The last three installments of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise have each had an intriguing subtitle: “Ghost Protocol,” “Rogue Nation,” and “Fallout.” The same goes for the next two films in the series, the one-two punch finale of “Dead Reckoning.” Sounds pretty cool, but what does it mean, especially in regard to Tom Cruise‘s elite spy Ethan Hunt?
“Dead Reckoning” writer and director Christopher McQuarrie answered that question to Empire Magazine in their latest issue. “There are many things emerging from Ethan’s past,” the director said. “‘Dead reckoning’ is a navigational term. It means you’re picking a course based solely on your last known position and that becomes quite the metaphor not only for Ethan, but several characters.” So, it sounds like Hunt and the IMF will have to determine their action without some of the usual support from the CIA and other parties. Not too different than plots from previous movies at times, but expect the stakes to be much higher this time around.
Of course, franchise fans already expect that because McQuarrie needs two movies to tell this mission. “The first thing we knew was that if it’s gonna be a big two-part adventure, it’s got to be epic,” said McQuarrie about the upcoming films. “It’s going to have to be the installment that swallows the rest of the franchise whole. There’s just not another way to do it.” And there’s good reason for that, too. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” will be the eighth and final film in the successful franchise. If this is Ethan Hunt and the IMF’s final mission (or maybe not?), expect Cruise and McQuarrie to pull out all the stops for an all-time actioner that’s bigger than anything they’ve done before.
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” hits theaters on July 14, 2023, from Paramount Pictures. Its sequel currently has a June 28, 2024 theatrical release.
