The Mission: Impossible Series Doesn't Need To End, But Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt Needs To Retire

Something huge is coming in the latest Mission: Impossible sequel. As Dead Reckoning - Part One continues the franchise that’s produced some of the best action movies, the past of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) seems to be catching up with him rather fiercely in the present. The stakes couldn’t be higher, with a potential finale to Hunt’s big spy game rumored to be on the horizon.

Being a fan of the series since its inception, I happen to favor that outcome. While writer/director Christopher McQuarrie says that Mission: Impossible 8 isn’t the end of the franchise, it should certainly be Ethan Hunt’s retirement party. Let’s dig into why Dead Reckoning - Part Two should be the final mission that Mr. Hunt should choose to accept.

Dead Reckoning Seems To Be Positioned As The Conclusion Of Ethan Hunt’s Story

Despite McQuarrie’s previously vague stance on Mission: Impossible 9 and beyond, the writer/director who’s been in the driver’s seat since Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation told Fandango that Dead Reckoning’s conclusion in 2024 isn’t the end of the series. It’s happy news, as the Mission: Impossible team apparently already have an idea in mind for the future.

And yet, this seventh Mission has been sold as a huge deal for Ethan Hunt. Talk of Ethan’s “ultimate objective” and how this mission “is going to cost [him] dearly” fills the latest trailer for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. If that doesn't sound like an "end of the road" scenario, I don't know what does.

That sort of attitude seems to be reflected in the real world as well, as rumors of Tom Cruise’s departure have kicked up yet again. Just like Ethan Hunt, Mr. Cruise’s past in this franchise plays an important role in where we’re at now. The vibes are certainly there, and it's not the first time that feeling has come to play.

We’ve Already Had An Ethan Hunt Retirement Fake-Out

If the original ending to Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol had played out the way it was planned, Ethan Hunt would have become the IMF Secretary back in 2011. Speculation had even pointed out then franchise newbie William Brant (Jeremy Renner) as the potential new point man for the next generation of IMF agents.

As we all know, that never really happened, with Tom Cruise ready to deliver a huge two-part mission between the summers of 2023 and 2024. Though Cruise has pledged to do stunts for as long as he humanly can, that promise doesn’t include staying on the Mission team per se.

There’s a sense of finality in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, as it’s aiming to be the most dangerous, and maybe the most impossible mission that Ethan Hunt has ever tackled. If we’re treated to another surprise continuation of Ethan’s main character era at the end of Dead Reckoning - Part Two, it could come off as ridiculous without the right concept; which at this point would have to be something very specific.

Tom Cruise Still Has Other Non-Mission: Impossible Projects He’s Hoping To Tackle

Going back to the issue of Tom Cruise’s career as a stunt performer/actor, he still has that space-bound film in development for Universal. As the Top Gun: Maverick star is shooting to become the first civilian to do an actual spacewalk, that’s just one of the projects he’s got on the tarmac, awaiting takeoff.

Were he to continue acting as the lead of the Mission: Impossible saga, pictures such as these could very easily fall into development hell. We’ve seen it happen before, with the proposed Tropic Thunder spinoff focused around his obnoxious studio executive character Les Grossman languishing in the shadows for over a decade.

Hopeful talk from last summer alleged that Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie are supposedly “fixated” on Les Grossman, meaning this once promising idea might be on the rebound. Admittedly, those sorts of pursuits are difficult to engage in when a major tentpole franchise is in the works. So for anything to really flourish, Tom Cruise would more than likely have to say goodbye to Mission: Impossible. 

Ethan Hunt May Have Become More Of A Liability Than An Asset To The IMF

Dipping into the reality presented in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, there’s an in-universe reason for Ethan Hunt to retire as well. It’s kind of surprising that it’s taken this long for our super spy’s career to get to such a boiling point, but judging by what is being shown in the trailers, Ethan may have become more of a liability than an asset to the IMF.

Thinking back to all of the important people he’s almost seen killed or harmed throughout his career, the dedication of this Tom Cruise hero not to accept a mission his team can’t walk away from is admirable. It’s also increasingly unlikely, as the stakes have been raising ever higher in Christopher McQuarrie’s serialized story approach. A boiling point was bound to be reached some day, and that moment seems to have arrived.

Mission: Impossible Has Always Thrived On Refreshing Its Core Cast

Let’s rewind back to 1996 for our final point of order, all the way to the days when Paramount took a gamble on adapting a 1960s spy show into a major motion picture. Mission: Impossible built its ensuing franchise on two points of order: you never know who’s going to still be part of the team, and you never truly know who to trust.

Both of those statements saw Tom Cruise inheriting this legendary name of espionage drama, as Ethan Hunt took over the mantle once held by Jim Phelps (Jon Voight). Through the years, new agents and rosters have kept things fresh, even when most of the players involved became entrenched in the formula. Mission: Impossible is a franchise that’s always thrived on new blood, and the resolution of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two is a good opportunity to shake things up.

Giving Agent Hunt a proper sendoff, or that promotion to IMF secretary, is a well-earned ending to a character who's entertained through death-defying stunts and keen intellect for almost 30 years, while also paving the way for the future. But that's a decision that's above my pay grade, as I'm just an analyst. That being said, if there's a good idea that keeps Ethan in play for a couple more movies, I'm not against it.

All of this rests on the outcome of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning; which will send Part One into theaters on July 12th, and has Part Two currently slated to take its bows on June 28, 2024.