Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was just that: part one of a two-part story. It’s a bold move for the Mission: Impossible series, which has typically played fast and loose with franchise continuity, not to mention years between release dates. So, will audiences be able to jump back into Mission: Impossible 8 with Tom Cruise-style ease? That’s what we are here to help with!
Below you’ll find everything you need to know about Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two: what it’s about, who is in it, and when it might actually release in theaters.
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What Is Mission Impossible 8 About?
Based on where Mission: Impossible 7 left things, it seems like the story premise for Mission: Impossible 8 is pretty straightforward.
(MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW)
The Entity AI system is still in operation and housed in the Russian submarine it sank to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and the IMF managed to swipe the key to controlling the Entity from Ethan’s old nemesis Gabriel (Esai Morales), but since Gabriel is working for the Entity, he will surely be coming for Ethan and his team, having already killed Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). So, the race will be on for Ethan and the IMF to get to the submarine and the Entity before Gabriel (and any of his allies) can stop them.
In the middle of that race-to-the-finish stand the forces of the espionage world, and some key players caught in between. That includes the US government and IMF/CIA head Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), and his newest recruit, Grace (Hayley Atwell). Whether Kittridge and Grace (and whoever comes with them) end up on Ethan’s side or on his heels, remains to be seen. There’s also the backstory of Ethan’s formative encounter with Gabriel before his time in the IMF, which needs to be fully revealed and explained before the two rivals have a final showdown.
Who Will Be In Mission: Impossible 8?
Tom Cruise will obviously be back as Ethan Hunt, along with longtime Mission: Impossible co-stars Ving Rhames (Luther Sticknell) and Simon Pegg (Benji Gunn) as his IMF teammates. It’s equally obvious that Esai Morales will return as Gabriel, to finish the fight.
Also returning will almost certainly be Hayley Atwell as Grace, and Henry Czerny as Kittridge. Pom Klementieff’s Paris was a breakout favorite of Dead Reckoning Part One, and the film made a point to confirm her survival, likely for the purpose of teasing her return in Part Two. Shea Whigham’s Jasper Briggs is also an easy one to confirm, as his own backstory for wanting to hunt Ethan down still needs resolution. It wouldn’t be surprising if Vanessa Kirbuy’s White Widow and her brother Zola (Frederick Schmidt) also show back up, to finish some business with Ethan.
Beyond that, that are plenty of surprising cameos that we could see in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. A lot of fans are already wondering if Jeremy Renner’s IMF agent William Brandt will show back up, having been missing from the franchise since after appearing in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation.
What Is The Release Date For Mission: Impossible 8?
Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part Two currently has a release date of June 28, 2024 – or just under a year away from the release date of Mission: Impossible 7.
However, at the time of writing this the WGA and SAG-AFTRA organizations are both on strike, bringing Hollywood film and TV productions to a standstill. Production on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two has already been delayed by the Actors’ Strike; that raises serious concerns about whether or not the sequel’s release date will be affected, as well.
