7 Amusing Easter Eggs & References in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is an all-action rollercoaster of adventure and explosion.

So much so, that you may have missed these 8 little Easter eggs:

1. Dead Reckoning

Ok, I'm not suggesting you might have missed the entire film here. But you may have missed the movie name dropping itself in an early scene. When the crew of the Sevastopol are making their way home, the Captain says they are navigating by 'dead reckoning'. This is a genuine navigational technique which uses estimates of the distance travelled and current direction to predict the ship's position as opposed to GPS, landmarks or astronomy.

2. Self-destruct technique

IMF instructions self-destruct. We know that. It's part of the clandestine tactics that keeps them off grid. So when Ethan takes instructions via a food delivery bag, it was no surprise to see it go up in smoke. But it's not the first time this technique has been used. Way back in the original film, Jim Phelps (pre-betrayal) received instructions in just the same way.

3. Eugene Kittridge

If you thought Kittridge looked familiar, you were right. He also appeared in Mission: Impossible in 1996. The same actor (Henry Czerny) reprised the role as IMF Director. Back in '96, Kittridge was convinced Ethan Hunt was the mole – so you can see why Hunt might be suspicious of him in Dead Reckoning.

4. Grace

As a newcomer to the team, nobody really knows how Grace (Hayley Attwell) will fit in. But there is a clue. An accomplished pickpocket, she retrieves one of the Entity keys in Abu Dhabi, which she then manages to hold on to by sleight of hand. This was a skill previously demonstrated by a young Ethan Hunt in the original film. Eagle-eyed fans may have recognised this as a statement.

5. Outsmarting the CIA

The US intelligence services are pretty smart. But the IMF is smarter. More specifically, Luther is smarter. When he hacks the CIA's software to prevent them from finding Ethan at the airport, you may have thought you've seen this before. You have. Luther created that software back in Ghost Protocol to help Ethan keep tabs on Isla.

6. The classic fight on a train

There was a time when a fight on top of a train was a staple for TV and movie heroes. It's a trope that has been largely bypassed in recent decades. But Mission: Impossible deployed it 1996 – and it's back for 2023.

7. Where's the fuse

The fuse has become something we expect to see in Mission: Impossible credits. It's subtle, but it's always there. Until now. And the reason is clear. Every other movie in the franchise has had a conclusion. This is only part one. The story isn't over yet. So, we can expect to see it back for part two.