Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning: Tom Cruise’s Epic Finale Arrives

The Final Chapter of Ethan Hunt’s Legacy

The Mission: Impossible franchise has reached a pivotal moment with the release of its eighth instalment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which arrived in cinemas on 23 May 2025. Tom Cruise confirmed at the New York premiere that this would be his last time portraying Ethan Hunt, stating the film is “the final” and “it’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.” This marks the end of an era for one of cinema’s most enduring action franchises, which began nearly three decades ago.

Dead Reckoning Part One’s Commercial Performance

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One grossed $172.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $398.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $571.1 million. Released in July 2023, the seventh film introduced audiences to The Entity, a powerful rogue artificial intelligence that poses an unprecedented threat to humanity. Despite critical acclaim, the film was considered a box-office disappointment despite becoming the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2023.

The Final Reckoning’s Journey to Release

The sequel’s path to cinemas was fraught with challenges. Principal photography began in March 2022 but was suspended in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, with production resuming in March 2024 and concluding in November. Originally subtitled Dead Reckoning Part Two, the film changed its subtitle in November 2024. The production delays pushed the release date from June 2024 to May 2025.

Record-Breaking Success and Legacy

With a $300–400 million budget, The Final Reckoning is one of the most expensive films ever made. The investment appears to have paid off, as the film has grossed $598.8 million worldwide, whilst also having the largest opening weekend of the franchise. The film continues the story of Ethan Hunt’s battle against The Entity, bringing closure to storylines established in the previous instalment whilst delivering the death-defying stunts and globe-trotting action sequences fans have come to expect from the franchise.