Mission: Impossible 8 is the next installment in the blockbuster action franchise, with many of the beloved cast from previous movies returning to reprise their iconic roles and celebrate the conclusion of this long-running narrative. In spite of all the action and spectacle, the Mission: Impossible franchise has always put its characters first, blending high-stakes action filmmaking with more intimate, powerful subplots about love and friendship. The story of Mission: Impossible 8 pays off plenty of these narrative threads by bringing back the majority of the existing cast, making it the most exciting project in the franchise by a long shot.
Mission: Impossible 8 follows international espionage agent Ethan Hunt on his riskiest and most dangerous adventure yet, relying on the of his closest friends and allies. As always, it’s Tom Cruise’s performance as Ethan Hunt that does much of the heavy lifting in the Mission: Impossible franchise, with his Hollywood charm and dedication to stunt work making these movies so exciting, even after two decades of playing the role. Many of the other actors in Mission: Impossible 8 have also been working in the franchise for almost as long, making their returns hugely important.
Tom Cruise As Ethan Hunt
Tom Cruise returns as protagonist Ethan Hunt in what may or may not be the last Mission: Impossible movie, potentially bringing the character’s journey to a dramatic conclusion. Hunt is an international spy who has been on countless adventures throughout his career, but Mission: Impossible 8 finally sees his thirst for action catch up with him. Cruise has played the character regularly since his introduction in 1996’s Mission: Impossible, with the star also appearing in plenty of other popular action movies such as Top Gun: Maverick, Edge of Tomorrow, and Jack Reacher.
While he’s mostly seen as an action star today, Cruise also made several powerful dramas and thrillers throughout the '80s and ‘90s, such as Eyes Wide Shut, A Few Good Men, and The Color of Money, where he played the characters of Dr. Harford, Lt. Kaffee, and Vincent, respectively. His return to lead the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 will make Ethan Hunt one of the longest-running action characters in cinema history.
Ving Rhames As Luther Stickell
Luther Stickell is another character who has been around for several decades, making his first appearance alongside Ethan Hunt in the original Mission: Impossible. He’s a well-trusted friend and ally, though his talents often take him away from the field where he can work from behind the scenes. The character is played again in the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 by Ving Rhames, who is otherwise best known for his role as criminal mastermind Marsellus Wallace in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Since then, Rhames has also appeared in several other action blockbusters, including the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, where he played Charlie-27.
Simon Pegg As Benji Dunn
Benji Dunn made his debut in Mission: Impossible III as another ally of Ethan Hunt, offering technical advice and serving as his eyes and ears during missions. Benji also provides much of the comic relief throughout the franchise, not possessing the same confidence and bravado as agents like Hunt. He’s played again in the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 by Simon Pegg, who previously appeared as Shaun in Shaun of the Dead, Nicholas Angel in Hot Fuzz, and Gary in The World’s End. He has proved to be the perfect fit for this comedic role, bringing a much-needed sense of entertainment to the Mission: Impossible movies.
Rebecca Ferguson As Isla Faust
Isla Faust first appeared in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation as another international spy whom Ethan Hunt found himself in conflict with, but the pair quickly forged a deep bond and learned to assist each other in their respective adventures. The character was among Rebecca Ferguson’s first major roles, which led to her landing parts in other Hollywood blockbusters, including Riza in Men In Black: International and Lady Jessica in Dune. However, the actress has continued to appear in smaller, more dramatic works, with credits as Mae in Reminiscence, Jenny Lind in The Greatest Showman, and Miranda North in Life.
Hayley Atwell As Grace
The character of Grace is introduced in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One as another spy Hunt finds himself working with throughout his most dangerous adventure yet. She’s played by English actress Hayley Atwell, who continues the role as part of the cast of Mission: Impossible 8. Atwell is already familiar with the action genre from her starring role in the MCU’s Captain America: The First Avenger as Peggy Carter. She reprised this role in projects such as the TV show Agent Carter and Avengers: Endgame while also starring in quieter dramas such as Christopher Robin and The Duchess.
Vanessa Kirby As Alanna Mitsopolis
Alanna Mitsopolis was introduced in Mission: Impossible - Fallout, though she’s better known as The White Widow. An illegal arms dealer and money launderer who assists Hunt and his team in their capture of Solomon Lane, Mitsopolis finds herself called upon again to assist Hunt in part one of Dead Reckoning. The character is played again in the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 by Vanessa Kirby, who portrayed Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown. She also starred in the drama Pieces of a Woman, which earned her an Oscar nomination, and the action spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
Esai Morales As Gabriel
The character of Gabriel is integral to the story of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, as he’s the primary antagonist who sparks the chain of events that cause the entire adventure. The villain is played by Esai Morales, who is most recognizable for playing Del, the main villain of Ozark’s first season — proving that he’s got experience playing these kinds of intimidating, mysterious antagonists. Long before ing the cast of Mission: Impossible 8, the actor also played Ritchie Valens's half-brother Bob in La Bamba and Lieutenant Tony Rodriguez on the TV series NYPD Blue.
Henry Czerny As Eugene Kittridge
Eugene Kittridge first appeared in Mission: Impossible as the director of the Impossible Mission Force, though he didn't show up again until his return as part of the cast of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Mission: Impossible 8. In the original movie, he didn’t trust Ethan Hunt and even accused him of being a mole, so the pair have some tension to work through. He’s played by Henry Czerny, who played Robert Ritter in Clear and Present Danger and Yuri in The Pink Panther. While he has not appeared in many prestige blockbusters, he brings his subtle dramatic talents to his role here.
Mission: Impossible 8 ing Cast & Characters
Pom Klementieff in an unknown role - Though her role hasn’t officially been announced yet, Pom Klementieff has been cast as an important character in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Mission: Impossible 8. The actress had her breakthrough role as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, which she reprised in later MCU installments. Since then, the actress has also appeared as Martel in Westworld and Roxette in Black Mirror.
Shea Wigham as Jasper Briggs - Shea Wigham is new to the Mission: Impossible franchise, playing a character named Jasper Briggs in both Dead Reckoning movies. The actor is already familiar with the action genre after playing Agent Marenick in Non-Stop, Six’s Father in Netflix’s The Gray Man, and Stasiak in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Holt McCallany as Secretary of Defense Bernstein - It’s likely that Bernstein will cause some trouble for Hunt and his team as the Secretary of Defense, as it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve found themselves on the wrong side of the government. The character is played by Holt McCallany, whose previous credits include Bill Tench in Mindhunter and the Mechanic in Fight Club — two very similar roles with their threatening demeanor.
Nick Offerman as Sydney - Another character appearing in the franchise for the first time as part of the cast of Mission: Impossible 8, described as a military officer with complex interests. He’s played by Nick Offerman, who has displayed both his comedic and dramatic talents in roles such as Parks and Recreation’s Ron Swanson and The Last of Us' Bill.
Charles Parnell in an unknown role - Though his role remains unconfirmed, Charles Parnell has officially ed the cast of Mission: Impossible 8. His previous credits include the CIA Director in Transformers: Age of Extinction and iral Bates opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick.
Janet McTeer in an unknown role - Janet McTeer also makes an appearance in the cast of Mission: Impossible 8. This is a different kind of project for the actress, who previously starred as Camilla in Me Before You and Edith Prior in Allegiant. She also has earned Oscar nominations for her performances in Tumbleweeds and Albert Nobbs. Like her co-star Morales, McTeer also starred as an antagonist in Ozark.
Mariela Garriga as Marie - Mariela Garriga plays a character named Marie in the seventh and eighth Mission: Impossible movies, adding to her existing credits as Elana Marks on Law & Order: SVU and Peitra Rey on NCIS: Los Angeles.
Hannah Waddingham in an unknown role - Hannah Waddingham is best known for her comedic roles in projects such as Ted Lasso and Hocus Pocus 2, where she played the characters of Rebecca and The Witch Mother, respectively. The Mission: Impossible franchise is a huge change for her, though it’s unknown exactly who she’s playing.
Lucy Tulugarjuk in an unknown role - Tulugarjuk plays another yet-unnamed character as part of the cast of Mission: Impossible 8, with the actress’s previous credits including Tarriagsuk in Tia and Piujuq and Nuvvija in The Journals of Knud Rasmussen. This will be her first major appearance in a Hollywood feature.
