Mission: Impossible 8 to serve as the final entry, which would help with marketing, but Cruise was said to not be totally onboard with the idea.

Paramount Pictures has now released the trailer for the Mission: Impossible movie, revealing that the eighth film is called Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning. While retaining "Reckoning" from the previous film's title, the addition of "Final" certainly hints that this will be Ethan's last mission, suggesting that Cruise agreed to make the film the franchise's grand conclusion. Check out the trailer below:

What The Final Reckoning Means For The Mission: Impossible Franchise

Why This Could Be Ethan Hunt's Last Mission

There have long been reports that Mission: Impossible 8 was being eyed as a potential franchise conclusion. Cruise first played Hunt almost 30 years ago, after all, with the release of Brian De Palma's first film in 1996. Cruise, however, has been vocal about not wanting to retire his superspy character, revealing last year that he hopes to take after Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford and continue to make new Mission: Impossible films until he's 80.

Director Christopher McQuarrie, who returns to helm The Final Reckoning after directing the previous two movies, teased last summer that he and Cruise had ideas for Mission: Impossible 9.

"The Final Reckoning" title and Ethan's own line in the trailer to trust him "one last time" suggest that the underperformance of the previous film may have forced Cruise's hand. THR reports that the next movie has a budget that's "approaching $400 million," and leaning into it being the final installment in the franchise might be the only way that Paramount sees any hope of it turning a profit.

Our Take On Mission: Impossible 8 Being The Last One

The Tom Cruise Franchise Has Been At Its Best In Recent Years

Even though the franchise is almost three decades old, some of the best installments have been the more recent ones. Cruise and McQuarrie clearly have a strong working relationship, and purely from a quality perspective, there's a strong argument to be made that Hunt's adventures should continue. Making a Mission: Impossible movie, however, is clearly an expensive endeavor, and the audience interest needs to be very high to justify these big price tags.

Dead Reckoning was the victim of unfortunate timing last year, hitting theaters only a week before both Barbie and Oppenheimer, but it may also be the victim of franchise fatigue. It might be for the best that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning be the last installment, as it gives the franchise a chance to go out on a high note rather than overstay its welcome.

Source: Paramount Pictures