Why Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning should be the last movie of the series

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning ending spoilers follow.

Prior to the debut of “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” there has been some ambiguity in Tom Cruise’s statements concerning whether this film represents the last adventure for Ethan Hunt.

At first, he remained neutral and stated during a press conference at Cannes that people should simply “watch it and appreciate” the film. However, just a few days later, he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that the title of the movie isn’t just a coincidence, implying that this could indeed be the final Mission: Impossible movie.

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In a different conversation with the same media source, Simon Pegg seemed to mirror Tom Cruise’s sentiment that it “feels like an ending,” stating, “I feel like The Final Reckoning offers a truly satisfying conclusion to these movies. It seems like an end to me. It ties up so many threads from what came before.

But if you’ve watched “The Final Reckoning,” it’s understandable that you might be left questioning whether “Mission: Impossible” has truly come to an end.

But we really think that it should be the last mission for Ethan.

Prior to its release, some fans hypothesized that Ethan might make a selfless sacrifice to save the world from the Entity, acting heroically in the process.

In The Final Reckoning, things certainly become tense, yet by the conclusion of the film, Ethan manages to make it through and the Entity is securely enclosed within a “5D digital storage device.” (In essence, it poses no further threat to anyone.)

The scenario allows for Ethan to potentially embark on another mission again, but regrettably, Luther, who has featured in all films thus far within the IMF team, meets his end tragically early in the film while selflessly preventing a blast from leveling London.

Luther holds the ultimate decision since he left a farewell note on the “deadly device” which ensnared the Entity. He communicates to Ethan, “the world remains in need of you,” yet it seems that with Benji assuming a greater leadership role within the team during the film, Ethan might be choosing to retire from his IMF duties.

It was ultimately his actions in stealing the Rabbit’s Foot during Mission: Impossible III that led us to the edge of a nuclear disaster, as this artifact evolved into the Entity. With so many near-death experiences under his belt over the years, he may have come to understand that retirement would be the wisest decision for him.

It’s tough to conceive of a “Mission: Impossible” movie without Ethan Hunt, given that Tom Cruise not only stars in the role but has been instrumental in producing the franchise since its inception. If Cruise were to announce his retirement from the series, it would likely mark the end of the saga.

As a gamer putting myself in Cruise’s shoes, I must admit that the scale of these projects is colossal. The budget for Dead Reckoning alone was reportedly a whopping $291 million, and if The Final Reckoning follows suit with the highest estimates, it could cost upwards of $400 million. With such staggering figures, the final call might not be entirely in Cruise’s hands.

In simpler terms, “Dead Reckoning” made $571 million globally at the box office, which was lower than “Fallout’s” earnings of $791 million. For “The Final Reckoning” to be deemed successful, it will probably need to come close to or even exceed “Fallout’s” earnings.

If it fails to do so, it might mean the conclusion of the series altogether. However, if it becomes an enormous hit at the box office, discussions are bound to ensue about whether Tom Cruise has more ideas for a follow-up film.

Considering that The Final Reckoning wraps up all previous movies, with numerous references and connections to Ethan’s history, it seems out of place for another film. Instead, it might be more fitting for a fresh beginning, essentially marking Phase Two in the Mission: Impossible universe. It could be beneficial to let Ethan enjoy some well-deserved downtime.

There could potentially be a spin-off focusing on a new IMF team headed by Benji, including Grace, Paris, and Degas. However, one might ponder if it’s truly a Mission: Impossible film without Ethan Hunt.

It seems likely that the unfavorable responses to “The Final Reckoning” (which, as of now, has the lowest audience score among the series except for the first three films) might motivate Tom Cruise to bring the franchise to an conclusion with more favorable reviews.

For certain enthusiasts, looking back now, it seems like the perfect moment to conclude the series with “Fallout” and it’s hard to imagine another film reaching those lofty standards once more. Taking such a risk might not be wise, as it could potentially tarnish the series’ reputation as one of the most reliable and high-quality ones in the industry.

In a more relaxed and conversational style: “The Last Chapter” may not be a flawless conclusion, but it certainly wraps up the series in a way that doesn’t require a tragic ending such as Ethan’s demise. Although we’ll surely miss him, this seems like an appropriate farewell.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is in cinemas now.

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2025-05-23 19:20