The Mission: Impossible franchise may be coming to an end with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, but there are several ways that the beloved series could continue if that’s the direction the writers wanted to take. Even without Tom Cruise at the helm, there’s so much material and so many exciting side characters in this franchise that it would be a waste to throw them away at this point.
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The past few movies have done a great job of setting up all these new faces, and it would be surprising if The Final Reckoning was really their last time on-screen. Based on everything we know about The Final Reckoning, it’s highly likely to be Tom Cruise’s final adventure with the series – but that doesn’t mean it has to end there. Whether it’s a soft reboot with new actors or an extension of the series with existing characters at the forefront, there are many ways this series can avoid extinction whilst giving Cruise the heartfelt goodbye he obviously deserves.
10 Chris Evans
Star of Captain America: The First Avenger
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Chris Evans may be an obvious choice to lead such a high-profile action franchise after his work in the MCU, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less interesting of a choice. The actor has proven time and time again that he’s capable of turning in dedicated, engaging performances and working alongside stunt coordinators to make his action scenes feel real and authentic, which is crucial to the Mission: Impossible franchise.
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Chris Evans has also been on a poor streak lately, with many of his recent movies delivering underwhelming performances both critically and commercially. Becoming the new face of the Mission: Impossible franchise could be a great way to revitalize his career without simply returning to the role of Captain America, as many fans have suggested.
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9 Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Star Of Kick-Ass
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Aaron Taylor-Johnson is no stranger to action movies, and he’s become even more popular as of late thanks to his villainous turns in The Fall Guy, which is among the most popular action projects in recent memory. He’s a very adaptable actor, willing to play the serious, stoic roles like Tenet’s Ives while also displaying a funnier, more lighthearted side in his roles in Kick-Ass and Bullet Train.
The only problem with Aaron Taylor-Johnson tackling the Mission: Impossible franchise is that his name is also solidly in the conversation to play the next iteration of James Bond, whenever that comes to fruition. Casting Taylor-Johnson as Bond would restrict his other projects greatly, and it might not be the smartest idea to hinge Mission: Impossible’s future on an actor who may not be available.
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8 Miles Teller
Star Of Top Gun: Maverick
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Miles Teller has worked alongside Tom Cruise before on Top Gun: Maverick, and the two actors instantly matched each other’s style in that project. Since then, Teller has spoken highly of Cruise and praised the work they did together on the Top Gun set, so it would be a nice full-circle moment to see Cruise pass the torch to Teller in yet another long-running franchise.
Although Miles Teller is best known for his smaller, comedic roles in movies like Project X and War Dogs, the actor has since proven himself capable of both hugely emotional acting (in Whiplash) and strong dedication to action (in Top Gun: Maverick), which are two traits that have always been present in Tom Cruise’s work. This clearly marks him as a worthy successor to the franchise.
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7 Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Star Of Inception
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Although it’s been a while since Joseph Gordon-Levitt has starred in an action movie, the actor has some sensational examples under his belt. From sci-fi thrillers like Inception and Looper to more grounded blockbusters like The Dark Knight Rises and The Walk, he’s certainly no stranger to racking up tension and getting the audience on his side for a blood-pumping adventure.
It’s been a while since he’s been the face of a movie of this scale, and he’s admittedly older than Cruise was at the beginning of
Mission: Impossible
.
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Unfortunately, Gordon-Levitt’s recent career has been mostly confined to streaming releases and recurring cameos in Rian Johnson’s movies. It’s been a while since he’s been the face of a movie of this scale, and he’s admittedly older than Cruise was at the beginning of Mission: Impossible. However, Gordon-Levitt could still make a splash in this franchise as an original character (not an Ethan Hunt recast), who already has some experience in the world of espionage.
6 Michael B. Jordan
Star of Black Panther
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If there’s one actor who was born to lead an action franchise that simply hasn’t happened yet, it’s Michael B. Jordan. His work in both Black Panther and Creed immediately proved his immense screen presence, which is something that’s strictly needed for a series of this size and popularity. His work in Creed also proved his physical dedication to his roles, proving that he’d be willing to get involved in the stunts and combat that come with working for the IMF.
The great thing about the Mission: Impossible franchise is that Ethan Hunt is only a small part of this fictional organization – there must be countless other IMF agents that a potential spin-off could follow, either in the present day or in the past, so there’s no reason that Michael B. Jordan couldn’t fit into this story.
5 Sam Claflin
Star of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
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Sam Claflin famously played Finnick in the Hunger Games franchise, and they’re two entirely different properties, the actor proved that he’s got the charisma and charm necessary to lead a series like Mission: Impossible. His Hunger Games character displayed the very same relatability and self-aware brazenness that made Tom Cruise so popular when he was younger, making him perfect for an Ethan Hunt recast.
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Continuing the Mission: Impossible franchise without Tom Cruise certainly won’t be easy, but a complete reboot may be the safest way to go. Otherwise, with all the existing characters coming back for a sequel, Cruise’s presence would simply be too obvious and too crippling to its success. A total overhaul is probably the way to go, and Sam Claflin’s name should definitely be in the conversation to play a younger version of Ethan Hunt.
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4 Vanessa Kirby
Star of Napoleon
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Alternatively, the Mission: Impossible franchise could opt for the same strategy that John Wick has recently adopted and continue the story tangentially with a spin-off. If this is the cast, Vanessa Kirby’s character, The White Widow, seems like the character whose story would be the most interesting. She has connections all throughout Europe that could allow for some fascinating narratives, and her moral complexity would make her an unconventional protagonist.
Vanessa Kirby has recently joined the MCU’s
Fantastic Four
movie, so it may be slightly difficult to make her schedule line up with a potential
Mission: Impossible
spin-off, but this may be a good thing.
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Vanessa Kirby has recently joined the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie, so it may be slightly difficult to make her schedule line up with a potential Mission: Impossible spin-off, but this may be a good thing. It would allow for some time between The Final Reckoning and any further spin-offs, which gives the audience time to come to terms with the end of the main franchise and build anticipation for whatever comes next.
3 Joe Keery
Star of Stranger Things
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Joe Keery is best known for playing Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, and he would be the perfect candidate to play Ethan Hunt in a potential Mission: Impossible reboot. He’s the ideal age to play a younger version of the character, and he’s got much of the same charm and swagger that Tom Cruise displayed in the early days of his career, through projects like Risky Business and the original Top Gun.
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With Stranger Things’ final episode airing in 2025, this would be the perfect opportunity for Joe Keery to jump into another long-running franchise and finally commit to the transition from television to film. While he’s starred in a few big movies, such as Free Guy and Spree, his time has been mostly taken up by Stranger Things for the best part of a decade. This could be the perfect opportunity to make a splash in the cinematic world.
2 Glen Powell
Star of Hit Man
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Glen Powell’s name has been in the conversation to take over the Mission: Impossible franchise ever since his friendship with Tom Cruise began to bloom on the set of Top Gun: Maverick. Since then, the two actors have grown extremely close, and he’s been the favorite choice to replace Cruise when The Final Reckoning is over.
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Related Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Cast & Character Guide
The first trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is out now, and here is the main cast and characters of the eighth film.
However, Powell has actually dispelled the Mission: Impossible rumors by suggesting that nobody could possibly live up to Cruise’s portrayal of Ethan Hunt, claiming that it would be a “death trap” for him to even try. This seemingly kills any possibility of Powell getting involved in a Mission: Impossible remake, but it certainly doesn’t mean that he won’t be involved in any potential sequels or spin-offs.
1 Hayley Atwell
Star of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
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While fans have been debating which Hollywood actor could take over from Tom Cruise when Mission: Impossible’s main series comes to an end, his replacement has actually been staring audiences in the face since the last installment. Hayley Atwell’s character Grace was introduced in Dead Reckoning – Part One, and while her role in the story initially seemed to be little more than Hunt’s latest love interest, the figure proved herself to be much more capable and self-assured than expected.
Grace has the background of trickery and espionage that’s necessary to work at the IMF, and she was even initiated by Hunt at the end of Dead Reckoning – Part One. This neatly sets the stage for Grace to take over when Cruise leaves the franchise (potentially through his character’s death in The Final Reckoning). This would be a much easier transition, as audiences already know her character.
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Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning PG-13ActionAdventureCrime
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the direct sequel to Dead Reckoning – Part One and is the eighth film in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Said to be the final film, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and more will reprise their roles in Ethan Hunt’s IMF team as they face off against a dangerous foe from their past.
Director Christopher McQuarrie Release Date May 23, 2025 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures , Skydance Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Christopher McQuarrie , Erik Jendresen Cast Tom Cruise , Pom Klementieff , Rebecca Ferguson , Vanessa Kirby , Hayley Atwell , Hannah Waddingham , Simon Pegg , Ving Rhames , Esai Morales , Henry Czerny , Holt McCallany , Nick Offerman , Angela Bassett , Shea Whigham , Charles Parnell Main Genre Action Expand