Following the release of "Mission: Impossible", what lies ahead for the realm of Hollywood action movies?
After more than two decades of thrilling audiences with death-defying stunts and intricate plotlines, Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible franchise appear to be nearing a conclusion with The Final Reckoning. With speculation surrounding Cruise's potential departure, the question lingers: What's next for this iconic franchise?
Since the inception of the series, Cruise has been the driving force behind its success. Even amidst rumors of a possible successor, such as Jeremy Renner's William Brandt, Cruise has remained committed to the franchise. This commitment was further solidified with the introduction of additional co-leads, like Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust, Hayley Atwell's Grace, and Henry Cavill's August Walker, each given their share of high-octane action scenes.
Could these co-stars be potential candidates to take up the mantle from Cruise, should he decide to step down? Each character has been presented as a mirror or foil to Ethan, providing a glimpse of what the franchise might look like with a new protagonist. It is worth noting, however, that this may have been an unintended consequence of the writers rather than a deliberate attempt at succession.
In The Final Reckoning, Hunt assembles a new team and embarks on a mission to investigate a submerged submarine while his team battles Russian special forces on St. Matthew's Island. This structure could pave the way for the series to continue without Cruise, should he so choose, with the IMF team taking center stage.
Alternatively, Cruise has signed a deal with Warner Bros. to develop and produce films, including a potential sequel to Edge of Tomorrow. This could provide the franchise with a breather, allowing audiences time to miss Ethan while becoming invested in a new or returning set of characters. A nostalgic return for Ethan could then be a grand event, creating a legacy sequel akin to Top Gun: Maverick.
Should Cruise refuse to continue, the franchise could introduce a new protagonist through a soft reboot or focus more on the ensemble cast. Potential successors within the current cast include Hayley Atwell's Grace, given her increased role and chemistry with Cruise, as well as Simon Pegg's Benji Dunn and Ving Rhames' Luther Stickell, though neither is currently positioned as the solo protagonist.
New blood could also be introduced with a fresh face to take over as the main agent. Emerging actors, such as Dev Patel, Simu Liu, and Florence Pugh, seem eager to delve into action stunts, potentially taking cues from Cruise's advocacy for physical work and study of old movies.
Only time will tell if the Mission: Impossible franchise will continue without Tom Cruise, and if so, who will step into Ethan Hunt's shoes. Stay tuned for updates on future installments and potential successors.
Gizmodo could run an article discussing the potential future of the Mission: Impossible franchise after Tom Cruise's departure, exploring possible candidates to take over as the main protagonist from within the current cast, such as Hayley Atwell's Grace or Simon Pegg's Benji Dunn.
Io9 might write a piece speculating on how the franchise could continue without Cruise, analyzing the structure of The Final Reckoning and its implications for a possible ensemble-led series or soft reboot.
In their 'Movies-and-TV' section, movies.com could discuss the various possibilities for the future of the Mission: Impossible franchise, considering the potential arrival of new protagonists like Dev Patel, Simu Liu, or Florence Pugh, with a focus on their readiness to undertake action stunts inspired by Cruise's example.
