'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' delivers high-octane, nostalgic chapter

"Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" creators shared behind-the-scenes stories and reflected on the franchise as the film's China premiere on May 26 delivered a high-adrenaline yet nostalgic theater experience.

A still image from "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning." [Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures]

"There is never an easy day on 'Mission: Impossible.' I wouldn't have it any other way," the producer and lead actor Tom Cruise said. It is now a 30-year story, he went on to say, "This new movie is a gargantuan accomplishment. It's a culmination of everything, and I mean everything that me and McQ [Christopher McQuarrie] have learned in storytelling over the course of making these movies. 'The Final Reckoning' is elegant, very layered and incredibly epic. We've only been able to achieve what we have because of all the things that we've done in this series so far."

"Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" continues Ethan Hunt's story as he and his fractured IMF team face The Entity, a world-ending AI. Having survived a train crash cliffhanger, Ethan (Cruise), Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Grace (Hayley Atwell) reunite. With the help of a former nemesis, Paris (Pom Klementieff), they battle against Gabriel (Esai Morales) and The Entity. 

The film features some truly impossible cinematography, with scenes set underwater, inside sunken submarines, as well as 10,000 feet in the sky, with Cruise performing yet more death-defying stunts. 

Series veteran Simon Pegg returned to the franchise for the sixth time in 18 years. He told China.org.cn about Cruise's famous stunts: "It's very nerve-wracking." He went on to reveal Tom Cruise's unparalleled preparation and rigorous training ensured every stunt is thoroughly analyzed, with maximum safety precautions in place. However, Pegg noted the inherent unpredictability of such dangerous feats, emphasizing that Cruise's dedication ultimately stems from his deep commitment to delivering an exceptional experience for audiences.

An Imax poster for "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning." According to Imax, the movie features "over 45 minutes of Imax's exclusive 1.90:1 expanded aspect ratio." [Image courtesy of Imax China]

Pegg also revealed Cruise's stunts create a hushed, nervous set. Filming the cliff jump in "Dead Reckoning," plane stunt in "Rogue Nation," skydives in "Fallout," or Burj Khalifa climb in "Ghost Protocol," set the tone. He explained on those days, "we're always just crossing our fingers and hoping that it all goes okay, because it's a human life. Let alone the fact that it's Tom Cruise."

Director Christopher McQuarrie added, "I've been working with Tom now for 18 years. On every film, people ask, 'Aren't you scared?' And Tom always answers the same way. He says, 'I don't mind being scared. It's not that I'm not scared. I just don't mind.' And I didn't understand that. But now I know that it's not that you are oblivious. You can't be, because if you factor out the fear entirely, if you don't maintain an awareness of your own mortality, the scale tips too far the other way."

He credits Cruise's seismic genre impact to his unique filmmaking roots. Drawing from film pioneers like Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton, "Mission: Impossible" has continued to blend multiple genres into each film.

"When you work with Tom Cruise, you understand very quickly that your capabilities are far greater than you thought," the director said. "When you work with Tom, people suggest the most absurd things. It doesn't matter what they are because it's not a matter of whether or not they can be done. For Tom, nothing is impossible. It's just, 'Logistically, what will it take? And how much will it hurt?' 'Mission: Impossible' really is the most ironically named franchise."

As "The Final Reckoning" finally hit screens across China on May 30, Pegg grew nostalgic after five years of making two "Mission: Impossible" films back-to-back. "It's been a very, very important part of my life," he said, seeing his role Benji as just a regular guy who's found himself in extraordinary circumstances.

Interestingly, Pegg also voiced The Entity in the film. He further explained how shedding Benji's warm persona to create a cold, automated, somewhat clinical AI voice was a challenge, yet something he found enjoyable. He also discussed AI's rapid evolution, noting how The Entity's theme of potential human obsolescence resonates with current social and technological anxieties.

A life-size biplane installation is displayed at Taikoo Li Sanlitun, a trendy shopping area in Beijing, to commemorate the premiere of "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," May 26, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures]

After its Beijing premiere on Monday, audiences praised the film's epic scale, relentless pacing, dazzling action sequences, and Tom Cruise's life-risking dedication. As one of the most expensive films ever made, it scored the franchise's largest opening weekend, grossing $227 million worldwide by May 28. On Rotten Tomatoes, 80% of 355 critics' reviews were positive.

"Tom and McQ have always been very clear on this: for 'Mission: Impossible' to evolve, it always needs to feel like it's on an upward curve. It must get bigger and more moving every time," said Pegg. "That is always the mantra: we must outdo ourselves. This time, we really have."