Paramount Pictures has unveiled a breathtaking new preview for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, spotlighting what may be Tom Cruise’s most audacious feat to date. The brief footage shows Cruise’s Ethan Hunt clinging to the wing struts of a vintage biplane at roughly 8,000 feet, while 140‑mph winds whip around him—an image destined to become the signature set piece of this concluding chapter.
This death‑defying sequence has been years in the making. Cruise and returning director Christopher McQuarrie first teased the stunt during CinemaCon 2023, long before Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning reached theaters. Over the past two years, the pair have painstakingly coordinated every element—from precision aerial choreography to specialized camera rigs—to capture Cruise suspended in mid‑air without the aid of a green screen. As with previous installments’ HALO jump and Burj Khalifa climb, the filmmakers aimed to push the envelope of practical stunt work, reinforcing the franchise’s reputation for shooting the impossible in camera.
The anticipation for The Final Reckoning is supercharged by the critical success of its predecessor. Dead Reckoning Part One earned near‑universal acclaim for its relentless pacing, emotional stakes, and Cruise’s on‑screen chemistry with new co‑star Hayley Atwell. Many reviewers hailed it as the definitive blockbuster of that summer, praising its fusion of jaw‑dropping spectacle and heartfelt character moments. Early insiders suggest the follow‑up will expand on every element—larger‑scale set pieces, deeper ensemble dynamics, and heightened personal stakes for Hunt’s IMF team—while delivering the same brand of white‑knuckle action that has made the series a gold standard.
While Paramount is keeping plot specifics under wraps, the studio’s marketing campaign makes one thing clear: Cruise’s relentless commitment to practical stunts remains front and center. The new biplane footage serves as both a tribute to classic Hollywood daredevilry and a teaser of the escalating challenges Hunt must face in his final mission. As sequels increasingly rely on digital wizardry, The Final Reckoning continues to champion real locations, real aircraft, and a leading man willing to risk it all to give audiences an authentic thrill.
Fans eager for another adrenaline rush won’t have to wait long—Paramount is expected to drop a full trailer soon, offering a broader glimpse of the globe‑trotting chaos and emotional payoffs awaiting Ethan Hunt. If history is any guide, moviegoers can look forward to yet another master class in blockbuster filmmaking, proving once again that when it comes to daring feats on film, Tom Cruise will always choose to accept the mission.
In addition to Cruise, the supporting cast features Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger; Agent Carter; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible; Pulp Fiction; Dawn of the Dead), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead; Star Trek; Mission: Impossible), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown; Pieces of a Woman; Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Esai Morales (Ozark; La Bamba; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Westworld), Mariela Garriga (Bloodline; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Y: The Last Man), Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible; Ready or Not; Revenge), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter; Fight Club; Wrath of Man), Janet McTeer (Ozark; Albert Nobbs; Jessica Jones), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation; The Last of Us; Devs), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso; Game of Thrones; Hocus Pocus 2), Angela Bassett (Black Panther; What's Love Got to Do with It; 9-1-1), Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire; Joker; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Greg Tarzan Davis (Top Gun: Maverick; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning; Grey’s Anatomy), Charles Parnell (Top Gun: Maverick; Transformers: Age of Extinction; The Last Ship), and Frederick Schmidt (Angel Has Fallen; Mission: Impossible – Fallout; Supergirl).
McQuarrie helmed the feature, with a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Ithaca; Band of Brothers).
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters and IMAX on May 23!
Check out the new trailer teaser and a new image below - and check back in tomorrow for the full-length trailer!
Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.