Tom Cruise has made it clear that while the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning will mark the end of an era, it’s not the end of his acting journey.
At the red carpet premiere of the film at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City, the 61-year-old Hollywood icon confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the eighth installment of the beloved action franchise will indeed be the last. “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing,” he said.
Set for global release on May 23, Final Reckoning follows highly praised debuts at Cannes and in London, and will officially close the chapter on Cruise’s nearly 30-year run as IMF agent Ethan Hunt.
Yet despite saying goodbye to one of his most iconic roles, Cruise was emphatic that retirement is nowhere on his radar.
“I said I’d be making movies into my 80s — actually, into my 100s,” the Top Gun: Maverick star declared. “I will never stop. I’ll never stop doing action. I’ll never stop doing drama, comedy. I’m excited for what’s next.”
Citing 80-year-old Harrison Ford as a personal inspiration, Cruise reaffirmed his commitment to action filmmaking well into later life, underscoring his enduring passion for the craft.
In a recent appearance at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London, he also shared that there’s one genre he’s yet to explore but still hopes to: musicals. “Definitely musicals,” he said, when asked about roles he still aspires to take on.
Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning features an all-star ensemble cast including Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Greg Tarzan Davis, Angela Bassett, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Charles Parnell, Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman, Tramell Tillman, and Katy O’Brian.
While the Ethan Hunt saga may be ending, Tom Cruise’s cinematic adventure is far from over — and by his own admission, it’s only just getting started.
