The world’s most fearless spy is returning to the big screen—and making a grand stop at the French Riviera along the way. Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will officially make its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 14, just days before its theatrical release. The eighth installment in the iconic action franchise will screen out of competition, with Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie set to attend the red carpet event.
This marks a significant moment for both the film and Cruise himself, as the Hollywood superstar returns to Cannes for the third time in his career. His previous visits included Ron Howard’s Far and Away in 1992 and the critically acclaimed Top Gun: Maverick in 2022. During the latter, Cruise received an honorary Palme d’Or and delivered a widely praised masterclass.
The End of an Era: Ethan Hunt’s Final Mission
In a statement from the festival, the Cannes press release framed the screening as a fitting tribute to Cruise’s three-decade run as IMF agent Ethan Hunt. “In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt… asks you to trust them one last time,” the note read. “After almost three decades of thrills, stunts, and intrigue, The Final Reckoning delivers an unforgettable cinematic experience.”
Cruise has portrayed Ethan Hunt since the first Mission: Impossible film in 1996, turning the franchise into one of Hollywood’s most consistent box office and critical success stories. Known for doing his own high-octane stunts and pushing the boundaries of practical filmmaking, Cruise has defined the character—and helped elevate the franchise into global pop culture legend.
A Star-Studded Return with Old Allies and New Faces
Joining Cruise on this final outing is an ensemble of franchise veterans and exciting additions. The cast includes Hayley Atwell as Grace, Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, Vanessa Kirby as arms dealer Alanna Mitsopolis, Esai Morales as returning antagonist Gabriel, Pom Klementieff as Paris, Henry Czerny as CIA Director Eugene Kittridge, and Angela Bassett, reprising her role as Erika Sloane—now the President of the United States.
New cast members include Nick Offerman, Janet McTeer, Hannah Waddingham, and Katy O’Brian, among others. With a story that promises high-stakes global espionage and emotional closure, the film has been billed as the true culmination of Hunt’s long and dangerous journey.
One of Hollywood’s Most Expensive Films Ever
Directed by longtime collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Erik Jendresen, The Final Reckoning is estimated to have a massive production budget of $400 million, making it one of the most expensive movies in cinematic history. Much of the cost is attributed to extended filming delays due to the pandemic, the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and Cruise’s signature practical stunts that often push the limits of filmmaking logistics.
The film was shot across multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, Malta, South Africa, Italy, and Norway. Cruise was seen hanging off a biplane mid-air in one of the film’s most talked-about stunt sequences, a testament to the franchise’s legacy of thrilling, real-world action.
A Cannes Moment Before a Global Launch
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will release theatrically in France on May 21 and in the United States on May 23, both via Paramount Pictures. The film’s presence at Cannes is expected to draw enormous media attention and ignite the summer box office season with a bang.
News of the film’s possible Cannes debut had circulated since February, and its confirmation comes at a time when the festival is preparing to announce its full 2025 lineup. Other high-profile films and directors expected to make appearances this year include Wes Anderson, Spike Lee, Ari Aster, Kristen Stewart, Jim Jarmusch, and Richard Linklater.