What might be Ethan Hunt's last mission is set to be captured in the teased underwater stunts for The Final Reckoning, the new movie has a lot to live up to. Fortunately, all the known details of the latest installment suggest that it is set to deliver.

In a franchise with eight feature films, it is surprising that even more Mission: Impossible films have failed to be made over the years. The series has been inseparable from Tom Cruise for nearly three decades but has evolved with each installment, just as he has as an actor. Arguably, the franchise is currently in its best permutation yet and has been since Christopher McQuarrie took over the directing role in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. Hopes are high that The Final Reckoning is the best installment yet, but to do so, the movie will need to solve these great mysteries.

5 What Happened To William Brandt?

Jeremy Renner's William Brandt Nearly Became The Face Of The Franchise

William Brandt was brought in during the events of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol due to what seemed to be diminishing returns to Cruise's star power. After Knight and Day, starring Cruise and Cameron Diaz, failed to connect at the box office, the decision was made to bring in Jeremy Renner as a younger replacement for Ethan. Many believe that the plan for the series was to move on with Renner's Brandt being the next lead.

With the character being important, but not absolutely essential to the series, he was written out after Renner decided not to return.

Instead, Ghost Protocol revitalized the Mission: Impossible franchise, making Cruise as big a star as ever. Brandt then became relegated to a ing role. Renner spoke about his Mission: Impossible tenure, which saw him disappear after the events of Rogue Nation. With the character being important, but not absolutely essential to the series, he was written out after Renner decided not to return.

Still, Brandt is still an important part of Ethan's team. With how much Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning showed about Ethan's past, his team is incredibly important to him, which means that Brandt still would be as well. There was talk about Mission: Impossible - Fallout, but for now, Brandt is still alive in the franchise, and the new film could still wind up tying his story. Featuring him in one way or another feels important for the new film.

4 After Hunley's Death, Who Is The IMF Director?

Alan Hunley Was Killed In Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Alec Baldwin's Alan Hunley was the IMF Secretary during the events of Rogue Nation and Fallout, but with the character's tragic Mission: Impossible death, it is unclear who has since replaced him. Kittredge was one of several former IMF directors, and it appears that the shape of Ethan's IMF team may be significantly different in the new film. Understanding how this organization now reports to the government of the USA should be a featured part of the new film.

The director of the IMF is an important part of the Mission: Impossible story, and it is important that the franchise shows who has inherited the role.

Backroom dealings have long been an important part of the IMF, and understanding how those continue alongside the US government is instrumental in the new film. With the events of Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation showing a disavowed IMF, the actual function of this organization has already seen its fair share of jeopardy throughout the franchise that does not need to be repeated. In order for growth and consistency across the franchise, it is important that the IMF continue to function in a meaningful way in the new film.

The director of the IMF is an important part of the Mission: Impossible story, and it is important that the franchise shows who has inherited the role. Seeing how new characters like Grace will interact with the evolving version of this Force is important to the franchise. Whether the series ends with The Final Reckoning, or if the series continues without Tom Cruise, the new structure of the IMF must be revealed in the film.

3 Who Is Marie, And Why Did Gabriel Kill Her?

Marie Was A Catalyst For Ethan ing The IMF, But Audiences Know Little Else About Her

While Dead Reckoning spent a fair bit of time examining who Gabriel is in Mission: Impossible, very little of that same focus was given to Marie. In several flashback sequences, Dead Reckoning shows Gabriel killing Marie, and this action seems intentionally directed to ruin Ethan's life. While little from this flashback is actually discussed in detail, it seems that Ethan is framed for Marie's death, and is forced to the IMF to retain his freedom.

After Marie's death, Ethan dedicated himself to the IMF, where he grew up in so many important ways.

As was examined in Dead Reckoning, the IMF generally finds its agents by bringing in avowed criminals with nothing left to lose. This was a strangely complex idea to introduce in Dead Reckoning but now appears to be an essential part of Ethan's backstory. With this, Gabriel is at least partially responsible for the life that Ethan has had to live. After Marie's death, Ethan dedicated himself to the IMF, where he grew up in so many important ways.

Understanding who Marie was and why Gabriel felt the need to kill her should be an important part of the next sequel. Ethan's motivations and his relationships with the rest of his team, including Grace and Benji, have grown out of his own being forced to participate in the IMF. Seeing how this is a full-circle moment that ties into Ethan's past is an important prospect for the new film that must be given some notable focus.

2 What Is The Relationship Between Ethan And The Entity?

The Entity Already Seems To Fear Ethan In Dead Reckoning

Following the story with Marie, it is important that Ethan's connection to the Entity, the AI software that Gabriel works as the voice of, must be examined in greater detail. Luther tells Ethan in Dead Reckoning that the Entity fears him, and understanding where that might come from should be an important part of the sequel. As only a piece of generated AI software, the Entity’s beliefs and fears must come from somewhere more human.

This fear that the Entity has for Ethan could come from several different places. The Entity has clearly been seeded in government, as seen by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence Denlinger (Cary Elwes), discussing his involvement with it in Dead Reckoning. As Ethan is an important agent, there are surely files and details concerning him and his work that might influence how the software would approach him. However, the software's fear feels much more human than this and likely plays into something more significant.

Ethan Hunt's origins and history were only slowly revealed throughout the franchise, with his relationship with Gabriel being an important part of Dead Reckoning. Still, there is much more to be shown about that relationship and the history between the two foes. It seems that Gabriel has learned to be afraid of Ethan, and it is then likely that his perceptions may have influenced how the Entity sees the IMF spy. All of this feels necessary to examine in detail during the events of The Final Reckoning.

1 What The Rabbit's Foot Really Is?

The Rabbit's Foot First Appeared In Mission: Impossible III

Mission: Impossible III saw director J.J. Abrams setting up an end-of-the-world level threat with the Rabbit's Foot. In typical Abrams fashion, however, as was reflected in the teases he used in works like Lost and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the item itself was not revealed in full during the events of that film. Even after defeating Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III, details of what exactly the Rabbit's Foot is are not directly provided, leaving a sheen of mystery over the film’s events.

Following the mention of the Rabbit's Foot in the trailer for The Final Reckoning, it now appears that the weapon may finally be explained in the film. Since this mention, rumors have abounded, suggesting that perhaps the Entity is what the Rabbit's Foot became. Others have theorized that the Rabbit's Foot could be the only weapon that can destroy the Entity by the film's end. Either way, it seems likely that this device will play an important role in the new film.

Understanding what the Rabbit's Foot is and seeing it play a part in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning could be a great way to end the anticipated film. With Cruise's time as Ethan Hunt potentially coming to a close, it would help to make the larger series, including the earliest installments, feel more important to the culminating events. Regardless of how this occurs in the new film, it seems certain that the Rabbit's Foot will finally be explained in full.