Hollywood's upcoming action movie landscape following 'Mission: Impossible'
In the realm of blockbuster spy thrillers, after Ethan Hunt's exploits in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, fans can't help but wonder: who's next? Ever since Tom Cruise, the franchise's heartbeat, took on the reins over three decades ago, he's made it clear he's not ready to let go anytime soon.
However, rumors have circulated about potential replacements, like when Jeremy Renner was cast as William Brandt for Ghost Protocol, triggering speculation that he might step into Cruise's shoes. Thankfully for fans, that never materialized, but since Ghost, Cruise has had a fellow star sharing the spotlight as a co-lead – Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust (introduced in Rogue Nation), Hayley Atwell's Grace (in Dead Reckoning), and Henry Cavill's August Walker (Fallout).
Each of these four actors, even Cavill before his villain reveal, has been the franchise's way of testing the waters for prospective successors to Cruise. Their individual action sequences and heroic moments subtly suggest their potential as future leads, even if it means sharing duties with Cruise, as seen in the latest film where Ethan executes death-defying stunts while the others handle shootouts and fistfights[4].
Now, Cruise inks a deal with Warner Bros. to develop and produce movies, including a project with Alejandro González Iñárritu and an Edge of Tomorrow sequel. If he agrees, this leaves room for Paramount to continue the Mission: Impossible series without him, allowing audiences time to miss Ethan while becoming attached to a new or returning set of characters. The grand return of Ethan could then serve as a legacy sequel, just like Top Gun: Maverick did a few years back[5].
If Paramount decides to carry on without Cruise, or if he does decide to hang up his spy gear, the stage is set for a new wave of action-oriented actors to claim their stake. Dev Patel, Simu Liu, and Florence Pugh have shown excitement for the physicality and realism that action films offer. Cruise himself has advocated for younger actors to immersive themselves in the art of filmmaking, going so far as to create special boot camps for his latest films' cast, a tradition he applied to both Final Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick[6].
As action movies become increasingly popular with audiences, it's anyone's guess who will step up to the plate. While characters like Pom Klementieff, Paris, and Simon Pegg, Benji Dunn, hold promise, it's Hayley Atwell's Grace and Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust who are most frequently mentioned as strong candidates to carry the franchise forward, with both action and character depth[2][3]. Could they be the ones to take the mantle from Ethan Hunt and lead a new generation of dangerous missions[1]?
While we wait for answers, here's a roundup of upcoming releases to keep your eyes on[7][8][9]: Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, Doctor Who. Keep an eye out for new action-packed adventures that could pave the way for fresh talents to seize the spotlight left by Mission: Impossible.
- Gizmodo and io9 have speculated that Hayley Atwell's Grace and Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust, from the Movies-and-TV sphere, could potentially take over the lead role in the future Mission: Impossible movies, becoming the new faces of entertainment in the world of action.
- As technology continues to advance, Dev Patel, Simu Liu, and Florence Pugh, with their demonstrated interest in physicality and realism in action films, could make a strong impact in the mission-driven genre, following the footsteps of Ethan Hunt.
- In the realm of entertainment, with the future of the Mission: Impossible series uncertain, fans eagerly await the upcoming releases of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, Doctor Who, hoping to discover new talent that can fill the void left by Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt in the action movie landscape.
