Tom Cruise confirms he's on board for two more Mission: Impossible movies


Tom Cruise is taking on two more Mission: Impossible films. But could they be his last?
Cruise, along with Mission: Impossible - Fallout director Christopher McQuarrie, will return for two entries in the popular action franchise, Variety reported and Cruise subsequently confirmed on Twitter. In a first for the series, the films will be shot back-to-back and released just one year apart, with the seventh entry coming in summer 2021 and the eighth in summer 2022.
This naturally raises the question of whether these films could serve as a grand finale for Mission, or perhaps just a send-off for Cruise's character, Ethan Hunt. After all, it has often been the case that movies shot and released back-to-back are film finales, from Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III to the last entries in the Hunger Games and Harry Potter franchises, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Variety, though, doesn't confirm whether the series is ready to say goodbye to Ethan just yet, only saying the release schedule will be "in order to take advantage of the popularity of the series." Cruise, who broke his ankle filming Fallout, will turn 60 the summer the eighth film comes out.
Although the Mission franchise was once known for bringing in a new director to put his stamp on each new film, with McQuarrie returning, he will have directed half of the series by the eighth installment. His Fallout was the series' highest-grossing entry last summer. He celebrated the news on Twitter, writing, "Missions: Accepted."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Film reviews: The Phoenician Scheme, Bring Her Back, and Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Feature A despised mogul seeks a fresh triumph, orphaned siblings land with a nightmare foster mother, and a Jane fan finds herself in a love triangle
-
Music reviews: Tune-Yards and PinkPantheress
Feature "Better Dreaming" and "Fancy That"
-
Withdrawing 529 plan funds for college? Here's what to know.
the explainer Maximize the amount you have stashed away for your education
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect