TheMission: Impossiblefranchise may be coming to an end withMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, butthere are several ways that the beloved series could continueif that’s the direction the writers wanted to take. Even without Tom Cruise at the helm, there’s so much material and so many exciting side characters in this franchise that it would be a waste to throw them away at this point.
The past few movies have done a great job of setting up all these new faces, and it would be surprising ifThe Final Reckoningwas really their last time on-screen. Based oneverything we know aboutThe Final Reckoning,it’s highly likely to be Tom Cruise’s final adventurewith the series - but that doesn’t mean it has to end there. Whether it’s a soft reboot with new actors or an extension of the series with existing characters at the forefront, there are many ways this series can avoid extinction whilst giving Cruise the heartfelt goodbye he obviously deserves.
10Chris Evans
Star of Captain America: The First Avenger
Chris Evans may be an obvious choice to lead such a high-profile action franchise after his work in the MCU, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less interesting of a choice. The actor has proven time and time again thathe’s capable of turning in dedicated, engaging performancesand working alongside stunt coordinators to make his action scenes feel real and authentic, which is crucial to theMission: Impossiblefranchise.
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Chris Evans has also been on a poor streak lately, with many of his recent movies delivering underwhelming performances both critically and commercially. Becoming the new face of theMission: Impossiblefranchise could be a great way to revitalize his career without simplyreturning to the role of Captain America, as many fans have suggested.
9Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Star Of Kick-Ass
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is no stranger to action movies, and he’s become even more popular as of late thanks to his villainous turns inThe Fall Guy, which is among the most popular action projects in recent memory.He’s a very adaptable actor, willing to play the serious, stoic roles likeTenet’s Ives while also displaying a funnier, more lighthearted side in his roles inKick-AssandBullet Train.
The only problem with Aaron Taylor-Johnson tackling theMission: Impossiblefranchise is thathis name is also solidly in the conversation to play the next iteration of James Bond, whenever that comes to fruition.Casting Taylor-Johnson as Bond would restrict his other projectsgreatly, and it might not be the smartest idea to hingeMission: Impossible’s future on an actor who may not be available.
8Miles Teller
Star Of Top Gun: Maverick
Miles Teller has worked alongside Tom Cruise before onTop Gun: Maverick, and the two actors instantly matched each other’s style in that project. Since then,Teller has spoken highly of Cruiseand praised the work they did together on theTop Gunset, so it would be a nice full-circle moment to see Cruise pass the torch to Teller in yet another long-running franchise.
Although Miles Teller is best known for his smaller, comedic roles in movies likeProject XandWar Dogs, the actor has since proven himself capable of both hugely emotional acting (inWhiplash) and strong dedication to action (inTop Gun: Maverick), which are two traits that have always been present in Tom Cruise’s work. This clearly marks him as a worthy successor to the franchise.
7Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Star Of Inception
Although it’s been a while since Joseph Gordon-Levitt has starred in an action movie,the actor has some sensational examples under his belt. From sci-fi thrillers likeInceptionandLooperto more grounded blockbusters likeThe Dark Knight RisesandThe Walk, he’s certainly no stranger to racking up tension and getting the audience on his side for a blood-pumping adventure.
It’s been a while since he’s been the face of a movie of this scale, and he’s admittedly older than Cruise was at the beginning ofMission: Impossible.
Unfortunately, Gordon-Levitt’s recent career has been mostly confined to streaming releases and recurringcameos in Rian Johnson’s movies. It’s been a while since he’s been the face of a movie of this scale, and he’s admittedly older than Cruise was at the beginning ofMission: Impossible. However, Gordon-Levitt could still make a splash in this franchise as an original character (not an Ethan Hunt recast), who already has some experience in the world of espionage.
6Michael B. Jordan
Star of Black Panther
If there’s one actor who was born to lead an action franchise that simply hasn’t happened yet, it’s Michael B. Jordan. His work in bothBlack PantherandCreedimmediately proved his immense screen presence, which is something that’s strictly needed for a series of this size and popularity.His work inCreedalso proved his physical dedication to his roles, proving that he’d be willing to get involved in the stunts and combat that come with working for the IMF.
The great thing about theMission: Impossiblefranchise is that Ethan Hunt is only a small part of this fictional organization - there must be countless other IMF agents that a potential spin-off could follow, either in the present day or in the past, so there’s no reason that Michael B. Jordan couldn’t fit into this story.
5Sam Claflin
Star of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Sam Claflin famously played Finnick in theHunger Gamesfranchise, and they’re two entirely different properties, the actor proved that he’s got the charisma and charm necessary to lead a series likeMission: Impossible. HisHunger Gamescharacter displayed the very same relatability and self-aware brazenness that made Tom Cruise so popular when he was younger,making him perfect for an Ethan Hunt recast.
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Continuing theMission: Impossiblefranchise without Tom Cruise certainly won’t be easy, but a complete reboot may be the safest way to go. Otherwise, with all the existing characters coming back for a sequel, Cruise’s presence would simply be too obvious and too crippling to its success. A total overhaul is probably the way to go, and Sam Claflin’s name should definitely be in the conversation to play a younger version of Ethan Hunt.
4Vanessa Kirby
Star of Napoleon
Alternatively, theMission: Impossiblefranchise could opt for the same strategy thatJohn Wickhas recently adopted and continue the story tangentially with a spin-off. If this is the cast, Vanessa Kirby’s character, The White Widow, seems like the character whose story would be the most interesting. She has connections all throughout Europe that could allow for some fascinating narratives, andher moral complexity would make her an unconventional protagonist.
Vanessa Kirby has recently joined the MCU’sFantastic Fourmovie, so it may be slightly difficult to make her schedule line up with a potentialMission: Impossiblespin-off, but this may be a good thing.
Vanessa Kirby has recently joined the MCU’sFantastic Fourmovie, so it may be slightly difficult to make her schedule line up with a potentialMission: Impossiblespin-off, but this may be a good thing. It would allow for some time betweenThe Final Reckoningand any further spin-offs, which gives the audience time to come to terms with the end of the main franchise and build anticipation for whatever comes next.
3Joe Keery
Star of Stranger Things
Joe Keery is best known for playing Steve Harrington inStranger Things, and he would be the perfect candidate to play Ethan Hunt in a potentialMission: Impossiblereboot.He’s the ideal age to play a younger version of the character, and he’s got much of the same charm and swagger that Tom Cruise displayed in the early days of his career, through projects likeRisky Businessand the originalTop Gun.
WithStranger Things’final episode airingin 2025, this would be the perfect opportunity for Joe Keery to jump into another long-running franchise and finally commit to the transition from television to film. While he’s starred in a few big movies, such asFree GuyandSpree,his time has been mostly taken up byStranger Thingsfor the best part of a decade. This could be the perfect opportunity to make a splash in the cinematic world.
2Glen Powell
Star of Hit Man
Glen Powell’s name has been in the conversation to take over theMission: Impossiblefranchise ever sincehis friendship with Tom Cruise began to bloom on the set ofTop Gun: Maverick. Since then, the two actors have grown extremely close, and he’s been the favorite choice to replace Cruise whenThe Final Reckoningis over.
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However,Powell has actually dispelled theMission: Impossiblerumorsby suggesting that nobody could possibly live up to Cruise’s portrayal of Ethan Hunt, claiming that it would be a “death trap” for him to even try. This seemingly kills any possibility of Powell getting involved in aMission: Impossibleremake, but it certainly doesn’t mean that he won’t be involved in any potential sequels or spin-offs.
1Hayley Atwell
While fans have been debating which Hollywood actor could take over from Tom Cruise whenMission: Impossible’s main series comes to an end, his replacement has actually been staring audiences in the face since the last installment. Hayley Atwell’s characterGrace was introduced inDead Reckoning - Part One, and while her role in the story initially seemed to be little more than Hunt’s latest love interest, the figure proved herself to be much more capable and self-assured than expected.
Grace has the background of trickery and espionage that’s necessary to work at the IMF, and she was even initiated by Hunt at the end ofDead Reckoning - Part One. This neatly sets the stage for Grace to take over when Cruise leaves the franchise (potentially through his character’s death inThe Final Reckoning). This would be a much easier transition, as audiences already know her character.
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Cast
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning follows Ethan Hunt and his team as they pursue a formidable AI called the Entity that has compromised global intelligence networks. With new allies and a haunting figure from Hunt’s past in pursuit, they must act quickly to avert a global catastrophe.
