Tom Cruise is back in action — running, jumping, diving, and defying death — as the trailer for the eighth 'Mission: Impossible' film drops, promising high-octane thrills and a heavy dose of nostalgia. Titled 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning', the upcoming installment looks to wrap up the decades-spanning saga with an explosive finale.
The trailer opens with a signature Cruise stunt — the star clinging to the side of an airborne plane — and wastes no time in re-establishing Ethan Hunt’s legendary daredevil persona. As voices question, “This can’t all be true,” the footage shifts into a montage of jaw-dropping moments from Hunt’s past — evading explosions, infiltrating high-security zones, and escaping the inescapable. With the world once again teetering on the edge of chaos, the stakes are higher than ever.
Hunt’s long-concealed secrets are no longer safe, and he finds himself branded a threat that must be neutralized. The mission is clear: everything he’s fought for — and everyone he’s tried to protect — is now at risk.
In a heartfelt nod to the franchise’s roots, the trailer also features clips from the original 1996 Mission: Impossible directed by Brian De Palma, stirring up emotions for fans who’ve followed Cruise’s journey for nearly 30 years.
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who has helmed the franchise since Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is set to hit theaters on May 23, 2025. The film is a direct sequel to the 2023 film Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, focusing on IMF agent and leader Ethan Hunt, who possesses the key necessary to defeat a powerful AI program known as The Entity.
In this final chapter, Hunt must collect his team to find a sunken Russian submarine housing the source code needed to destroy the technology. Tom Cruise discussed the stunts in the film, stating, “There are stunts in this movie that will melt your brain. There would be a day in Africa — any day in Africa — where Tom would go out and do something that topped anything he had ever done before.” He added, “When you stick your face out, going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen. So 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.”
Joining Cruise in this grand finale are franchise regulars and new faces alike, including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Angela Bassett, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman, and Greg Tarzan Davis. Newcomers to the franchise include Lucy Tulugarjuk, Katy O’Brian, Tramell Tillman, and Stephen Oyoung.
The film will pick up immediately after the events of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, with Ethan Hunt trying to stop The Entity from wreaking havoc on the world and falling into the wrong hands. The trailer includes an underwater submarine sequence and a scene where Cruise dangles from a plane, showcasing the adrenaline-pumping action that fans have come to expect from the series.
As the franchise wraps up its story, fans are eager to witness how Ethan Hunt’s epic journey will finally come to a close. With the release just around the corner, anticipation is building for what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to one of the most iconic action franchises in film history.
In addition to the action-packed sequences, Cruise has emphasized the responsibility of filmmaking within the franchise. “He didn’t do it for personal glory, not just to make a film, but truly in recognition of the responsibility that we have for others, for our industry,” Cruise remarked at CinemaCon this year.
With a legacy spanning nearly three decades, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is not just another action film; it's a culmination of a journey that has captivated audiences worldwide. As the release date approaches, fans are left wondering: how will Ethan Hunt's story end?
