Is 'MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING' Really Tom Cruise's 'Final Mission'?

THE FILM MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING seems to be a farewell moment for Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise. Although there has been no official announcement regarding the continuation of this series, Cruise has hinted that this could be the end of the IMF agent's adventures. But, does Ethan manage to survive the battle against the evil AI named Entity, or does he meet a tragic fate? (Once again, don't continue reading if you don't want spoilers).

As one can expect from a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film, Ethan once again successfully saves the world from great destruction. He and most of his team members survive and walk calmly on the streets of London. However, there is one casualty, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Ethan's loyal friend, who dies while sacrificing himself to defuse a nuclear bomb planted by the villain, Gabriel (Esai Morales). Before his death, Luther managed to create an ultimate device to destroy Entity, a data drive nicknamed the poison pill. However, that device was stolen by Gabriel.

Ethan then discovers the source code of the Entity, which turns out to be Rabbit's Foot from MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, inside the abandoned Sevastopol submarine. Now he just needs to retrieve the poison pill from Gabriel. This action takes them to a digital bunker in South Africa. However, of course, it is not that easy. Gabriel manages to escape using an old plane and activates a nuclear bomb with a 20-minute countdown.

As Ethan infiltrates Gabriel's plane, the other team members, Benji (Simon Pegg), Grace (Hayley Atwell), Paris (Pom Klementieff), Degas (Greg Davis), Donloe (Rolf Saxon), and his wife Tapeesa (Lucy Tulugarjuk), try to defuse the bomb. Ethan successfully retrieves the poison pill and combines it with the source code. Gabriel, on the other hand, dies when he falls from the plane after his parachute fails.

The most intense scene in this film happens in the last 100 milliseconds. Grace must allow the Entity to upload herself into the poison pill, then remove the device from the system before the evil AI takes over the world's entire nuclear arsenal. With instructions from Benji, who is undergoing emergency surgery by Paris, Grace ultimately manages to stop the Entity just in time.

The film concludes with Ethan, Grace, Benji, and the rest of the team scattering in London. The Entity is now locked in a data drive containing the poison pill and is under Ethan's watch. So, what will happen to Tom Cruise next?

After potentially closing the story of Ethan Hunt, Cruise will star in a comedy film directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu, scheduled to be released on October 2, 2026. He will also participate in an ambitious project with Doug Liman, which will make Cruise the first actor to shoot outside of Earth's orbit. So hurry up and watch MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING, if not now, then when?