Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has arrived in theaters and is off to a strong start. But fans already know this isn’t the end of the journey for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt. With Part Two already confirmed, many wonder how far along the team is in bringing the project to fruition. Director Chris McQuarrie was kind enough to offer an update about the much-awaited sequel, and it seems like the project is on track for its 2024 release.
With Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, the journey to the end has begun for Cruise's Hunt. The actor has played the character in the Mission: Impossible franchise since the first film was released in 1996. Seven films later, the studio probably wants to do its best to bid adieu to the popular character. McQuarrie has taken the helm to drive the project to its final destination without taking any breaks.
During a press tour for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, McQuarrie was asked about the upcoming sequel and when the crew returns to work. “We hit the ground running as soon as we get back,” he told Variety. As soon as the tour finishes, the crew plans to scout some locations “on the way back to the UK.” Fans may assume the crew might take a break after a long press tour. “We're right back into it. I get two days vacation between here and Tokyo, and I’m right back on it,” said McQuarrie. Finishing the project seems like his top priority, which fans will be excited to hear.
When Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning was first announced, it was revealed that both parts would be filmed back to back. However, due to Cruise's busy schedule and the release of Top Gun: Maverick, the Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 filming schedule had to be changed. Based on McQuarrie's statement, they are seemingly still looking for locations to film portions of the film. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning also faced several delays due to the pandemic, and the release dates of both films were also pushed back. With Part One now released, fans await the final chapter in Hunt's journey.
Mission: Impossible was the first film in the franchise, released in 1996. It began Cruise's journey as Hunt, who became a fan-favorite character. At the time, the 34-year-old Cruise probably didn’t see the franchise spanning over three decades. While the franchise has had its ups and downs, Cruise's performance as Hunt has been appreciated over the seven films so far, and the recent films in the franchise have succeeded at the box office. It remains to be seen how Hunt's journey will end next year.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now showing in theaters.
Source: Variety/Twitter