No one does action movies like Tom Cruise, so Mission: Impossible fans were simultaneously excited and sad to learn that the franchise’s latest entry, Dead Reckoning, would be split into two parts, the second one being Mission: Impossible 8. Two movies means more death-defying stunts and global spy hijinks, but it also means that audiences will have to wait a while to find out whether Ethan Hunt will succeed in his mission of destroying the Entity (an ultra-terrifying artificial intelligence).

“How we ended the movie was a big, big mystery for us,” director Christopher McQuarrie told Total Film in 2023. “It kept Tom awake at night throughout production. He would come in all the time and say, ‘This can’t be a cliffhanger, it’s got to be satisfying.’ The audience has to feel a sense of completion.”

While it’s true that the movie didn’t end on a cliffhanger—Ethan and the gang completed the key-finding portion of their impossible mission—they’ve still got a lot of ground left to cover if they plan on stopping the Entity from ruining humanity. According to McQuarrie, this was always the plan. “If you leave it with a cliffhanger, it feels a little bit like we’re expecting you to come back,” he explained of Dead Reckoning’s ending. “We didn’t want that feeling. The feeling we were reaching for—and we hope you feel—is we dare you not to come back. We want to leave you thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to see what happens next.’”

Keep reading for everything to know about Mission: Impossible 8, including cast and release date.

What is Mission: Impossible 8 about?

Continuing the recent tradition of epic action films being split into two parts, Mission: Impossible 8 is set to pick up where Dead Reckoning left off. Ethan and his cronies were looking for two parts of a key that together would control the Entity, an all-powerful artificial intelligence located on a Russian stealth submarine. They ultimately found the key, but not without losing a member of the crew (Ilsa, played by Rebecca Ferguson). Ethan is determined to find and destroy the Entity, and presumably his latest adversary, Gabriel (Esai Morales).

Who’s in Mission: Impossible 8?

Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt)

There is simply no Mission: Impossible without Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (who’s also a producer on the films), so yes, he’ll be back for the eighth movie. He’ll probably do his own stunts again, too—the man loves a challenge!

Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell)

Where Ethan Hunt goes, his tech guy and best friend Luther follows. Ving Rhames, who’s played the role since 1996’s Mission: Impossible, will be back for the eighth movie to rescue Ethan when he gets into scrapes that can’t be solved by driving a helicopter off a mountain.

Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn)

Simon Pegg, who has played IMF field agent Benji Dunn since 2006’s Mission: Impossible III, will be back to round out the crew. Pegg did double duty in Dead Reckoning as both Dunn and the voice of The Entity, a role he’ll likely play again in the eighth movie.

Hayley Atwell (Grace)

The newest member of Ethan’s team is Grace, who decided to join the IMF after she and Ethan spent much of Dead Reckoning searching for the same MacGuffin. Haley Atwell, who plays Grace, has confirmed that she’ll be back for the eighth movie.

Vanessa Kirby (The White Widow)

Vanessa Kirby, who plays the scenery-chewing White Widow (a.k.a. Alanna Mitsopolis), is set to return as Ethan’s No. 1 frenemy.

Henry Czerny (Eugene Kittridge)

After playing Kittridge, Ethan’s boss at the IMF, in the original Mission: Impossible, Henry Czerny returned in Dead Reckoning and will be back in the eighth movie as well. Kittridge has once again been established as having confusing motives, this time because it’s not clear what exactly he wants to do with the Entity.

Esai Morales (Gabriel)

Esai Morales is set to return as Ethan’s latest enemy, Gabriel, who works with (for?) the Entity. Fans left Dead Reckoning with a lot of questions about Gabriel’s goals and his past encounter with Ethan, so here’s hoping that the eighth movie will dive deeper into his motivation.

Pom Klementieff (Paris)

It may have seemed like Paris died at the end of Dead Reckoning after she saved Ethan and Grace from falling off the train, but apparently she didn’t. Simon Pegg shared an Instagram photo of her seemingly filming an action scene in December 2023 with the caption, “Hard to kill! If you think you’ve seen the last of Paris… think again.”

As Ilsa died in Dead Reckoning, it’s not likely that Rebecca Ferguson will be back in Mission: Impossible 8 unless she appears in flashbacks. Denlinger, the director of National Intelligence, also died, so Cary Elwes probably won’t return either. Director Christopher McQuarrie has teased the possibility of Angela Bassett reprising her role as Erika Sloane, who appeared in 2018’s Mission: Impossible — Fallout.

What is Mission: Impossible 8 called?

While Mission: Impossible 8 was originally set to be subtitled Dead Reckoning Part Two, Paramount confirmed in October 2023 that the film’s title would be changing. The title change also came with the news that the movie’s release date was pushed back nearly one year.

What is the Mission: Impossible 8 release date?

Mission: Impossible 8 is set to hit theaters on May 23, 2025. The movie was originally slated to premiere on June 28, 2024, but was pushed back because of the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which ended in 2023.

Is there a Mission: Impossible 8 trailer?

Paramount hasn’t yet released any teasers or trailers for Mission: Impossible 8, but watch this space for updates.

Is Mission: Impossible 8 the last Mission: Impossible movie?

There are no specific plans for a ninth Mission: Impossible movie at this point, but Tom Cruise has never said that he wants to wrap up the franchise anytime soon. When Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premiered within weeks of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Cruise marveled at Harrison Ford’s longevity as an action star. “Harrison Ford is a legend … I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him,” Cruise told reporters at the Australian premiere of Dead Reckoning. “I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible films until I’m his age.”

Christopher McQuarrie, who directed Dead Reckoning, Rogue Nation and Fallout, and is helming Mission: Impossible 8 as well, has also said that the seventh and eighth films aren’t the end of the franchise. At the Rome premiere of Dead Reckoning in July 2023, he told Fandango that he already has ideas about what could come next. 

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