Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. It's teased some incredible action scenes and epic stunts, including one where Tom Cruise really rode a motorcycle off of a cliff. Dead Reckoning Part One is done filming after a long international production; however, director Christopher McQuarrie has already started teasing the next film, promising even more “outrageous” stunts.
In a recent interview with Empire, the franchise director opened up about what it’s like shooting insane, high-flying stunts with Cruise, while also teasing what fans can expect from the second part of Dead Reckoning. While Part One certainly promises crazy on-screen action sequences, McQuarrie assures that the follow-up film is even more dazzling. He revealed:
Tom and I are always trying to get the big shit out of the way first. South Africa was intense. The aerial sequence is… It’s just outrageous. The thing to remember as you’re watching this monster [aka. Part One] is that another monster waits behind it.
I can’t even imagine how these two could possibly push the envelope further. The Mission: Impossible franchise has had some of the most dangerous, never-been-done stunts in movie history. Cruise strapped himself to a plane that actually took off in Rogue Nation, scaled the tallest building in the world in Ghost Protocol, and don't even get me started on the insane helicopter scene in Fallout. Mission: Impossible continues to experiment with the possibility of on-screen thrills, and according to McQuarrie, they aren’t quite done yet.
What’s even more incredible is Cruise’s willingness to still do his own stunts at 60, and he still is pushing himself to the limit for audiences. He seems to really love it and feels safe in McQuarrie’s hands. I just hope that whatever the next M:I film has is done with the utmost safety precaution, or at least as much is possible.
While Dead Reckoning Part Two is expected to be the final Mission: Impossible film, or at least the final one with Ethan Hunt as its main protagonist, Cruise doesn’t seem quite done with stunt work. He is currently attached to star in a SpaceX project which is sure to have some outer space action. The Top Gun star has previously stated he has hoped to take his stunts to space, and this may just be his chance. A sequel to his film Edge of Tomorrow is also in development, which would feature action-packed work from the Oscar-nominated actor just like its predecessor. While Mission: Impossible might be coming to an end, there doesn’t seem to be any stopping Cruise.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will hit theaters on July 12th, with Part Two following in 2024. Fans of the franchise wanting to catch up on Ethan Hunt’s story before the seventh film’s release can do so now with a Paramount+ subscription. For more information on other movies hitting cinemas and streaming later this year, make sure to consult our 2023 movie release schedule.
