The Mission: Impossible franchise has consistently upped the ante with each installment, and the latest installment, Mission: Impossible 8, is no exception. With its solid foundation established in the original 1996 film, each subsequent installment has introduced new and thrilling elements, from high-speed motorcycle chases to terrifying villains. This latest installment, Mission: Impossible 8, is no different, with a surprisingly topical tale about the dangers of Artificial Intelligence.
Ethan Hunt’s latest mission, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, concluded with the epic search for The Entity, leading to incredible action setpieces and shocking twists and turns. The second half of the epic quest has undoubtedly made Mission: Impossible 8 one of the most anticipated projects of 2025, although moviegoers will have to wait a bit longer than expected for Ethan Hunt’s next mission.
Mission: Impossible 8 is set to release on May 25, 2025. The film has undergone numerous delays, initially scheduled for release on August 5, 2022, November 4, 2022, July 7, 2023, and June 28, 2024. The latest setback was due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, which halted filming. The film will have an exclusive three-week IMAX release before being available to stream on Paramount+.
The global action superstar Tom Cruise will revisit his iconic role as IMF Agent Ethan Hunt, along with Captain America: The First Avenger standout Hayley Atwell as Grace, Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg as Benji, and Pulp Fiction icon Ving Rhames as Luther. Also on the cast list are Doctor Sleep star Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust, although given her character’s story arc in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, her return may be through a flashback sequence or fakeout.
New faces joining the cast include Emmy Award-Winner Nick Offerman as Sydney, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Holt McCallany as Bernstein, the Secretary of Defense. Other new additions include Emmy-Award Winner Hannah Waddingham, Academy Award nominee Janet McTeer, Lucy Tulugarjuk, Katy O’Brian, and Tramell Tillman.
The film will continue Ethan Hunt’s search for The Entity, even as the world’s governments and other third parties attempt to stop him. Ethan will likely seek retribution against Gabriel, who has murdered two people close to him. The epic conclusion will likely see Ethan bring along old friends and potentially meet new enemies.
Christopher McQuarrie will return as director and writer, sharing screenwriting credit with Band of Brothers scribe Erik Jendresen. Other returning crew members include composer Lorne Balfe, cinematographer Fraser Taggart, editor Eddie Hamilton, and production designer Gary Freeman.
Filming for Mission: Impossible 8 began but was halted by the SAG-AFTRA strike. Most of the film has been completed, but some major set pieces remain to be shot. Photos from the set made their way online in late March 2024.