Fresh off the record-breaking (and potentially Oscar-minted) success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” its megawatt producer and star Tom Cruise is back with a shiny new sequel to his other most iconic franchise.
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” on our list of The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2023, was first announced back in February as the first of a two-feature story arc that will serve as the epic send-off to the character of Ethan Hunt, which Cruise has played in six films over 25 years. An insider told Variety that together, the two movies will serve as a “culmination” of the series as a whole, which is hard to believe given how lucrative the franchise has proven for its backers and star alike. Sure enough, a few months later, that report was downplayed by director Christopher McQuarrie, who also helmed the previous two “Mission: Impossible” films.
Still, even if “Dead Reckoning” doesn’t end up being the end of the series, there’s no question Cruise and company are pulling out all the stops: the film has already been at the center of an international controversy over its producers’ alleged attempts to destroy a historic Polish bridge as part of a “full-scale train crash” sequence. Though the bridge was ultimately saved before it could be demolished on camera, the incident speaks to the commitment McQuarrie and Cruise have devoted to their spectacular…er, mission.
The cast for this edition features more than a few familiar faces Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, and Henry Czerny. Additions include Esai Morales as the primary villain, Hayley Atwell as an agent with ambiguous loyalties, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Cary Elwes, Rob Delaney, Indira Varma, Charles Parnell, and Mark Gatiss.
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” drops into theaters on July 14, 2023. While you’re waiting, experience the trailer below: