiral Neely: Hannah Waddingham is indeed a new addition to “The Final Reckoning” cast, playing the character of Admiral Neely, in charge of the USS George H.W. Bush. She is very much patterned after the first woman to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier – Captain Amy Bauernschmidt – who took command of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in August 2021. https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-05-24/abraham-lincoln-change-command-10221945.html

Hannah Waddingham plays Admiral Neely in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Shea Whigham as Jim Phelps, Jr.: This is a confirmed and significant reveal in “The Final Reckoning.” Shea Whigham’s character, Jasper Briggs, is revealed to be Jim Phelps Jr., the son of Jon Voight’s villainous character from the original 1996 “Mission: Impossible” film. This adds a deeply personal layer to Briggs’ pursuit of Ethan Hunt.

Shea Whigham plays Briggs in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

The Return of William Donloe: Yes, Rolf Saxon reprises his role as William Donloe, the CIA analyst from the first “Mission: Impossible” movie. His return connects directly to the events of the original film and provides an unexpected and important supporting role in The Final Reckoning.

Read the NY Times interview with Saxon: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/movies/mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-william-donloe-rolf-saxon.html

“When Saxon, 69, first got wind that McQuarrie wanted to meet with him on a video call, he thought that a friend was playing an elaborate prank. “In fact, when Chris told me that, I thought it was a way of getting me to do it,” he said. “I thought he was being nice and generous.”

In the summer of 2023, after he shot his initial scenes, Saxon got a call from McQuarrie and braced for the worst. But the director was not getting in touch about axed scenes. Instead, he was informing him that they wanted him to come back to work. They had added him into the last section of the movie.

“We wrote a small part for him, and we just kept expanding, it kept growing,” McQuarrie said. “I called Tom and I said, ‘You know, I think we’re doing ourselves a disservice if we let this character leave the movie midway through.’ Tom said, ‘I completely agree; he should be there in the third act.’”

Saxon was nervous when he first got to set, but he said Cruise, whom he had interacted with only briefly during the first movie, quickly put him at ease.”

Rolf Saxon plays William Donloe in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – Review

It seems impossible that Tom Cruise would stop making Mission Impossible movies, but if you have seen any of the films in this franchise, especially the more recent ones, you know nothing is impossible in the Mission Impossible universe. Yet MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING is hinted to be the last in the franchise. We shall see about that. Of course, at some point, star Tom Cruise will have to step back from this action franchise, because everyone ages, including Cruise, in order to maintain a scrap of believability in this franchise built on ever-more impossible stunts. Still, since Cruise bares most of his muscular body, not once but twice, in this film, he may be telling audiences he’s still in good enough shape to continue, for now.

Fans are still enthusiastic about the action-fueled, stunt-packed franchise regardless, and if Tom Cruise wanted to go out on top for this series, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING would be a good choice. More cohesive and entertaining than the last one in the franchise, this round has now-freelance secret agent/do-gooder Ethan Hunt and his team in a ticking-clock race to defeat an AI entity taking over the world by seizing control of the world’s nuclear weapons, with a plan to wipe out humankind. It is thrilling, nail-nibbling excitement and entertainment throughout.

The series originated from a 1960s TV spy thriller series, with agent Jim Phelps and his team of skilled secret agents would thwart evil international plots, using a variety of disguises and technology. That show started with a frenetic, burning-fuse, jazz music theme, and agent Jim Phelps getting a secret assignment via audio tape that would always end with a message about official disavowing the teams action and the tape self-destructing, as it burst into flame. About all that remains of that origin show is a sampling of the catchy musical theme, a recorded message that self-destructs in a puff of smoke, and penchant for masks and impersonation. Even the name of the team leader was changed long ago by producer/star Tom Cruise, to Ethan Hunt.

As MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING opens, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team have become free agents but are still committed to doing good. When Ethan gets a recorded-message plea for help from the President (Angela Bassett, in a brilliant bit of casting), he lets bygones be bygones to come to the rescue, literally to save the world, or at least humankind, from a powerful AI entity that wants to rule the world, and is gaining control of the world’s nukes to do that. The all-powerful AI makes for a chilling villain, a real challenge Hunt’s skills and his team.

Along with the AI’s plan to wipe out humans, Ethan also faces a human adversary named Gabriel (Esai Morales), a smiling madman who believes he can seize control of the AI to rule the world himself, but who wants to let the AI grab all the nukes first.

Ethan’s team has familiar faces, such as Simon Pegg as tech assistant/right-hand man Benji Dunn. Hayley Atwell plays Grace, a beautiful young master-thief and skilled pickpocket who becomes an Ethan ally and sort-of love interest for Cruise, Pom Klementieff plays Paris, a roguish, deadpan and deadly fighter who has joined Ethan’s team, and Ving Rhames appears as brilliant tech/biomedical genius who is a long-time friend and help to Ethan Hunt. They are joined by a host of familiar names, including Shea Wigham, Nick Offerman, Mark Gatiss, and Janet McTeer, in various supporting roles.

But the real star of this show, as always, is Tom Cruise, in those impossible stunt sequences. In every movie in the franchise, those stunts get bigger and wilder, topping the previous one, and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING continues that mission well.

The stunt sequences are the major appeal of the series, and this one delivers. Thrilling, physics-defying sequences are abundant in this nearly three-hour long action thriller extravaganza. Stunt sequences take place in the air, with wing-walking on a pair of bi-planes, at at sunken sub in the freezing Arctic, and in numerous battles and fight scenes spanning the globe, either with Cruise battling a single foe or the whole team fighting a small army of baddies.

All the stunts and the effects are outstanding, and highly entertaining, even better than previous installments in the franchise. The thrilling, nail-biting underwater Arctic Ocean sequence is a highlight, where Cruise’s Ethan has to dive into a sunk sub to find an essential McGuffin to defeat the AI, risking life and limb in the freezing and dangerous environment of the deep ocean and on a shipwreck precariously balanced on the edge of a trench. Another thriller highlight is an air-borne, death-defying battle where Cruise’s Ethan chases bad guy Gabriel above a rugged African landscape – in biplanes.

Apparently eager to show off his physique, the aging Cruise gets nearly naked in two of these action sequences, including, mindbogglingly, in the frozen Arctic Ocean. Nothing is too preposterous in this franchise, which constantly tops itself with gravity-defying, physics-violating, and biologically-impossible thrillers, all performed reportedly by star Cruise.

These numerous stunt sequences, fight scenes and chase thrills periodically are interrupted by scenes of banter with his team, fizzy flirtations with the pretty pickpocket, and “I love you, man” emotional scenes with team members, particularly with Ving Rhames, as the tech genius who crafts a weapon that might defeat the evil AI. The whole thing takes place against a ticking clock, of course, as Ethan and the team race around the world to thwart the evil plan.

There are plenty of twists, lots of death-defying stunts, a few good guys (and baddies) lost along the way, and the whole thing is kept cooking along at a fast pace, although a few scenes could have been trimmed to reduce that excessive running time, mostly in some of the too-long emotional scenes between action sequences and a few extra fight scenes that don’t really advance the plot.

Still, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING delivers the over-the-top and top-the-last-one impossible stunt action, and plenty of Tom Cruise heroics, that fans of the franchise crave, whether this really is the final one or not.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE opens in theaters on Friday, May 23, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING

Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Directed by Christopher M^cQuarrie.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING IS ONLY IN THEATRES, DOLBY CINEMA, 4DX, SCREENX, PREMIUM LARGE FORMATS, AND IMAX ON MAY 23, 2025.

https://www.missionimpossible.com/home

The St. Louis screening is at 7pm on Monday, May 12^th at Marcus Ronnie’s IMAX

PASS LINK: http://gofobo.com/KajUo21079

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Rated PG 13.

Runtime 2 HR 49 MIN

Tom Cruise and Director Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

With The Odds Impossible, The Mission Falls To Tom Cruise: Watch The First Teaser For MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING

When the need for certainty is absolute
And the odds are deemed impossible
The mission falls to him

Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in the follow-up to 2023’s MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE and to start the week, Paramount Pictures has released a first poster and teaser for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING.

Official Synopsis: “Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.“

In 2024, Cruise appeared in the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony to promote Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, by jumping from the roof of the Stade de France stadium in Paris. He took the flag from Mayor Karen Bass and athlete Simone Biles to Hollywood.

As seen in the trailer, Cruise wears the same wardrobe as Ethan Hunt in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING that he did performing the epic stunt on August 11, 2024.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE sits at an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The franchise has grossed over $4 billion worldwide, with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT having the highest ticket sales with $220,159,104.

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, and produced by Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie, based on the television series created by Bruce Geller, composer Lorne Balfe returns to score the movie.

The film also stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Frederick Schmidt.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING opens in theaters on MAY 23, 2025.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Review

With this week’s release of an entry in a blockbuster action franchise the old adage of seven being a lucky number will truly be put to the test. Now it’s not the highest number franchise as we’ve gotten FAST X or the longest running like the big flick from almost two weeks ago, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (way back in 1981). Of course, we can add on the inspiration for this series, actually a TV series (overseen by Lucy…really) which exploded onto the airwaves way back in the prehistoric era (nah, merely 1966). Oh, but this “tentpole” has catapulted well past its “network” roots. Still, it’s tough not to hear that infectious theme music from Lalo Schifrin when taking in this rather long title (but thanks, Paramount, for being “upfront” about it) MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. And now I’m seeing that sizzling fuse in my head.

Surprisingly this new installment doesn’t begin with the finale of another caper involving the IMF (Impossible Missions Force). Nope, we’re on board for the last cruise (‘natch) of an “invisible” Russian submarine. Advanced top-secret stealth capabilities really, completely undetectable. But not indestructible as two prized interlocking keys are left floating in its wreckage. This leads to a new mission, which he “chooses to accept”, for IMF ace Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), who is sent to the Namib desert for a deadly reunion with old cohort Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Soon he’s back in the States as a “hush-hush” meeting of “the Community” outlines the urgent need for said keys. It’s the only way to stop a now rogue AI program called “the Entity”, which has become sentient and desires to use the world wide web to take over the planet. Hunt’s boss Kitteridge (Henry Czerny) is present, along with his superior, DNI head Denlinger (Cary Elwes). Learning of Hunt’s involvement, he sends out a team led by Briggs (Shea Whigham) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davies) to stop the IMF. Reuniting with his teammates and pals, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg), Hunt travels to the Abu Dhabi airport to intercept a key transfer. Said item is snatched away by pro pickpocket/ “drop-pocket” Grace (Hayley Atwell). But Hunt also has to deal with the return of an old enemy, the ruthless and deadly Gabriel (Esai Morales), who’s helping the Entity. This leads to a globetrotting race for the keys, with stops in Rome and Venice, battles with Gabriel’s aide, the deadly Paris (Pom Klementieff), and a tense showdown by another woman from Hunt’s past, Alanna AKA “the White Widow” (Vanessa Kirby). Eventually, everything and everyone converge on a heart-stopping ride aboard the Orient Express (with no Belgian master detective to help). Perhaps this is a mission that’s truly impossible.

This thriller boasts an impressive acting ensemble, but once again this is Mr. Cruise’s show. In the previous sextet, he’s more than proved his skills in selling spectacular action stunts. However, Ethan is not merely a “daredevil. We see some of his warmth and committment to his team, while forging a couple of possible romances. Plus he injects humor into these dire predictaments as he quickly “switches gears” when plans go awry, and even shows a sign of panic as he works up the “nerve” to plunge forward. And then Cruise shows us that the “superspy” is a man of principals when he decides to block the “higher-ups” who lust after the Entity. As mentioned earlier, his sometimes squabbling duo has is back. Rhames as Luther is often the wise and grounded elder mentor, sort of the “cool uncle” , while Pegg as Benji is the often over-excited and exasperated “kid brother” who only gets “in the field” when absolutely needed. Ferguson is quite dynamic and decisive as the skilled Faust, while Kirby is slinky and sexy as the unpredictable “wild card” Alanna. Probably the best of the “newbies” is Atwell, upending her MCU Peggy Carter persona, as the “in it for the bucks” Grace who slowly starts to regain her ethics due to the influence of the IMF and especially Hunt (and yes, there’s a playful chemistry between them). As for the “opponants”, Wigham and Davis are very good as the “by the books” partners who seem to always be a step or two behind Hunt, earning a begrudging respect from the elder agent. But the biggest “baddie” is Gabriel played with a chilling dead-eyed glare by Morales. He’s a near-unstoppable force of villainy, who doesn’t hesitate in inflicting violence against anyone, especially Hunt’s friends (it appears to be his only source of pleasure). A good counterpoint to this “weapon” is Klementieff’s Paris who does derive lots of joy from the chaos she creates. Czerny is quite effective as the morally ambiguous IMF chief, who seems to have his own sinister agenda, while Elwes is “carving a niche” for himself as a smarmy bureaucrat who’s in need of a comeuppance.

Taking the directing chair for the third time is Christopher McQuarrie who keeps the story moving with nearly as much energy as one of Cruise’s manic sprints (yup, he’s burning up the “shoe leather” once again) making it feel like half of its163-minute runtime. Yes, the bulk of the flick consists of several big action sequences, but McQuarrie doesn’t let them veer too much into the “silly” or needlessly repetitive. The Rome chase is full of twists and even allows for some nice “interplay” between Hunt and Grace (hear that, FAST X). And the “tiny car” comedy outdoes Indy’s trek in Tangiers. Speaking of Dr. Jones, the Orient Express train sequence easily bests the DIAL WWII prologue (which is perhaps its best moment). And the Venice “techno dance arena” here has more gravitas than the similar setting in the recent John Wick opus. But unlike many of those other recent blockbusters, there’s lots of fun to be had in between the fighting and driving as we get a greater understanding of the bond between the IMF, who now seems to be a mix of the A-Team, the Lone Ranger, the Magnificent Seven, and a touch of the Avengers (movies and TV show). Sure the locations are stunning, but the main selling point continues to be Cruise’s insistence in doing as much of the stunt work as possible. He wants us to know that he’s not “chilling” in his trailer. It’s almost as though he’s the modern-day version of the silent movie “thrill” comic actors. Of course, Jackie Chan touched on that with his Chaplin-like agility in his early career, but Cruise takes it a bit further. In GHOST PROTOCOL, he’s riffing on Harold Llyod in SAFETY LAST as he climbs that towering skyscraper. With the big railway finale here, I was reminded of Buster Keaton’s THE GENERAL. And like those classics, many of the scenes will have you gripping those armrests. In short, this is a most worthy addition to the series, mixing a “ripped from the headlines” menace/McGuffin (Y’know, AI “creating art”) with new locales and deadlier dangers. Oh, and again, extra kudos for stating that the story is continued, right up front in the titles and promotions. FAST X, ends on a cliffhanger leading to a couple more flicks (sheesh), and I love the new SPIDER-VERSE dearly, but they shouldn’t have lost the “sprayed-on graffiti-style” Part One after the first couple of teasers and a few toys. So, be like this flick and “put it out there”, studios! If only all the Summer blockbusters were as forthright, exciting, and fun as MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. Now, when does two arrive?

3.5 Out of 4

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE is now playing in theatres everywhere

WAMG Celebrates MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 With Our 7 Favorite Tom Cruise Movies

*Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.*

On September 6, 2020, the first day of principal photography on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise drove a motorbike off a mountain. Specifically, he drove a custom-made Honda CRF 250 off a purpose-built ramp on the side of Norway’s Helsetkopen mountain, a vertiginous rock face sat some 1,200 meters above sea level. Then he plunged 4,000 feet into the ravine below before opening his parachute barely 500 feet from the ground.

When he landed, director, Christopher Mc Quarrie, and the small crew of his Mission co-stars who had assembled to watch the seminal cinematic sequence from the safety of video village, breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then Cruise picked himself up and did it all again another seven times, just to make sure the footage was perfect.

*Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.*

The stunt was, by any measure, the most dangerous of Cruise’s career – which is saying something given that in previous Mission films he has, among other jaw-dropping endeavors, swung around the outside of the world’s tallest building (Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, in Ghost Protocol), hung onto the side of an Airbus A400M while it was in flight (in Rogue Nation) and launched himself out of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from a height of 25,000 feet, opening his chute just 2,000 feet from the ground and becoming the first person ever to execute a High Altitude Low Opening – or HALO – jump on film (in Fallout).

As is Cruise’s now standard practice, the motorbike jump – in which his Ethan Hunt zooms off the edge, ditches the bike and executes a high-risk BASE jump in the six-second window he has before impact – had been long in the planning. After rehearsing for a year in the UK during pre-production, by the time the cameras rolled he’d completed over 500 skydives and 13,000 motocross jumps in readiness to prepare for the most dangerous stunt he has ever completed on screen. Currently, the Mission series has grossed over $3.5 billion worldwide.

This, movie geeks, is why Tom Cruise is a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. Having achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer, and philanthropist in a career spanning over five decades, Cruise is a four time Oscar nominee whose films have earned over $12 billion in worldwide box office – an incomparable accomplishment.

His nominations include two for Best Actor (JERRY MAGUIRE and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY). one for Best Supporting Actor (MAGNOLIA) and one for Best Picture (producer, TOP GUN: MAVERICK).

Fueled by a lifetime goal to entertain audiences around the world, Cruise has worked over the last 40 years to produce and star in movies that stand the test of time. As a result, he has played a leading role in numerous legendary films such as Top Gun, Interview with the Vampire, The Firm, Rain Man, Oblivion, The Last Samurai, Born on the Fourth of July, Taps, The Color of Money, and the Mission: Impossible series, among many others.

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars aired on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC.

During Cruise’s appearance at the Oscars nominees luncheon in February, to celebrate the Best Picture nominee for TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Director Steven Spielberg told the actor and producer that he “saved Hollywood’s ass.”

MAVERICK received a total of six nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Opening in cinemas on July 12, Rotten Tomatoes currently has MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE sitting at 98% https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mission_impossible_dead_reckoning_part_one

After more than 40 years and 40 films, Cruise continues to lift fellow artists, inspire fans, and entertain audiences everywhere and to celebrate the opening of MI7, the staff of WAMG chose our 7 favorite Tom Cruise movies.

A FEW GOOD MEN – December 11, 1992

By 1983, Tom Cruise had already come to our attention in relatively small films like RISKY BUSINESS, THE OUTSIDERS (1983) and ALL THE RIGHT MOVES (1983). His charm and charisma onscreen launched him into the stratosphere with TOP GUN (1986) and RAIN MAN (1989). In 1989, Cruise was acknowledged for his efforts with a Lead Actor Oscar nomination for BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY, proving that he was more than just a “pretty face.” In 1992, Cruise was tapped to play Lt. Daniel Kaffee in director Rob Reiner’s film adaptation of Aaron Sorkin’s hit Broadway play, “A Few Good Men,” starring opposite heavy hitter and Academy Award-winning actor Jack Nicholson, and an ensemble cast that included Kevin Bacon, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, and Keifer Sutherland. Cruise had already proved he could hold his own against a Hollywood legend (Paul Newman, THE COLOR OF MONEY-1986) and he brilliantly went toe-to-toe with Nicholson’s Colonel Nathan Jessup. The final courtroom scene (“I want the truth!!” “You can’t handle the truth!!”) is pretty iconic and this is easily one of Cruise’s best acting performances to date, if not the best. – Melissa Thompson

EDGE OF TOMORROW – June 6, 2014

What makes this work is Tom Cruise as a charismatic comedian. He makes the audience laugh every time he dies. He isn’t the hero or the savior, but the loser who dies hundreds of time, only to have to relive it over again and again. “If you love Tom Cruise, you see him giving a genius performance, and if you hate Tom Cruise he dies like 200 times in the movie,” confirmed director Doug Liman in a post-footage Q&A. – Michelle McCue

https://www.max.com/movies/8d4640d7-fb4c-4ea8-bdc5-2c63a8b5ffe0

TOP GUN: MAVERICK – May 27, 2022

TOP GUN: MAVERICK is the sequel we never knew we needed until we actually needed it, 36 years later. It doesn’t get any more pop-culture than 1986’s Top Gun, and in sequel-happy Hollywood, it was surprising that Top Gun, with it’s $177M+ haul at the box office, never received a follow-up. Top Gun: Maverick had been in development at Paramount since 2010. After eight years in development, Top Gun: Maverick finally began filming in 2018, with a release date that was originally set for July 2019. But the covid-19 pandemic had other plans, and the release date was pushed back to June 24, 2020. And then again to December 23, 2020. And again, to November 19, 2021. Finally, as the pandemic began to subside, we got the final release date of May 27, 2021. Finally! It was happening. But would Top Gun: Maverick deliver the same thrills as its predecessor? It was 36 years later – how could it? Fans that had been shut out of movie theaters for nearly 2 years came out in droves, and a big part of that was the sentimental factor. We really did want to see whatever happened to Lt. Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick. And it was everything we hoped it would be. Audiences were treated to multiple flashbacks from the original film that tied up some loose ends very nicely, and director Joseph Kosinski even recreated the unforgettably high-octane opening credits sequence from Top Gun, shot for shot. As sequels go, Top Gun: Maverick is as good as it gets and proved that Cruise is still the biggest movie star on the planet. – Melissa Thompson

https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/Alcn0hcGx0HosdhcawKteH8DXh3RiOF7/

TROPIC THUNDER – August 13, 2008

It was quite a stunner when the world’s biggest action movie star decided to join up with the “Frat Pack” in 2008 for the Hollywood satire helmed by frequent Cruise satirist Ben Stiller. Swallowed up in a fat suit, bald cap, Brillo-like beard, and massive phony hands, Cruise’s uncredited supporting role as furious foul mouthed producer Les Grossman is a “foreshadowing” take-off on Harvey Weinstein mixed with Scott Rudin and a splash of TOP GUN’s Don Simpson. The character was so popular that Cruise brought him back two years later for some memorable dance moves at the MTV Movie Awards. – Jim Batts

COLLATERAL – August 6, 2004

While his role as producer Les Grossman was slimy and vile, it was Cruise’s performance as the villainous Vincent in COLLATERAL that made audiences and critics take notice. The convincing transformation as the menacing contract killer, along with the actor’s sinister platinum hair and cold black eyes, had us scared and terrified for Jamie Foxx’s cab driver Max. We could barely breathe and were white knuckling it through the 2 hours spent in that taxi with the psychopath. For the first time, we were rooting for our leading man to lose. – Michelle McCue

https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/mSEEbIw3N2cSsPIfcuTo3LREHCsZlrhg/

RISKY BUSINESS – August 5, 1983

It felt fresh and funny at the time. For me, Curtis Armstrong’s anxiety about Guido the Killer Pimp was one of the big takeaways, however most remember Cruise’s now iconic doorway dance. – Mark Glass

JERRY MAGUIRE – December 13, 1996

No list of Tom Cruise movies would complete without JERRY MAGUIRE, the hit comedy romance that gave it’s decade the catch phrases “You had me at hello” and “Show me the money.” It made Renee Zellweger a star, and coming after Tom’s action star role in the first MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, it ahem brought him back down to earth. – Cate Marquis

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE Tom Cruise Arrives At Abu Dhabi International Airport’s New Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi & Sydney, Australia Premiere And New Photos

In advance of Paramount Pictures and Skydance’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”, the cast and filmmakers have been travelling the world to give fans a first look at the seventh installment of the franchise.

Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie arrived on the inaugural flight at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s New Midfield Terminal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on June 25, 2023.

Tom Cruise arrived on the first flight into Abu Dhabi International Airport’s NEW Midfield Terminal, unveiling the new Etihad Mission Impossible plane livery which hit the skies last Sunday.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE opens in theaters on July 12.

Tom Cruise arrives on the inaugural flight at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s New Midfield Terminal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on June 25, 2023, in advance of the “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” Abu Dhabi Premiere presented by Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Check out what Cruise and McQuarrie sent out on social media their support for the BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER movies.

This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters.

Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indy and one of the most iconic characters in history.

I love a double feature, and it doesn't get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Oppenheimer and Barbie. pic.twitter.com/udWHHj4fAe
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) June 28, 2023

(Photo by Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JUNE 26: Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff and Christopher McQuarrie attend the Abu Dhabi Red Carpet and Premiere of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” presented by Paramount Pictures and Skydance at Emirates Palace Hotel on June 26, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Watch the two spots below.

The globetrotting to promote the film continued.

On July 2nd, the cast and filmmakers headed to the premiere in Australia.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 02: Tom Cruise attends a photocall in support of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on July 02, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 02: Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff and Christopher McQuarrie attend a photocall in support of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on July 02, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 02: Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg and Christopher McQuarrie attend a photocall in support of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on July 02, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Currently, the Mission series has grossed over $3.5 billion worldwide.

It’s hard to overstate the impact that Cruise’s Mission: Impossible franchise has had on action cinema over the decades, and how it has itself grown exponentially over the same period. “Mission had done a train sequence before, all the way back in the first film and a lot of that had been done on a stage. We wanted to do one that was practical. We wanted to build upon what was learned on that sequence and apply all of that knowledge to something practical and real,” McQuarrie says, speaking about one of the film’s many jaw-dropping action sequences, in which he and Cruise drive a real steam train off a blown-up bridge (more on that later). Over six installments and 27 years of the Mission: Impossible franchise, the character of Ethan Hunt has earned his place as one of Cruise’s most indelible creations. And, in Dead Reckoning Parts One and Two, the elite agent will be tested more than ever.

The filmmakers are not only delighted with what their approach has yielded thus far, but also thrilled with what they have yet to reveal. “In the next one, you will feel the world constantly expanding and you’ll go to places the franchise has never been. You’ll see parts of the world that you’ve never seen this way. And, frankly, some of them won’t exist for much longer,” McQuarrie says. “We have really, truly, taken this story to the edge of the world.”

If neither Cruise nor McQuarrie is yet prepared to reveal what ground-breaking stunt Cruise is preparing to pull off for audiences in the next movie, McQuarrie will at least confirm this: “The bike jump [in Dead Reckoning Part One] was far and away the most dangerous thing we had ever attempted. The only thing that scared me more than that stunt was what we had planned for Part Two.”

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

For now, though, what both men want is for audiences around the world to get ready to immerse themselves in a jaw-dropping story that they say makes this Mission: Impossible the most exhilarating, ambitious, and emotional installment so far. “I always knew there were things we could do better,” Cruise says of his near-three decade Mission journey. “There are always mountains to climb. But I really do believe that this movie is Mission in its highest gear. No one can be tougher on me than me. I have always set the bar high for myself and always expect a lot from myself. I never want to rest on any laurels in seeing how I can serve the audience.”

Cruise smiles, excited by what that audience is about to see, and by what he knows is coming next. “If I could be on a movie set every single day of my life, I would,” he says. “I am always pushing myself. I can’t help it, it’s in my nature.”

https://www.missionimpossible.com/