The eighth installment in Tom Cruise's action saga is set to release in May 2025, and Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's cast, who will reprise their roles from previous films to work with the IMF team in their biggest confrontation to date.

Ethan's fate hangs in the balance with no official confirmation of whether The Final Reckoning will be the final installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. There has been lots of speculation since the movie was first announced, which has only been further amplified by the title change of Mission: Impossible 8. Neither Cruise nor director Christopher McQuarrie have confirmed the finality, which means it is possible that the franchise's life will extend past The Final Reckoning — but the new title for the eighth movie does have serious implications for Cruise's billion-dollar franchise.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's Title Retcons It Being A "Part 2" Movie

Mission: Impossible's Title Change Was A Strategic Move By Paramount

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning was originally titled Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two, until the rebranding ultimately abandoned the studio's planned trajectory for the movie. Although the eighth installment is now more of a separate entity from the previous film, it will still pick directly up from the events of the last film. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's title change strikes a delicate balance between acknowledging past events and setting a fresh course for its own legacy. However, there are still many elements that link it to Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning.

Obviously, The Final Reckoning connects to the previous installment through word repetition. Although it was originally announced that Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning would be a grand two-part finale for the franchise, shot back-to-back, this change was a calculated move. It's not that Paramount is disregarding the plot of Dead Reckoning, but instead aims to acknowledge it is a complete story. Hunt will still set out on a mission to destroy the artificial intelligence program known as the Entity, as The Final Reckoning implies that there may not be a future for the franchise beyond this film.

Mission: Impossible 8 Was Right To Ditch The Part 2 Format After Dead Reckoning's Box Office

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Underperformed At The Box Office

Paramount also decided to change the movie's title because Dead Reckoning Part One performed far worse at the box office than was forecast. The studio was right to make this change, considering how small the audience was for the seventh film. The inclusion of "Part One" has negative implications for the franchise, as it creates a barrier for viewers who missed the seventh installment, who may feel they are unable to follow the eighth's plot. Undoubtedly, this would set The Final Reckoning up for a similar fate if the studio retained the "Part Two" title. The new name signals that the content is accessible to everyone.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, The Final Reckoning will distance itself from any perceived shortcomings of its predecessor by becoming unattached from this project. The studio's departure from the "Part Two" format also proves their willingness to adapt based on audience , after some reservations about the split format. The new title for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is far more likely to generate buzz around the movie, and could be an attempt to show the audience that this film will be a complete and satisfying standalone story.

The Final Reckoning Indicates That It Could Be The Final Mission: Impossible (But Not Necessarily)

No One Involved In The Final Reckoning Has Confirmed If This Is The Final Installment

Mission: Impossible 8's title has implications for Ethan's character and his fate. Although the use of the word "final" suggests this could be the end of the action saga entirely, it could still go either way. The trailer depicts Ethan asking his team to trust him "one last time," and, given Cruise's hesitancy during marketing for the movie, it seems likely that the title could instead be one broad statement. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount vouched for marketing The Final Reckoning as the final installment in the franchise, but Cruise immediately rejected the idea.

The Final Reckoning's title retcon appears to be the ideal compromise for the reported disagreement. Cruise and McQuarrie are being deliberately evasive about what's next for the franchise (via Empire) meaning it could be the case that this title is referring to the end of the era for the current villain. Regardless, the future of Mission: Impossible hinges on the box office performance of the eighth installment. Although the characters and series are beloved, a repeat of the last film's performance in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning would strongly suggest a decline in audience demand.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Empire