Is Tom Cruise Retiring from Mission Impossible After Dead Reckoning?
Tom Cruise is as energetic in his 60s as he was in his 30s in the first Mission Impossible movie.
It's hard to imagine the Mission Impossible franchise without its main protagonist, one of the Impossible Mission Force's most experienced and skilled agents, Ethan Hunt. But it's even harder to imagine the iconic action movies without the actor who portrays Hunt and the franchise's biggest star, Tom Cruise.
After all, he is the heart of the franchise, and it's his acting and the stunts he performs himself that have made this action movie series so unique.
However, seeing how the actor has turned 60, rumours have started circulating in the media and among fans that he may soon be stepping down as Ethan Hunt after the two-part Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning instalment. Some are pointing to the fact that the focus of the franchise may have shifted to Jeremy Renner's character, but given what Tom Cruise has to say on the matter, things are clear as mud.
At the London premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, an Entertainment Tonight reporter spoke with Cruise about the future fate of the franchise and his own involvement in potential sequels. The reply the actor gave was rather cryptic.
'You know, I can't tell you right now. I want to enjoy this moment right now, and it's Part One and Part Two. This is a big action-adventure movie for everyone and I look forward to seeing it,' Tom Cruise said.
In other words, we still don't know if Cruise will be involved in the project after the second part of Dead Reckoning is released. The actor suggested we should just enjoy the moment and the new movies depicting Ethan Hunt's highly destructive multi-billion dollar adventures.
In addition to Tom's age, speculation about his departure was fueled by plans to shift the focus to Jeremy Renner's character, William Brandt, who appeared in 2011's Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and 2015's Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. However, this did not happen due to Renner's commitment to the MCU films and the youthful vigour of Tom Cruise himself.
Well, it seems that for the time being, at least, we might as well just follow Tom Cruise's advice and enjoy the upcoming two movies. Part One is scheduled for release in the US on 12 July, and Part Two will follow on 28 June 2024.
Source: Entertainment Tonight.