We’ve all read the headlines surrounding Tom Cruise and his insatiable thirst for death-defying stunts. If he’s not scaling the tallest building in the world or wing walking on an actual aircraft, is it even a Tom Cruise film? But it turns out he isn't the only one who does insane Mission: Impossible stunts. If you can believe it, actress Hayley Atwell can run with the best of them, including the M:I lead. Quite literally.

In a recent conversation with Interview, Hayley Atwell dished on the secret behind all that iconic Tom Cruise running, and also gave fans a look behind how much running prep she did for M:I 7, in her quest to keep up with Cruise. When asked how many miles she had done the day of the interview, she said:

The Marvel veteran star says many people on social media thought her prep looked a little like a “medieval torture contraption.” Which is hard to argue with, but that’s just scratching the surface of how far she was willing to push her body in the name of looking fight-ready and going toe to toe with the master of stunt work. She continued:

That is a pretty impressive regimen. And though many, including myself, have been hung up on the speed at which Tom Cruise sprints in films, according to his Dead Reckoning costar, that’s not even the impressive part. She says the Top Gun A-lister has studied the running form and how the body moves, and that, according to her, is what makes him so beautiful to watch sprinting across our screens. It's as if he’s running with “every cell in his body” when he takes off.

What is it that the Cocktail actor is running from? If you ask Atwell, she thinks its pretty funny to imagine a particular type of pursuer. She added:

So yes, Tom Cruise is impressive when it comes to running and his stunt work, but he’s far from the only one who has put in the hard work to make an entertaining and successful Mission: Impossible franchise entry. Hayley Atwell could give him, if you’ll forgive the pun, a run for his money.

If you’re looking to revisit some of the best running sequences ever captured for the cinema, both Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning and Final Reckoning, featuring Atwell, are available for streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.

The week between the Christmas holiday and New Year’s Day has to be the best time to really unplug and relax (if you are afforded the opportunity). Alexandra Daddario has certainly been doing so lately, as her latest social media post showed her enjoying some sun in her outdoor tub – a celebrity trend that’s been taking off in the last few years.

Alexandra Daddario’s Soaked In Her Outdoor Tub As Part Of ‘Self Care Week’

The 39-year-old actress, who has been in a ton of movies and television shows like Baywatch, The White Lotus, Mayfair Witches and the Percy Jackson movies took to Instagram this week to share what she’s been up to lately. Check it out below:

The new post shows Daddario at an acupuncture appointment, following her one-year-old baby, who was actually born on Halloween last year, staying hydrated and in the fifth slide enjoying time in an outdoor tub. No, I didn’t forget the image with the “blood remover” and “eye makeup remover” bags.

They must have to do with the fact that Daddario has been shooting Mayfair Witches Season 3 lately. In April, Mayfair Witches was renewed for a third season, and production started this fall with it set to wrap in February 2026. The first two seasons are currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

What Is The Outdoor Tub Trend?

Daddario joined a growing number of celebrities who have either enjoyed remote vacations by getting wrinkled fingers and toes in outdoor tubs, or actually have them installed on their properties. We don’t know if Daddario was sitting in her own tub or not, but she looked right at home in the circular bath in her “self care week” post.

Other examples include MCU actress Hayley Atwell getting bubbly in an outdoor tub once in Devon, England, and Jennifer Aniston actually having a marble outdoor bath in her Los Angeles home surrounded by some gorgeous greenery (per Home and Gardens). Take a look:

Another celebrity who has not one but two in their home is Twilight’s Nikki Reed. The actress, who’s been married to Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder for a decade, shared that taking a bath outside has become one of her “favorite things in the world” a couple of years ago in a reel that showed her setup that includes a beautiful mountain view for her to gaze upon.

Considering many of us have to worry about neighbors and closer quarters, an outdoor tub isn’t very practical for most of us, but it’s lovely to live vicariously through these celebs. Between being a new mama, and being the star of Mayfair Witches, and a number of upcoming 2026 movies like the Hershey biopic, it’s great to see Daddario’s self care inspo.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one that's constantly putting out new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Without a doubt the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, which is expected to be a massive multiversal story. Some epic fan art sees Chris Evans back as Steve Rogers, and leading his fellow Captain Americas Peggy Carter and Sam Wilson. Not going to lie, now I want to see this crossover happen.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, so fans are filling in the blanks with rumors, theories, and viral fan art. Case in point: the following image from Instagram, which sees the MCU's three Captains sharing the screen together. Check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? While Steve Rogers is the OG Cap, a few other character have taken on the mantle, both in the Sacred Timeline and the multiverse. The idea of seeing the three shielded heroes fighting alongside each other is thrilling, although whether or not it's actually going to happen is anyone's guess.

The Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement confirmed a ton of characters including Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. The same can't be said for the other two in this image, although there were reports that Chris Evans might be back. For his part, Evans claimed he wasn't going to appear... but some fans don't necessarily believe him. After all, Marvel stars are expected to lie to protect fans from spoilers.

As for Hayley Atwell, fans who have watched the Marvel movies in order will recall her penchant for showing up in surprise cameos throughout the years. That includes her brief but memorable appearance as Captain Carter in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Since Atwell took umbrage with being killed off in that blockbuster, perhaps she'd like another chance to play a Super Soldier in Avengers: Doomsday.

Of course, this is all just fan theories for now. Marvel has been keeping its cards close to the chest regarding Doomsday, which seemingly wrapped principal photography recently. Hopefully this means we'll get more information sooner rather than later, as fans are definitely curious about what The Russo Brothers have up their sleeves for the blockbuster.

Entire teams of superheroes are expected to collide in the Doomsday movie, and it should be interesting to see how exactly they interact. That includes The Avengers (presumably led by Sam Wilson), The Thunderbolts aka New Avengers, The Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. There are countless questions about how this will go down, and how the MCU as a whole might be influenced.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. If/how Evans appears remains to be seen, but fans would definitely love to see the OG Cap return.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe regularly puts out new content, either in theaters or streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, which will feature a huge cast of characters. There are a ton of rumors swirling around the blockbuster, and one new one about Loki would pair him with some surprising characters. And I honestly hope that it happens.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is very limited, but production has been underway for some time. All sort of rumors and fan theories are online, and the latest revolves around Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Scooper Daniel Richtman claimed that he had one particularly intriguing scene, saying:

Ok, my mind is blown. This is just a rumor, but sounds like a sure way to get longtime fans invested in Doomsday. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order waited years for Steve and Peggy to finally get their happy ending at the end of Avengers: Endgame. So returning to their dance... with Loki? That sounds wild.

Obviously we should take this rumor with a grain of salt for the time being. While Hiddleston was confirmed in Doomsday's cast announcement, Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell didn't get chairs. Although they've both already done surprise cameos before, so it doesn't seem totally out of the question.

At the end of Endgame, Steve Rogers took all the Infinity Stones (and Mjolnir) back to their rightful place in the timeline. He reappeared as Old Man Steve, revealing he went back in time and lived his happy ending with Peggy. The movie's final moments saw these two finally get their dance, and it would be a shock to see Loki suddenly appear and interrupt the moment.

Of course, this rumored scene would also stand in juxtaposition to Loki's Season 2 finale. When we last saw the God of Mischief, he was literally holding the timelines together by force. He became the God of Stories, and seemingly could never leave his throne without creating multiversal chaos. So how will he leave this post to get into the adventures of Avengers: Doomsday?

There are a ton of questions about what's going to go down in The Russo Brothers' return to the MCU. But we're in good hands, which should help quell fears as we wait for the movie to arrive next December. Although with so many rumors and theories online, I'm hoping that we get some concrete information sooner rather than later.

Avengers: Doomsday will answer our question when it hits theaters December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Only time will tell if Steve and Peggy's happy ending actually gets interrupted by Loki.

Everyone has a great Tom Cruise story, but his Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning co-star, Hayley Atwell, has what is quite possibly the most awkward memory of the time she and the Hollywood icon were getting to know each other on the set of 2023’s Dead Reckoning.

In an interview with Sirius XM before Mission: Impossible 8 landed on the 2025 movie schedule, Atwell, who may or may not be in Avengers: Doomsday, recalled a story from the set of the 2023 action thriller. She and her pet French bulldogs had a movie night to watch Shane and other movies in an attempt to build rapport with her co-star. And to her surprise, the dogs immediately got close to Cruise. Maybe a little too close, as she recalled:

Anyone with dogs, or who has spent a decent amount of time with some pooches, knows that pups can sometimes have the foulest, grossest, and most pungent farts in the animal kingdom. As the movie went on, Atwell began to notice that her pets were treating the biggest name in Hollywood as the personal farting gallery.

But here’s the thing. While Atwell noticed and was embarrassed by her Frenchies filling the air with repugnant and most likely meaty scents, Cruise didn’t know anything about it until she told him in quite possibly the most embarrassing way:

First off, the second-hand embarrassment I’m getting from this story is enough to make me want to crawl into a hole, and I’m not even the one who experienced this awkward encounter. Secondly, what is that accent? If you haven’t already, go back and watch the clip linked above. Maybe it was because they were watching one of the greatest Western movies ever made, or maybe it was just a random fluke.

Though the whole “farting on the most famous actor in the world” situation may not make Atwell’s dogs the best pets in Hollywood history, they at least gave us a hilarious (and hilariously uncomfortable) story for the ages. At least she didn’t steal his socks this time.

It all seemed to have worked out, as Atwell would not only go on to finish Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, she would also have a major part in The Final Reckoning, which is still playing in theaters nationwide.

The 2025 movie schedule has finally delivered on the many promises held in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. While that “symphony of danger” has given us Ethan Hunt’s last impossible mission and amazing performances from lead Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett and many more, the popcorn sharing cast is pretty clearly a close one behind the scenes. So close, apparently, that everyone is aware of Atwell’s propensity for theft on set, and now we know just how “weird” some of the items she steals can be.

What’s Been Revealed About Hayley Atwell Stealing From Mission: Impossible Sets?

It’s not unusual for actors to admit to taking things from movie or TV sets, especially when they’re nearing the end of their tenure for a long-running franchise or television series. However, once and potential future Marvel star Hayley Atwell seems to have developed quite a habit of filching items, not just from sets, but from restaurants and even her fellow Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning stars.

When promoting the film, the fashionable double train wearer appeared in an intriguing interview with MTV, known as LightsCameraDebate, with her co-star Simon Pegg. It was the long-time Benji Dunn actor who revealed that Atwell is known on set as “Klepto Atwell,” because of her “rampant thievery,” which led to this exchange between the actors and their interviewer, Josh Horowitz:

• Atwell: Don’t judge what you don’t understand. It’s my process. I stole [from set] a salt and pepper shaker, an ashtray, a necklace, a watch, some unclassified documentation that I found in a drawer, some fossils, some fake glass, Tom’s gym socks…
• Horowitz: OK, now we’re getting weird.
• Pegg: Unused, right?
• Atwell: [Looking down and fiddling with some of her jewelry] Well…debatable. That’s questionable. I mean he’s a very clean man.

WOW. I don’t think I have ever heard an actor openly admit to taking this many things from any one set they’d been on before. What really gets me is that none of the items seem to have any particular memories attached to them for Atwell. She just listed off the most random things. Who needs fake glass? Was it a complete item (like a drinking glass) or just a rando chunk of fake glass from something that’d been smashed on camera?

I have so many questions, and we haven’t even gotten to the whopper reveal of Ms. Atwell (who’s gotten some good advice from Cruise during her time working with him) possibly stealing the used gym socks of the franchise’s stunt-focused leading man. As a sock lover, I can honestly say that it would never occur to me to take another person’s dirty socks, regardless of how clean that person typically is. So, my sincerest hope is that the floating shoulder queen is kidding here, but there’s really no way to know.

If you think that was everything related to The Final Reckoning that Atwell copped to stealing, you have another thing coming. You can take a look at the clip to see what else she admitted to, below:

I’m sorry…WHAT?! She managed to remove actual items from an aware human being (co-star Greg Tarzan Davis) as they sat together for interviews and then reveal that she’d stolen from him and he had no clue? Sounds to me that Atwell has learned quite a bit from her M:I character, pro thief Grace, and if she ever decides to leave Hollywood behind, we might just know where her career will take her next.

Spoilers for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning are ahead! If you haven’t seen the 2025 movie schedule entry yet, you can catch it in theaters.

I’m always scared watching a Mission: Impossible stunt, because I know they’re done as practically as possible. However, nothing scared me more than the submarine sequence in The Final Reckoning. Honestly, it felt like it could have been a scene in an upcoming horror movie rather than a set piece in an M:I movie. That is one of the reasons why I love it, and the cast told CinemaBlend why they couldn’t get enough of this underwater moment either.

Let me set the scene: in the middle of Final Reckoning, Ethan Hunt has to dive down to a sunken submarine to retrieve a drive. He’s under literal and figurative pressure, he could die at any second, and the vessel starts spinning and sinking while he's in it. It’s terrifying and a miraculous piece of filmmaking. That, according to Hayley Atwell and Simon Pegg, is thanks to Tom Cruise’s commitment to stunts and various BTS pieces coming together to create one remarkable moment.

Hayley Atwell Broke Down How Tom Cruise’s Commitment To Stunts Impacts The Final Product

With each of the Mission: Impossible movies, it feels like Tom Cruise's commitment to pulling off unimaginable stunts is plastered on the screen. Hayley Atwell shared that idea with us, too, during an interview with CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb. When asked about the submarine scene specifically, she said:

The actress, who plays Grace in the film, then explained that all this is done in pursuit of the most "thrilling" moments possible, saying:

And thrill the audience he did. However, while Tom Cruise is obviously a massive reason why this sequence works, Simon Pegg revealed some other elements that helped make this moment as tense and suspenseful as it is.

Simon Pegg Explained How The Score And Revolving Set Increased The Intensity Of The Submarine Scene

While Simon Pegg said he was “dazed” and “couldn’t remember” the scene the first time he saw Final Reckoning, he had a totally different experience on his second watch. Taking in everything in the submarine sequence, the Benji actor explained that it was “immersive.” That had to do with everything from the camera work to the score and more, as the actor pointed out:

I also took note of the haunting and unique score used during this sequence, and it 100% helped build the tension and put you underwater as time started running out for Ethan.

Pegg also noted that the submarine was rolling, and recalled the “insane gimbal” they used on set to capture it. He said there were “torpedoes falling everywhere,” and when he went back to watch it a second time, he was blown away. His daughter was, too, it seems, as the actor recalled:

Angela Bassett shared a similar sentiment. She explained that watching the submarine sequence upped the stakes for the entire film, including her character’s storyline. The actress adored that intensity and how it “ups the stress level,” saying:

I also love that. I was watching the submarine scene like Pegg’s daughter, with wide eyes and my hands on my face, I loved every tense second. It was a remarkable moment and feat of filmmaking, and it’s one of the many reasons why reviews of Final Reckoning have been solid.

Honestly, this whole underwater sequence is one of the biggest and best highlights of this film. I loved it, the cast did too, and I can guarantee, it’s worth seeing it all unfold on the big screen.

A lot has been said about the value, or lack thereof, of the theatrical experience. Few stars have done quite as much in recent years to support theaters as Tom Cruise, who has used social media to promote many movies -- both those he's starred in and those he hasn't. At the same time, he's created films that draw people into theaters. Cruise isn’t just talking either, as a delightful video involving him, his Mission: Impossible co-stars and popcorn shows how much fun he has in theaters.

Mission: Impossible alum Hayley Atwell shared a hilarious video on Instagram that shows herself, along with fellow Final Reckoning cast members Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff and Simon Pegg tossing popcorn into each other’s mouths. It’s hilarious, including the way they all cheer when somebody catches one, screaming like they just threw a Super Bowl touchdown pass. This is entertainment.

As much as I didn't expect it, I love everything about this. With Tom Cruise being the biggest movie star in the world, and with plenty of questions surrounding just what the man is really like behind the scenes, it’s fun to see him just goofing off with movie theater popcorn the way any of us could. Many of us can likely relate due to having done the same thing from time to time. I just hope they didn't throw it all around before the movie started.

Considering how popular Tom Cruise is, this is the sort of thing that might actually get people to consider heading out to their local cinemas. It’s not only the blockbuster films, of which Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is certainly one, but it’s the experience of enjoying a movie theater, the large screen, the darkness and of course, the snacks. While we may be quiet during movies, the theatrical experience is a communal one, and this sort of video shows just how much fun friends can have at the movies.

Steven Spielberg said that Tom Cruise saved movie theaters, thanks to the success of Top Gun: Maverick and since then he’s used social media to promote all major film releases, most recently Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which so impressed Michael B. Jordan that he showed up to the Final Reckoning premiere as a way to return the favor. All these movie stars loving each other is enough to make you want to go to the movies again.

Up to this point, it’s been unclear just how “final” the Final Reckoning would be, but all signs point to this being the end of the Mission: Impossible franchise, or at least the end of Tom Cruise’s time with it. That said, he’s certainly not showing any signs of slowing down as an actor, so we will almost certainly have plenty more chances to see Cruise on the big screen with a big tub of popcorn before it’s all said and done.

Although Hayley Atwell’s original version of Peggy Carter died in Captain America: Civil War, the actress has continued on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by playing alternate versions of her most famous character. Captain Carter is the heaviest hitter among that lineup, with one variant being a key character in the Disney+ subscription-exclusive series What If… ?, and another variant briefly appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now there are rumors swirling that Atwell is going to appear in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, so CinemaBlend broached the subject in an interview with her.

Atwell is currently making the press rounds for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, and our own Jeff McCobb had the chance to speak with her about the 2025 movie release. Additionally he inquired about the Doomsday rumors concerning her, and here’s what she had to say about the upcoming Marvel movie:

Jeff broached the subject when he mentioned how Hayley Atwell was not among the names printed on chairs during the big Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement in March. If we’re to take Atwell at her word, then the rumors about her appearance are greatly exaggerated, though she would still be game to play any version of Peggy Carter again. However, Marvel also takes great steps to ensure spoilers aren’t leaked, and she wouldn’t be the first actor to straight up lie about their involvement in an MCU project.

I’m not going to assume it’s the latter just yet, but I’m also not completely ruling out there’s a chance we could see Hayley Atwell appear in Avengers: Doomsday, even it it’s just a cameo. For now, watch how she responded to Jeff McCobb for yourself:

Here’s the thing: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are the culmination of The Multiverse Saga. As such, it’s expected that we’ll see variants of established MCU characters, although it still hasn’t been officially clarified if that’s what’s happening with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. Regardless, with Atwell having been part of this franchise since Captain America: The First Avenger, I feel like it would be a waster opportunity to spotlight her in one of those movies, if not more, as yet another Peggy Cater from elsewhere in the multiverse.

We’ll find out one way or another what’s happening or not happening with Hayley Atwell in Avengers: Doomsday when it’s released on May 1, 2026. Whenever we see some version of Peggy Carter again, I hope the actress is more approving of how she’s utilized compared to what happened with her in Doctor Strange 2.

If you follow red carpet fashion, you might remember the time Emily Blunt turned up to the 2024 Oscars sporting a dress with floating shoulders. Her ensemble was definitely on display for everyone to see as, later that very night, Oppenheimer won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It’s been over a year since Blunt’s dress went viral and, now, fellow British actress Hayley Atwell is picking up the trend while promoting one the biggest 2025 movie releases, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.

Ahead of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's release at the end of this month, Hayley Atwell and the cast of the movie have been globe-trotting to promote Ethan Hunt’s latest (and possibly final) mission. As part of that press tour, the team stopped in Seoul, South Korea for a premiere. While there, Hayley Atwell absolutely stunned in her dress, which you can see below:

Atwell wore a dress from Sabina Bilenko, which features the floating shoulders look some fans may remember Emily Blunt popularizing all too well. It’s a form-fitting black gown with a low-cut neck and a gorgeous silver halter top to complete it. While many (including myself) were bewildered by the floating shoulders last year, this is an honestly really sexy take on the style, and I'm totally here for it. I guess Emily Blunt better watch out, especially if she felt any personal ownership over the trend.

When Blunt stepped out in her floating shoulders dress, the comments that came out were things like “I’m so distracted by the shoulders” or “why is it levitating off her shoulders?” or “why won’t her straps sit on her shoulders?” But, in the case of Atwell’s glamorous appearance in Seoul, commenters didn’t spend any time criticizing her fit. When Atwell shared the dress on Instagram, she was met with comments like the ones below:

• “This needs to be hanging in a gallery asap! 🔥” - @joshsmithhosts
• “Boom!!!! Absolutely breathtaking. 😍” - @sophiamylesofficial
• “🔥🔥 OBSESSED🔥🔥” - @kennethsohmakeup
• “The dress is so beautifull !!” - @sylviasupremacy._

Obviously, there’s room for both Emily Blunt and Hayley Atwell’s fashion sensibilities on all the red carpet functions, and I’d never choose between them. However, it’s rather interesting how the same trend is seemingly being lauded a lot more after Atwell debuted her version. Honestly, I think it’s because Atwell’s dress is just better. Nevertheless, if Blunt didn’t make the bold choice to rock the floating shoulders trend in the first place, would we even be gazing upon this dress from the latest Mission: Impossible premiere?

At the end of the day, fashion is all about expression, and I love seeing these big celebrities popularize something new on red carpets. Florence Pugh, who wore the floating shoulders trend at last year’s Oscars as well, also rocked some padded straps recently that totally reminded us of this trend, too.

Before Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 30, Hayley Atwell and the cast will head to the Cannes Film Festival to premiere the film next week. With that, it's likely that fashionistas will be looking out for what the actress wears then.

The 2025 movie schedule is beginning to heat up to summer movie season proportions, and that not only means that more and more potential blockbusters are coming down the pike, but that celeb watchers will be getting a steady stream of red carpet events to satiate their lust for hot looks. After a much-longer-than-planned wait, we are finally nearing the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning which is seeing Tom Cruise and co. step out to promote. Star Hayley Atwell just walked the red carpet with two trains on her gown, and I’m totally surprised by how easily she handled it.

What Did Hayley Atwell Wear On The Red Carpet For Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning?

Hollywood is filled with super-flashy dressers, and while no one can knock those efforts, grateful Grace portrayer Hayley Atwell tends to lean more toward stately elegance when it comes to stepping out for events. The Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning star (who said we shouldn’t be so quick to think the “final” of the title will actually apply to Tom Cruise and his long-running franchise) was recently joined by Cruise and some of the other big names in the movie for the premiere in Japan, and she managed a dress with two whole trains! Just look:

WOW. If this isn’t a Met Gala red carpet-worthy gown, I don’t know what is! I pay a lot of attention to big fashion moments like award shows and premieres, and I cannot remember any recent instances where someone has brought their fashion A-game with double trains. The Marvel star noted on Instagram that her gorgeous black dress is by Erdem, and to have what appears to be a large bow on the back lead into those trains is a real showstopper. And she, apparently, didn’t get tangled in them and fall down even once!

We have certainly seen single trains on carpets before, and they can (somewhat surprisingly) lead to a number of different ‘fits. Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley rocked a train with a minidress once, and we just saw Thunderbolts*’ Florence Pugh help Geraldine Viswanathan with her lovely sunflower chiffon train at their premiere. Honestly, I prefer the look of airy/filmy trains like these and the one chosen by Atwell.

Sometimes trains can look unbelievably heavy, as was the case with Diana Ross’ recent eye-catching, Zendaya-peeping gown. Something like that seems really complicated to walk in (Ross needed six men to help with it), so it’s especially impressive that the new-ish M:I franchise star could manage two of those puppies without getting her stiletto heels stuck in them or tripping at all.

Of course, I say “I prefer airy/filmy trains” as if I’ve ever worn one. I have not. In fact, I do not attend events where a train would even remotely be called for, or appreciated. Can you imagine running into Walmart after work to try and quickly pick something up for dinner and having to dodge some asshole’s 90 pound, 50-foot train? It would likely lead to great anger on your part, and no one would blame you for that.

Luckily, Hayley Atwell has plenty of places to wear things like this amazing creation, and we’re sure to see her in several more sophisticated outfits as we get closer to her film’s opening.

We are nearing what might very well be the end of one of our most enduring film franchises, as the eagerly awaited Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning hits the 2025 movie schedule on May 23. While Tom Cruise’s action-packed entry will wrap up the story that was begun in 2023’s Dead Reckoning, his Ethan Hunt may or may not be ready to call it quits when it comes to his long line of impossible missions. Relative newcomer to the M:I franchise, Hayley Atwell, just offered up a lovely sentiment about working on the last movie and fans are all over her comments.

What Did Hayley Atwell Say About Filming Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning And How Are Fans Responding?

There are still some mysteries surrounding Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and one of those is definitely about whether or not (despite the title and the general “one last time” feel of the trailer) this will actually be the final film (overall or even just for stunt-junkie leading man Tom Cruise). Though that answer is yet to be revealed, Marvel star Hayley Atwell, who began portraying Grace in the franchise with the seventh installment, Dead Reckoning, recently took to Instagram to share some wonderful comments about the “grace” needed to work on the upcoming hit:

Because of pandemic delays and the SAG-AFTRA strike, it took a whole five years for the Reckoning portion of the M:I movies to be completed, which is truly a long time, even for films with super-intricate and death-defying action scenes. As Atwell noted in her post, however, the cast and crew wouldn’t have been able to get through it all without “dedication, courage and camaraderie,” which they leaned on to deliver a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the millions of fans who’ve been following the story of Ethan and his team since 1996.

Her words didn’t go unnoticed, as fans popped into the comments to share their responses, like:

• Can't wait to see this 🙌 You absolutely stunned in your performance as Grace, can't wait to see the sequel
• I absolutely am ecstatic the theatrical release date draws near, Hayle Ya!! 🥳🎊 I love your presence as Grace so far in the franchise and canNOT wait to see where you take her in this installment! 🙌🙌🙏😃
• CONGRATS and THANKS!😍👏❤️ I can't wait!!😉
• One last time… cannot wait to see what happens with Grace in The Final Reckoning!! 😃
• If Tom steps back, you’ll have to take over. You know that don’t you. What will we do?! We need a regular mission 😊
• Think about a Grace Spin Off Movie 🎥 👍👍

Introduced in the previous film as an incredibly skilled, globe-trotting thief who gets pulled into Ethan’s mission to locate keys to the rogue AI known as The Entity, it’s clear from these comments that Atwell’s Grace has already become a big and beloved part of the movies. Fans haven’t even seen her second outing as the character, and they’re already talking about giving her a spinoff or having her lead the franchise going forward if Cruise is really done after this (which the actress has her doubts about).

All in all, it points to how big of an impact she’s already made, and why the cast and crew worked so hard to bring fans The Final Reckoning through so many delays.

Everyone looking forward to Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning probably shares the same basic reasons with their fellow fans. The 2025 movie schedule entry is set to end Ethan Hunt’s run as an IMF agent, Tom Cruise’s painful looking stunts have taken him to the literal heights of action yet again, and that cliffhanger at the end of Dead Reckoning still needs to be, well, reckoned with. But after taking a look at the Svalbard shoot that Mission: Impossible 8 undertook, and even in the face of the freezing danger it represented, something totally adorable may have made up for that peril.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s Svalbard Shoot Still Looks Chilling

Previously, we were given a short, but sweet look at this arctic shoot, in the form of The Final Reckoning’s holiday greeting from the cast. But now we have a much more comprehensive look at what that cold schedule looked like, and you can see for yourself below:

While we’ve seen Tom Cruise’s breathless biplane stunt from Mission: Impossible’s intended swan song, I think that the way Simon Pegg discusses The Final Reckoning’s Svalbard experience provides some competition for the most painful Mission stunt ever.

At least that’s true if you exclude Mr. Cruise’s ankle breaking experience from Fallout, but you can read Pegg’s quote below and judge for yourself:

Pain is something that definitely weaves throughout the feats accomplished on camera. But in this latest featurette for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, there’s a fringe benefit that seems to make up for the freezing cold - even if watching it in action takes on a new meaning after Simon Pegg’s strong words.

Petting Mission: Impossible’s Sled Dogs May Not Totally Make Up For Freezing Temps, But It’s A Start

Want to add a perk to making your huge action spectacle, while also adding some cool images to your shot list? Adding animals is a surefire way to do just that, as we’ve seen with The Final Reckoning’s beautiful dog footage!

On the more practical side, having this mode of transport is ecologically friendly and good exercise for humanity’s best friend when done ethically. As you can observe in this still of Hayley Atwell, one lucky dog in particular got some hard earned scratches to back that claim:

Now I don’t mean to be a stickler, but I’m left wondering how long one can safely interact with this precious Mission: Impossible co-stars? Watching Ms. Atwell’s scratch session with the dog shown above, she’s having fun with that little darling with no face covering, ungloved. So unless it was an unseasonably warm day in Svalbard that day, the rumored returning cast mate for Avengers: Doomsday is taking some Tom Cruise-style risks herself.

If Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is as rewarding as watching those dogs get loved on, and as dangerous as Simon Pegg makes a gloveless day in Svalbard sound, I think this may be a hit in theaters. We’ll see soon enough, as this final mission will be debriefing audiences on May 23rd; with a mysterious Tom Cruise-approved popcorn bucket that still needs to be revealed.

Based on the recently announced cast list for Avengers: Doomsday, it’s clear that Marvel is pulling out all the stops for what is sure to be a major story pulling from all corners of the Multiverse. As fans, we likely got a small taste of what’s in store for in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Hopefully things will go slightly smoother for the cast on Doomsday than they did for Hayley Atwell on the Doctor Strange sequel.

Haylet Atwell has a brief cameo as Captain Carter in Multiverse of Madness, the live-action debut of a character she voiced in Marvel’s animated What If…? series (streaming with a Disney+ subscription). Appearing on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Atweell reveals that she initially had an issue with her character’s appearance and the way she was so quickly disposed of. Atwell said…

There were more than a few complaints from fans that the collection of variant heroes, which included Captain Carter, John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic, and a returning Patrick Stewart as Professor X, were so quickly disposed of by the rampaging Scarlet Witch. The scene is specifically designed to show how powerful the villain is, but that doesn’t make Captain Carter’s quick defeat any easier to swallow.

Atwell herself didn’t like the way her character was handled and says she spoke with the director about it on the set, suggesting that the camera and lighting be changed slightly. She doesn’t mention the director by name, so it could have been Sam Raimi, but it may have also been an assistant director handling the action sequence.

Atwell says the director initially brushed away her opinion and tried to ignore her, but she stood her ground. When the director realized Atwell wasn’t going to back down, he tried to play it off, saying he was “Just bullying her,” to which Atwell responded…

Atwell credits her time working with Tom Cruise on the newest Mission: Impossible movies as part of the reason she has learned to better stand up for herself on set. It’s unclear if the scene in the movie played out more like Atwell wished or not, but she certainly did what she could, which is all anybody could ask.

Hayley Atwell has been a working actor since 2005, but many people really didn’t become aware of her talents until she landed the role of Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger, which joined the Marvel movies in order way back in 2011. She was able to turn that star-making role into numerous parts in other movies and TV shows, including co-starring with Tom Cruise as the newest addition to his long-running Mission Impossible franchise for 2023’s Dead Reckoning. Atwell returns for its 2025 movie schedule sequel, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (which could be the last film), and spoke about some great advice she’s gotten from Cruise.

What Hollywood Schmoozing Advice Did Tom Cruise Give Hayley Atwell?

As noted, Hayley Atwell has been around for quite some time, so I’d imagine that she’s had her fair share of moments when she’s been in the room with a lot of impressive stars and others she might admire, including Tom Cruise himself. While speaking on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast recently, the host asked about advice that she’s gotten from the Interview with the Vampire star, and said:

First of all, I really love it when people who seem to have it all together like Atwell talk about having their own anxiety and detail how they deal with their difficult, very human moments. She continued, adding that Cruise suggested she take an intriguing path for battling anxiety:

The Heartstopper talent has spoken previously about having pinch-me moments when working with Cruise, and has also revealed other advice he’s given her about things like being “competent” instead of “safe” when she works and dealing with “grubby” rumors about her personal life. However, this “free-floating” anxiety advice is something that pretty much anyone can use on a regular basis. Atwell also noted:

Many of us never have and never will have the chance to have any kind of deep conversation with Tom Cruise, but it’s really good to know that he has solid advice for co-stars like Hayley Atwell. Now all I need is to get myself invited to a fancy Hollywood party to see how well his tactics work…

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell have been taking a breather from the big and small screens as of late in favor of some time on the stage. As of late, the pair of Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans have been performing in a production of Much Ado About Nothing at Drury Lane in London. The fun (or daunting) aspect of performing shows night in and night out is that you never know who might show up. Well, Tom Cruise and Stanley Tucci recently arrived to see Atwell and Hiddleston, and I can only imagine how cool that meeting was.

Amid the play’s run in the UK, Tom Cruise and Stanley Tucci visited with The Jamie Lloyd Company. The organization itself revealed the two A-listers’ visit by way of a photo carousel shared to Instagram. Within the snapshots are glimpses of Cruise reuniting with his fellow Mission: Impossible alum Hayley Atwell. Meanwhile, the always-delightful Tucci also had some time to speak with both Atwell and the Loki star. Take a look at the wonderful post for yourself:

What I love most is just how connected the quartet of stars are through their bodies of work. As mentioned, there’s a M:I connection here, but the Marvel ties are also strong. (And no, not with Tom Cruise because he hasn’t played an Iron Man variant as hoped for.) Years ago, Mr. Tucci worked alongside Ms. Atwell on Captain America: The First Avenger. Tucci reflected on the role not too long ago, calling his turn as Dr. Abraham Erskine one of the “greatest roles” he’s ever had. Needless to say, as an MCU and M:I fan, I love this reunion.

Seriously, though, I can’t help but wonder what these four stars were discussing. I mean, were they talking about the arts, or were they analyzing the finer points of William Shakespeare’s work? I could just be overthinking all of this, and the conversation could’ve been much more mundane. They could’ve simply been talking about British cuisine, which I wouldn’t have been mad about at all if I had been a fly on the wall.

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell’s reunion for the aforementioned play has yielded some delightful moments thus far. On Valentine’s Day, the two goofed around in a humorously sweet video. They pair were also lauded for apparently entering their TikTok era, thanks to a post in which they seemed to be channeling Barbie. Atwell and Hiddleston’s personal dynamic seems strong, and I’d imagine that makes it easier for them to work together.

Unfortunately, it’s likely that we won’t know exactly what was said when all four of the actors reunited. Still, the mere fact that they had the time to catch up is great to me. What I hope is that more celebrities might go see Much Ado About Nothing or even just pay a visit to the theater company to see the two lovely stars headlining the production.

You can see Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell share the silver screen once more when Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23 as part of the 2025 movie schedule.

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell have officially entered their TikTok era, and fans are absolutely living for it. While the two actors are best known for their roles in Marvel movies—Hiddleston as Loki and Atwell as Peggy Carter—it seems they’ve traded in upcoming superhero movie action for something a little more pink and playful. The duo, currently starring together in Much Ado About Nothing at London’s Drury Lane, took to social media to share a behind-the-scenes video, and let’s just say it’s pure Barbie & Ken-ergy.

Shared on Hayley Atwell and The Jamie Lloyd Company's Instagram accounts, the video features the cast of Much Ado About Nothing fully embracing their production's vibrant, theatrical energy. But instead of referencing their Marvel pasts, the War alum and Black Mirror star leaned into a Barbie-themed sound, perfectly channeling the iconic film’s fun and campy aesthetic. Check it out below:

The video features Hiddleston–along with the rest of the cast–looking effortlessly charming in '90s-themed pastels and a sea of pink petals. They lip-sync a sound from the iconic beach sequence in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, where all the Barbies and Kens greet one another.

Naturally, fans lost their minds seeing the Crimson Peak star in such a lighthearted and playful setting. The comment section quickly filled with praise, and the internet has fully embraced the God of Mischief actor’s new TikTok presence. Here are just a few of the standout reactions:

• Please never stop letting him do TikToks 😭🩷 -@zawesrose
• Tom being in his TikTok era- 😭😭 we all love it so much, seeing the play on Friday cannot wait. -@tomandzawesfav
• Tom doing TikToks is so cute. -@sophiaroxthe80s
• TOM BEING IN HIS TIKTOK ERA 😭🩷🩷🩷-@Malfoysblacksuit
• Tom's TikTok era yayyyyy -@art_queen_deeps
• To whoever is suggesting all those TikToks, please never stop. -@naellecheri
• Tom's TikTok era is to die forrrr 😩😩😩😩🩷🩷🩷🩷 -@ev.sinclaire
• TOM IS THE CUTEST I CAN'T 😭🩷😭🩷 -@jocejung
• TOM TIKTOK ERA 🛐🛐 -@emerviice

One fan even made the perfect suggestion, commenting:

Okay, that’s not a bad idea. If a Barbie sequel ever does happen, someone give the filmmakers a call with that take because it's one I can get behind. Though the director has weighed in on a sequel, saying her film wasn't designed to have sequels, I suppose Tom Hiddleston’s and Hayley Atwell’s TikTok era will have to hold us Barbie and Marvel fans over–for now.

Both actors have been known for their serious, action-packed roles, especially in Marvel movies. However, this recent burst of TikTok energy is thanks to their shared participation in the Much Ado About Nothing adaptation.

The stage production is already proving to be a wildly creative take on the classic Shakespeare play, blending '90s house music with a fresh, energetic aesthetic. Seeing Hiddleston and Atwell wholly lean into the playfulness of the production—both on stage and on social media—has been a delightful surprise for fans.

With their chemistry on full display and the TikTok era officially in full swing, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the last viral moment we’ll be getting from these two. However, while we wait for their next social media video, you can revisit the actors’ time in the MCU, up to this point, by streaming their appearances in the series with a Disney+ subscription.

The MCU is large, with quite the star-studded cast, and with as many actors as the MCU has they’re bound to come back together outside of their comic book counterparts. It’s always nice to see when they not only have other projects, they’re passionate for, but also having fun with their former MCU co-stars. Actors Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston were seen goofing around for Valentines Day, and it’s really sweet to see them having fun.

In a post on The Jamie Lloyd Company’s Instagram page, they shared a video of the Much Ado About Nothing cast trying to spell ‘love’ with their bodies on top of a sea of pink confetti to celebrate Valentines Day. It’s quite funny on its own, especially that ‘V’ attempt; but the video does include Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell attempting to make the letter ‘L’.

Back in October of 2024 it was announced that Captain Carter and Loki God of mischief, were going to star on the west end production of Much Ado About Nothing, a classic Shakespeare comedy. The play itself seemingly acting as a nice break for Atwell and Hiddleston, following their previous roles.

Just last fall Atwell celebrated the release of the animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, which was well liked by those who enjoy the Tomb Raider franchise, even if it might not be as accessible to everyone. She is also set to star in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning later this year.

As for Hiddleston, The Life of Chuck a film adaptation of Stephen Kings’ book was also released last fall, which also included fellow MCU star Karen Gillan. As of writing this there is still no news on Loki season 3, but Hiddleston does have another Disney+ project forthcoming. And of course, we can’t forget that reports do tell that Peggy Carter will be coming back in Avengers: Doomsday in a big way. So there’s lots to look forward to between the two of them if you can’t see them on the stage.

Despite Atwell and Hiddleston’s names being on the playbill, there are still tickets available for future performances. While the performance for V-day itself is fully sold out, you can still catch it if you are in the neighborhood. And you can catch them in their various MCU appearances with a Disney+ subscription.

Some things we know about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning are not in question. We can be fairly confident that the film will include some incredible action sequences and that Tom Cruise will risk to life doing insane things. We already know that Cruise will be hanging from airplanes at some point. However, there are also some big questions about the movie. Like, will this be the last Mission: Impossible movie?

There are certainly some indications that Tom Cruise may be getting ready to wrap up his time as Ethan Hunt, not the least of which is the new movie’s title, which certainly indicates it will be the “final” piece of the franchise. However, Cruise’s co-star Haley Atwell and I are clearly on the same page, as her recent comments to The Guardian indicate that while she’s leaning toward thinking this is the end, she’s far from certain. Atwell said…

Sometimes franchises tell us the "end" is coming because they want people to be prepared for what's on the way. Other times, it's an intentional misdirection. It's, pun intended, impossible to know for sure which this is. I certainly can't tell.

From the moment it was announced that Tom Cruise and writer/director Christopher McQuarrie were going to make two Mission: Impossible movies back-to-back fans wondered if this was going to act as a sort of “grand finale” for the franchise. While the director and star have been cagey about the possibility that this could be the end, they certainly haven’t denied that possibility. And with the new movie’s title being what it is, it certainly seems to be teasing such an end.

At the same time, it’s hard to imagine Tom Cruise stopping anything that he enjoys doing, and by all accounts, he loves making Mission: Impossible movies. If he wants to keep making them, he certainly will. Even if the current plan is for this to be the end, it doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind down the road and go back to it. Even if the last movie kills off Ethan Hunt, which is far from guaranteed, they could almost certainly justify bringing him back if they want to.

As Atwell points, out, the biggest hurdle to future Mission: Impossible movies right now may be the fact that Tom Cruise rarely seems to stand still for too long. The list of upcoming Tom Cruise movies is always long. If there aren’t plans to make more movies, then finding time in his schedule to make one down the road is going to be tough.

Tom Cruise has long entertained audiences with the massive feats he performs on the big screen. But, while much of that is done to satisfy the masses, the 62-year-old leading man himself gets something out of his various on-set experiences as well. Cruise is a self-professed movie fan and has shown enthusiasm for his work on multiple occasions over the years. On that note, the actor was able to accomplish a dream he apparently had from the time he was “five years old.” That came courtesy of the Mission: Impossible franchise.

At this point, the Ethan Hunt actor has pulled off a plethora of wild stunts throughout the course of his M:I tenure. Hunt hanging from the side of a plane in Rogue Nation or scaling the Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol are just a few of the marquee moments in the franchise. It turns out, though, that it was Dead Reckoning that provided the Top Gun icon to live out his dream. While speaking with The Guardian about the spontaneity that comes with making the massive films, Hayley Atwell revealed the specific stunt that tickled her co-star’s fancy:

M:I — Dead Reckoning features ridiculous stunts, but none of them can arguably rival the pure insanity of Tom Cruise riding a motorcycle off a cliff. The scene in question comes into play later in the Christopher McQuarrie-helmed film when Hunt has to jump a cliff in order to parachute over to a train. It’s a wild moment, and one that I’ll personally never forget seeing on the big screen for the first time. What’s also wild is that the motorcycle stunt was completed on the first day of production.

Seriously, that’s some childhood dream. Tom Cruise’s motorcycle sequence was originally revealed at CinemaCon back in 2021. At that time, a behind-the-scenes teaser confirmed Cruise performed the stunt six times, before the crew agreed that they had what they needed. It’s likely that not everyone has dreams of riding off a cliff when they’re kids. Of course, not everyone is Mr. Cruise, and I can appreciate his aspiration and the fact that he accomplished it. Check out this BTS video of how it all came together:

Hayley Atwell, for her part, didn’t have to perform such a scary-sounding stunt. However, as she went on to explain, she was cast with the expectation that she could keep up with Cruise in many ways:

Hayley Atwell will once again work with Tom Cruise in the upcoming Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Of course, given the secretive nature of the films, it’s hard to say just what she’ll have to do in that film. Yet something I wouldn’t expect, in any case, is a repeat of the bike feat. After all, Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie don’t prefer to repeat themselves. I’m excited to see what the duo have in store with their 2025 movie schedule entry, and here’s hoping Cruise crossed off more childhood bucket list items while making it.

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning opens in theaters on May 23, 2025. In the meantime, check out that awesome (and wild) motorcycle stunt by streaming Dead Reckoning with a Paramount+ subscription. You can use that same membership to stream other installments in the franchise as well.

For over 15 years now, we’ve been witness to all the Marvel movies in order, and what a journey it has been! We’ve come a long way since Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man first took flight, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe introducing so many characters into its movies and TV shows, that some of our favorites just haven’t had enough of the limelight yet. Let’s talk about the MCU characters that could use more screen time than they’ve currently been given.

Valkyrie

After the dismal reaction to Thor: The Dark World, the God of Thunder had an awesome comeback in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The third Thor movie was partially awesome due to the debut of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, who instantly became a fan favorite for her wit and all-around standout performance. Despite all the love for Valkyrie, she’s remained on the sidelines in every one of her appearances.

Captain Carter

OK, so technically Hayley Atwell had a television series on ABC in the early days of the MCU called Agent Carter, but watching that series only made me want to see the character more. Especially when Peggy Carter came back in the Multiverse Saga for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for a short cameo and in animated form for …What If? Captain America’s great love is one of the most interesting MCU characters who deserves to have her hero’s journey fleshed out more.

Maria Hill

Early in the MCU, Cobie Smulder’s Maria Hill was established as a key part of the universe in The Avengers as Nick Fury’s right hand, but over the years, she’s never really gotten any sort of major arc in either of the movies or TV shows yet, despite sharing she’d love to do more. She was barely in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and has mostly been used for a few jokes here and there over the years.

Morgan Stark

One of the most heartbreaking arcs in the MCU was the death of Tony Stark, especially after it was revealed that the character had a daughter with Pepper Potts, named Morgan Stark. (We’ll never forget the “I love you 3000” line). While it does make sense to wait a bit before we see Morgan Stark again, it would be interesting to catch up with the daughter of Iron Man, and see how her life progresses in the MCU following Endgame.

Jimmy Woo

Randall Park’s FBI agent character Jimmy Woo was first seen in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp as Scott Lang’s parole officer. Woo has since been seen in WandaVision and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in brief roles. Sure, Jimmy Woo isn’t a huge Marvel character or anything, but Park is so hilarious, I’d love it if he earned a larger role in the universe.

Okoye

One of the best Black Panther characters is definitely Danai Gurira’s Okoye, who has had somewhat of a central role in both of the movies, but when you look at the screen time she actually had (about 13 minutes in Black Panther and 16 minutes in Wakanda Forever), she’s still rather a minor character. The former general of the Dora Milaje and head of Wakandan armed forces isn’t just very impressive in her strength and power, but a magnetic character I’d watch a whole movie about.

M’Baku

Winston Duke got on the Hollywood map due to his role in Black Panther, and while he was only in the first movie for about six minutes, he left a lasting impression on fans that had us wanting to see more. Especially following the end of Wakanda Forever, where he actually assumes the role of King of Wakanda. Here’s hoping the next Black Panther project gives him more to do.

Adam Warlock

As soon as Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock was announced to be part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel fans were excited to see the cosmic being in live action. However, it felt like the third Guardians movie didn’t really know what to do with the character, and is admittedly filed under “the worst thing” in our list of best and worst parts of every Marvel movie. The character deserves some redemption!

Cosmo the Spacedog

In the final Guardians of the Galaxy movie, James Gunn decided to introduce one of the cutest Marvel characters, Cosmo, but she was barely in the film! The Labrador astronaut, who has enhanced intelligence and psychic powers is such a fun and hilarious character, especially as voiced by Maria Bakalova. While it seems like the Guardians movies have wrapped up, I would love to see more of Cosmo.

Lady Sif

In the original Thor movie, Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif was brought on board the MCU as an Asgardian warrior and good friend to the God of Thunder. However, the heroic character, who is based on the Norse goddess who is known as the wife of Thor, had an anticlimactic role in the franchise. After showing up for around eight minutes in the first movie, her only other big appearance was in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She’d be a solid character to show up in the next Thor movie.

Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight getting a TV show rather than a big-screen movie will always be a mystery to me. Sure, he’s not the most popular Marvel hero, but given the studio has sold us on all sorts of smaller characters over the years, I don’t see why an antihero with dissociative identity disorder with roots in Egyptian mythology would have pulled in a crowd.

Korg

Not only is Thor: Ragnarok a movie that is so much fun on its own, but it also introduces Taika Waititi’s hilarious character of Korg, a Kronan warrior who Thor meets on Sakaar. Korg has only had short supporting moments in the last two Thor movies, but because he’s so loveable, we’d happily catch his return.

Quicksilver

Aaron Taylor-Johnson played Quicksilver, the brother to Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but had a hero’s death while shielding civilians from gunfire coming from Ultron. We have to wonder if the MCU would ever bring back the actor’s version of the character, especially after the multiverse was opened up. The actor has since jumped to playing another Marvel character for Sony’s Spider-Verse with the Kraven The Hunter movie.

Wong

When Doctor Strange came out in 2016, Benedict Wong’s role of Wong introduced the keeper of ancient books of the mystic arts. Since the MCU has progressed, Wong has been promoted to the Sorcerer Supreme. Following his title shift, we’re thinking about how the character could get a bigger spotlight that follows his own adventures.

America Chavez

When it was announced that America Chavez was coming to the MCU, we were excited to get to know the hero, also known as Miss America. Xochitl Gomez was highlighted in the key plot of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but she deserves a lot more attention in the MCU. Perhaps, she could be in the Young Avengers team we think the MCU is quietly setting up.

Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)

After Tobey Maguire was the first big-screen Spider-Man in a trilogy of blockbuster films, his Spider-Man joined the MCU in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. While we imagine his appearance was more for nostalgic purposes, we’d genuinely love to see Tobey’s Peter Parker be part of the MCU again, and perhaps see Sam Raimi do the Spider-Man 4 movie that was previously cancelled. Spider-Man 3 ended the character on such a sour note, and the actor makes for such an awesome version of the hero.

Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)

Andrew Garfield was such a Spider-Man in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man movies, however, they came at the time right before Disney earned the rights to the character. So, the cord was pulled on Garfield’s version and Tom Holland was part of the reboot. Garfield’s version technically joined the MCU when he showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. We’d love to see Garfield return to the MCU with his Spidey brothers, and perhaps continue where his movies left off.

J. Jonah Jameson

In Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was perfectly cast as J. Jonah Jameson, so we were unsurprised when the MCU cast him as the character for short cameos in Tom Holland’s movies. Except in the version we’ve seen, he’s only been seen on TV screens across the city. We don’t have a lot of Spider-Man 4 details right now, but wouldn’t it be fun if Holland’s Peter Parker began working for him?

Ned Leeds

Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds has always been such a fun addition to the Spider-Man movies with Tom Holland. Ned is Spider-Man’s “guy in the chair”, but the comic book character has more of a backstory that can be explored in upcoming Spider-Man movies. In the Spider-Man comics, Edward Leeds becomes a supervillain called the Hobgoblin!!

MJ

Mary-Jane Watson has always been an iconic part of the Spider-Man universe, but the character herself has yet to ever get a larger role that surpasses simply being a love interest to Spider-Man. Zendaya’s MJ is a step in the right direction for the character, but we have to wonder if there’s more the MCU could do with her.

Dane Whitman

When it was announced Kit Harrington was joining the MCU in 2019 in the role of Dane Whitman/Black Knight, we thought it was going to be a much bigger deal than it turned out to be. Harrington ended up having a rather anticlimactic role in Eternals, and we’re not even sure if we’ll get the payoff for the awesome character who has been in teams like the Avengers and Defenders in the comics.

Kate Bishop

When it comes to the best Marvel TV shows, Hawkeye is definitely one of the good ones, especially for how perfectly it established the character of Kate Bishop. Hailee Steinfeld hit the bullseye when it comes to portraying the second generation of Hawkeye. After being in her own TV show, Kate showed up in The Marvels mid-credits scene with Kamala Khan, and we hope the MCU does promote her to an Avenger.

The Collector

In the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Benicio del Toro’s take on The Collector was brought into the MCU. He’s a villain in Marvel comics with a long history dating back to 1966 and tons of storylines with the Avengers and such, however, so far del Toro’s character has only had a few cameos.

Zeus

The king of the gods, Zeus, has even entered the MCU. In Thor: Love and Thunder, Russell Crowe had a small role as the Greek mythology legend. Since it’s such an epic character, and Crowe is an incredible talent, we’d be hyped for Zeus to have more screen time.

Luis

In Ant-Man, Michael Peña brought lots of laughs to the MCU as Luis. The character doesn’t have a comic backstory, and is really just a regular guy who used to be the cellmate of Scott Lang. However, Luis is so genuinely hilarious that we’ve missed him lately. We were especially bummed that he wasn’t in the third Ant-Man movie.

Namor

In the second Black Panther movie, audiences were introduced to the king of the underwater kingdom of Talokan, Namor. Tenoch Huerta did a fantastic job playing the villain of Wakanda Forever, and while he was technically defeated by Shuri in the movie, he’s very much alive, and is an interesting enough character to get more screen time, somehow.

Heimdall

It’s a shame that Idris Elba’s Heimdall died in Avengers: Infinity War, because the Asgardian gatekeeper was never really given much of a role in the MCU. The character could sustain a movie on his own considering what he does on Asgard, but here’s hoping he is still afforded the chance.

James “Rhodey” Rhodes

Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes was introduced in Iron Man 2, after Terrance Howard previously played the character in the first movie. Rhodes has become a member of the Avengers as War Machine / Iron Patriot, but he’s definitely been among the members of the team that’s not highlighted enough. At least the character is still reportedly set to front his own movie called Armor Wars, which would be very much deserved.

Madisynn King

In She-Hulk, a hilarious MCU character was born with Patty Guggenheim’s Madisynn (“with two n’s and one “y”, but it’s not where you think”). She was accidentally sent to a hellish dimension before crossing paths with Benedict Wong’s Wong, which she lovingly calls “Wongers.” She’s a laugh-out-loud addition to the universe that’d be so fun to see pop up again somewhere.

Sharon Carter

The niece of Peggy Carter, Emily VanCamp's Sharon Carter has been in two Captain America movies, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and an episode of What If...? But still, it never fully feels like the MCU knows what to do with her. Perhaps if she was interwoven into the plotline more, she could have deeper ties to the universe.

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the director of the CIA in the MCU, who has been sprinkled in recent chapters in the MCU and is set to be part of the Thunderbolts cast. Currently, she isn’t giving us a lot to care about her, so here’s hoping the MCU does her character right and gives her more screen time going forward.

Hulk

May we remind you that Hulk is the only member of the original Avengers who has never been given his own solo project? It’s so wild! Yes, he left a huge mark on the main Avengers saga, but Mark Ruffalo is so good as Bruce Banner, that he deserves his own arc without being part of a team.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always keeping fans on their toes, thanks to new projects in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Moviegoers are eager for information about upcoming Marvel movies, especially the next two Avengers flicks. And good news, because a report about Doomsday claims Peggy Carter is coming back in a thrilling way.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen the way Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter has come in and out of the narrative. That includes her cameo in Doctor Strange 2 as Captain Carter, and a report by Deadline claims that she'll once again become that version of the character in Avengers: Doomsday.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but it looks like a number of MCU favorites will appear as variants of their character. We already knew Robert Downey Jr. was playing Doctor Doom, and Captain America actor Chris Evans is returning as well.

This news might be surprising for some hardcore fans since Atwell as open about her negative feelings over Captain Carter's appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After all, she barely got on the screen before being brutally killed off by The Scarlet Witch. We'll just have to see what Avengers: Doomsday decides to do with the character.

Peggy and Steve finally got their dance in Avengers: Endgame, with the star-crossed lovers having a happy ending after all. Since then Captain Carter debuted in the animated series What If...? before making her way to live-action. Hopefully she gets to have a longer arc (and live through) whatever is coming the character's way in Avengers: Doomsday.

It's been fascinating to see the way that Hayley Atwell has weaved in and out of the MCU over the years. To be fair, her only starring roles have been in Captain America: The First Avenger and (obviously) the Agent Carter TV series. And she's continued to play that role through various roles including voicing episodes of What If...?, a small but memorable role as old Peggy in The Winter Soldier, and through flashbacks in Avengers: Endgame. As such, it feels like Agent Carter could be used in endless ways when she pops up during Doomsday.

This rumor comes just days after Chris Evans was revealed to be in the cast of Avengers: Doomsday. Some fans hoped he's be an evil Cap variant who works for HYDRA, which might be a way to bring in Captain Carter. It's unclear, but The Russo Brothers are clearly making strides regarding the movie's cast.

The next Marvel movie heading to theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th, and Avengers: Doomsday will eventually follow suit May 1st, 2026. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The schedule of upcoming 2025 movies has promising works for fans of MCU alums Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell. With The Life of Chuck and Mission: Impossible 8 offering fans of their respective talents thrills in the year to come, there’s actually a project that’ll finally give them the chance to share some big scenes together. Though if you’re not in the UK, you may become a bit frustrated by what I’m about to tell you.

It was recently announced that Hiddleston and Atwell will respectively be playing Benedick and Beatrice in director Jamie Lloyd’s upcoming production of the iconic Shakespearian romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing. That casting was confirmed, along with the news that tickets are now on sale for the show’s run at the Theater Royal Drury Lane, in the social media post shown below:

Set to run from February 10th through April 5th, those of you who’ve always shipped Loki and Peggy Carter, congratulations, your day has come! That's because the short short version of Much Ado About Nothing’s story involves our two leads trying to help their respective friends navigate the complications of love, while totally denying they’re in love with each other.

Notable adaptations have seen Kenneth Brannagh and Emma Thompson, as well as David Tennant and Catherine Tate, playing the snark-filled lovers on stage and screen. For the sake of helping sell how awesome of a prospect this is for Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell fans, take a look at the trailer from that variant’s theatrical release:

Much Ado About Nothing is a tale that still has quite a bit of mileage and popularity attached to its name. Anyone that doubts that fact should look at the sleeper success of Anyone But You. That Glen Powell/Sydney Sweeney hit just might be a movie you didn’t know was based on Shakespeare, as it was loosely based on this very tale, and brought in quite a bit of money while doing it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if tickets for this version of Much Ado About Nothing are already hard to come by. With Hayley Atwell’s fans being devotedly awesome, and Tom Hiddleston’s followers being equally amazing, the Royal Drury Lane Theatre is primed to be packed for this entire limited run.

While it may not fulfill Tom Hiddleston’s MCU crossover wish of facing off against good friend Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, having him play one of the classiest games of “will they, or won’t they?” with the equally iconic Hayley Atwell still feels like a match made in Marvel heaven.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go write my pitch for a future What If… episode, “Much Ado About The Tesseract;” which will probably never be accessible through the power of your Disney+ subscription. But before I go, I have to make one last recommendation before we part.

Before the curtain goes up on this comedy, the Shakespearean drama The Tempest will be mounted at this very same theater, with Sigourney Weaver making her West End debut as Prospero. If you’re really lucky, you could potentially snag tickets for that show’s February 1st closing date and keep busy in town for the next show’s opening. One trip could allow you to see two legendary Shakespeare tales brought to life with some of the finest actors of our time. So keep that in mind before you book those flights!

We all deserve a little treat as a way to say to ourselves, "job well done". No matter how hard, grueling or menial the task, everybody should relax and enjoy some R&R when a project has been completed. That's what fan-favorite actress Hayley Atwell did sometime after she completed work on Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, which is a key title on the 2024 TV schedule. Sometime before the new Netflix release dropped this month, Atwell vacationed in Croatia, and the views were absolutely breathtaking.

Hayley Atwell, best known to Marvel fans for her role as Peggy Carter, is making a splash via her voice role as Lara Croft. Ironically, she's proving to be a globe-trotter like her character, following her recent excursion Europe. She posted photos from the trip to her Instagram and, if these pics don't make you want to book a trip immediately, I don't know what will:

She tagged what she called her "beloved" Maslina Resort in Stari Grad, Croatia. The photos show the Mission: Impossible star enjoying the blue skies and equally beautiful, blue ocean. Also, I'm not sure who took those photos, but they deserve a shoutout for really capturing the beauty of the star's surroundings.

The caption that Hayley Atwell shared also suggests that she was more than enjoying herself. Needless to say, she was simply living her best life, and you love to see it.

Getting some down time and clearing the mind is a good way to prepare for a release and go into it with an open mind. I can't think of a better way to go into one than with some sweet sun, excellent waves and good friends. Of course, the Christopher Robin star also knows when to work when called upon to do so.

Those who've already seen the actress' new animated series, which dropped on October 10th, can probably attest to the starlet's talents. The story centers on the eponymous Lara Croft, as she races to stop an ex-mercenary from bringing forth the destruction of the world. Along the way, she must also rely on the help of her allies and battle with inner demons.

Some fans of the games and past movies have been on the fence about this Tomb Raider iteration. This may be because past entries have been met with very mixed reactions. However, this latest take on the beloved character and her world seems to deliver the action, humor and heart that's long been associated with the franchise.

As the series continues to be viewed, one would hope that Hayley Atwell is still treating herself to some tender loving care. Given the work she's done, she certainly deserves it. All the while, you can do yourself a favor by chilling and streaming Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft using a Netflix subscription now.

Considering Alicia Vikander’s Lara Croft never got a second Tomb Raider feature, I admittedly wasn’t all that excited about the prospects of an animated Tomb Raider series heading to Netflix’s 2024 schedule, even with the exciting prospect of Hayley Atwell voicing the lead. But here I am after watching the first trailer for Netflix’s The Legend of Lara Croft, 100% ready to follow the brainy archaeologist anywhere around the globe.

As a direct narrative successor to the Survivor trilogy of Tomb Raider games, this new project follows the ever-courageous and inquisitive adventurer on a new quest filled with high-stakes maneuvering and gorgeous locales.

Part of the reason why I’m so newly pumped about Tomb Raider’s arrival as an episodic series is because of the largely gorgeous and kinetic visuals from Powerhouse Animation. That’s the studio that has also been responsible for the eye-popping animation for Castlevania and its Nocturne spinoff, Seis Manos, Blood of Zeus, Masters of the Universe, and Skull Island.

While it might not be for everyone, Powerhouse’s style is quite gorgeous when it comes to massive settings with a lot of depth, and action sequences are always as energetic as can be, which is absolutely on display in the trailer.

Never to be confused with Prime Video’s live-action Lara Croft series being tackled by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this animated series boasts The Witcher: Blood Origin and Red Sonja writer Tasha Huo as its showrunner and executive producer. Legendary Television is the big studio helping it all come together along with dj2 Entertainment and its CEO Dmitri M. Johnson, who has produced the Sonic the Hedgehog films and has a host of video game adaptations in various stages of production, from Just Cause to Dredge.

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription on Thursday, October 10.

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

Avengers: Endgame's ending gave Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter the happily ever after ending that fans hoped they would have. And while there have been rumors of potential Avengers reunions on the big screen, there’s no reason to believe that we’ll see either Steve Rogers or Hayley Atwell in the MCU in any significant way going forward. That’s not to say, however, that the ending of Endgame for Cap won’t have an impact on the future of the MCU, because what if Steve and Peggy had kids?

Hayley Atwell recently appeared on the Phase Zero podcast and she was asked about the potential of Steve and Peggy having children, and how that could impact the future MCU. We know that Peggy Carter had kids in the main MCU timeline, and the writers of Avengers: Endgame have indicated those kids might be Steve's, though the movies have never stated that clearly. Atwell says that, at least for the moment, the answer to the question is open to interpretation. But she does hope to see that topic addressed in the future. Atwell said… 

It’s certainly an interesting question. Captain America traveled back in time to spend his life with Peggy Carter. One assumes they would have a life like any other couple in love, and for many that includes children. And considering one of your parents is a super soldier, the possibilities for what that could mean for the kids are pretty open.

If nothing else it would make for an interesting episode of What If…? the animated Marvel series that looks at alternate realities. If the MCU didn’t want to introduce Steve and Peggy’s kids as regular characters, the idea could still be explored. They could also appear as live-action characters without being members of the main MCU. While the future of the Multiverse Saga is a little up in the air following the ousting of Jonathan Majors as Kang, some upcoming Marvel movies could give us a glimpse of a universe where the kids exist. 

Whatever ends up happening, Hayley Atwell would like to see Marvel answer that question in some sort of definitive way. She believes it’s something that the fans deserve, and she also thinks it would be a lot of fun to see play out. Atwell continued… 

Time will tell if this is something we’ll actually see. With things likely in a state of significant flux regarding the Multiverse saga, whatever plans there might have been could significantly change, which could make seeing Captain America’s kids on screen more or less likely. Only time will tell how it plays out in upcoming movies.

We've all had that feeling: when things are going really well in your life, you're able to step outside your own body and assess the awesomeness of the whole situation in its totality. Having this kind of positive revelation is wonderful... though it can also lead to the unexpected blurting out of sentiment. This is a circumstance to which Hayley Atwell can evidently relate, as she had such a moment with Tom Cruise during the making of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning.

Atwell spoke about the experience during an interview this past summer with the Netherlands magazine Numéro. She was asked about what it was like working with one of the biggest movie stars in history, and she likened it to a dream – recalling a time when she was with Cruise and couldn't stop herself from describing aloud the excellence of her reality. And even better than what she blurted was how he responded. Said the actress,

Perhaps it's because it's a moment between two movie stars, but that's a moment that is ridiculously easy to imagine cinematically. 

Hayley Atwell noted that she doesn't let herself get too distracted by being a part of a massive franchise or working with a popular star, but she lauded what Cruise brought to their collaboration:

As expressed in her self-described "pinch me" moment, it's certainly not lost on Hayley Atwell that she is working with one of the greatest stars to contribute to the craft. Playing Grace in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, she was able to see first hand just how much of himself he puts into what he does, both in front of the camera and behind it. She continued,

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was unleashed in theaters this past summer and is now available for digital rental, but as the title implies, only half of the story has been told. Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is still leading an effort to stop a dangerous artificial intelligence from essentially taking over the world, and there's a lot of work to still be done. In addition to Hayley Atwell, the Mission: Impossible 8 cast also includes  Esai Morales, Vanessa Kirby, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames.

Following some delays, we still have a while to wait before we get to see Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, as Paramount Pictures has announced a May 23, 2025 release date. That being said, there are a whole lot of exciting blockbusters set to come out in the next 12 months, and you can learn about all of them with our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.

‘Tis the season for some holiday cheer, and for those lucky enough, Tom Cruise’s annual Christmas cake. For those unaware, every year Cruise sends a beautiful coconut cake to some of his former co-stars and friends around the holidays. The cake is legendary and apparently delicious. The last few years, Hayley Atwell found her way onto this exclusive cake list after collaborating with the action star on Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. She recently posted a picture of the package on Instagram, and the wrapping is just as impressive as the cake. 

It’s no surprise that a cake sent by the Magnolia actor would also be wrapped immaculately. Cruise is famously a perfectionist, always going the extra mile to ensure he produces the best product possible at the movies. His Christmas present delivery is no exception, as his cakes were delivered in perfect white boxes adorned with a festive gold ribbon and a sparkly reindeer ornament. Of course, he also added a little note, wishing the recipient a happy holiday. You can see the Instagram story post by Atwell below: 

While Hayley Atwell didn’t show a photo of the actual cake, the gorgeous box is a great tease of what’s inside. Tom Hanks once said that he would choose the Christmas cake as his last meal if he could, describing it as a “white chocolate coconut bundt cake” which sounds absolutely heavenly. Top Gun: Maverick co-star Glen Powell even threw a party to celebrate landing on the infamous cake list, which really shows just how this is a legendary dessert. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. 

Based on the picture she took, Hayley Atwell’s cake turned up in perfect condition, but that hasn’t always been the case, and not every delivery man knows what kind of precious cargo they are carrying. Last year, Michael Bay’s yearly gift from Cruise arrived in tough shape. Even in its melted form, the cake still is probably very tasty. However, if I had to choose, the Atwell way is just so aesthetically pleasing, and it almost makes you forget about the delicious contents inside. 

Atwell can definitely get used to seeing a cake show up at her doorstep every year, as she will be working with Cruise again soon. The end of Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning promises an action packed follow up, and the team has been working on M:I 8 since the previous film wrapped. That means fans can anticipate Cruise and Atwell on the big screen together again very soon. There are many reasons to make a movie with the Jerry Maguire actor, including his undying commitment and infectious energy, but getting on that cake list is definitely a holiday perk worth mentioning. 

When Hayley Atwell isn’t receiving cakes from Tom Cruise, she’s acting alongside him. You can see both movie stars in Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. For more information on other 2023 films available to rent or stream during this holiday season, make sure to check out the 2023 movie release schedule. 

The acting world lost a true icon last week, as the incomparable Sir Michael Gambon passed away at the age of 82 after a bout with pneumonia. Gambon was arguably most recognized for his fan-favorite performance as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise. However, aside from his turn as the powerful and amiable wizard, he played a plethora of other roles and amassed quite a body of work. He teamed up with quite a few Hollywood heavyweights in the process as well, including Kevin Costner and Hugh Jackman, who shared memories of working with him over the years.

Kevin Costner had the pleasure of collaborating with Michael Gambon on the 2003 western Open Range, which he directed. The Yellowstone star took to his Instagram stories to honor his colleague by sharing a still of Gambon from the movie. Costner also included a message about having had the opportunity to direct the actor. You can see his social media post down below

In that movie, the Irish-British performer played a despicable rancher who rules a small Montana town with an iron fist. That was surely a major departure from his role as the jovial headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then again, the Othello star was something of a chameleon, as he seemingly had no trouble jumping into a variety of roles. Hugh Jackman appears to be one of the many who was impressed by his work as indicated by his own Instagram stories post. Jackman also recalled getting to work with him on the short film Standing Room Only, which was directed by Deborra-Lee Furness – his wife, from whom he just separated:

After his death, Michael Gambon also received sweet tributes from his Harry Potter co-stars, who made note of his talent and humorous presence on set. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Jason Isaacs were among those to pay their respects. Another notable icon of the Wizarding World franchise to weigh in was Emma Watson. The beloved Hermione Granger actress shared a still of Gambon in character as Dumbledore and penned a message about how he approached his work: 

Another person who was fortunate enough to work with the star during his career was Marvel and Mission: Impossible star Hayley Atwell. She worked with the acclaimed stage and screen actor on the 2008 drama Brideshead Revisited. Atwell posted through Instagram as well, sharing a still from the movie and some lovely sentiments: 

The outpouring of love for Michael Gambon has been simply wonderful to see, and fellow actors aren’t the only ones celebrating his life. A number of fans at Universal Studios Orlando lovingly marked his passing by raising their wands in front of the Hogwarts replica at the park. Said moment was meant to resemble a scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in which the residents of the school honored Dumbledore after his own death. 

It’s always tough whenever a beloved talent passes away, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to the Amazing Grace alum. Thinking more positively though, you can’t help but smile over the fact that he’s getting his flowers from Hollywood A-listers and fans alike. 

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Michael Gambon during this time. Those who'd like to honor the actor's past work can also read up on the best films starring Gambon that are available to watch.

In recent weeks, celebrities have been sharing posts while hanging out in bathtubs. And while the silhouette makes for a pretty picture no matter the celebrity or the circumstances, but I’ve been especially intrigued because a few of these recent posts have not been set in traditional indoor bathrooms. In fact, recently M:I Dead Reckoning star Hayley Atwell took an outdoor bath whilst on vacation and now American Pickers star Danielle Colby is following suit. 

Sometime in between working on new episodes of American Pickers, currently airing on History or streaming with a Peacock subscription, Colby  took to Instagram to share photos of the relaxing bath she took outside. She seemed to be on some sort of concrete covered porch with privacy screens around it – an ideal situation I’d assume if you are in a fairly crowded area and still trying to relax outdoors sans clothing.

This isn’t the first time Danielle Colby has enjoyed time in the tub, though it might be the first time she’s done so whilst out in nature. Meanwhile, she’s joining a large swathe of celebrities who have really seemed to enjoy a good bathtub photo in recent months. 

For example, the aforementioned Atwell also took a bath outside during a recent trip to Devon. She was in a seemingly isolated area at the time, and her relaxing day included a slew of bubbles and Haruki Murakami’s book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Previously, Kylie Jenner enjoyed an outdoor bath during a Turks and Caicos trip. (And that’s not even counting the stunning time Jenner took a bath in a tub of rose petals.) Her half-sister Kim also went viral  after she got skittish attempting to hop into an ice bath at an event that was also held outside, but ultimately The Kardashians star made it six minutes in the tub. 

Speaking of ice baths, celebrities in baths in general seems to be a trend. Nicole Scherzinger, Drake, and others love a good ice bath, and most recently Ludacris shared his own at-home bathtub routine. 

Heck, Karen Gillan went viral earlier this year for hopping into a tub for a fashion shoot fully clothed. I think part of the reason that bathtub pics have gotten more popular is that bathtub design has gotten more interesting. Over the past ten years, standing tubs have grown popular over their previously sunken counterparts, and their shapes, sizes, curves and colors have all gotten more interesting.

To me, the king of the bathtub pic still has to be those brave enough to venture out into the open sky and relax in a tub with nature surround them. As the NY Times pointed out earlier this year, the outdoor bath trend might be growing at a rapid rate simply because it’s more economical than a pool, hot tub or spa, and you still get the relaxation factor (and the Insta opportunites, obviously). So, I think it’s high time we go ahead and officially declare this a trend.

Although Peggy Carter existed in Marvel Comics prior to the release of Captain America: The First Avenger, Hayley Atwell’s performance as the character in that 2011 movie and throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched her to new heights of popularity. Even with the MCU’s main version of Peggy having died offscreen in Captain America: Civil War, Atwell has portrayed other versions of the character in film and TV, and her fans continue to be awesome after all this time. This was exemplified last year at the world premiere for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU’s 28th movie.

During an interview with LRM Online, Multiverse of Madness costume designer Graham Churchyard recalled seeing the fans who turned out for the premiere dressed as Captain Carter, the Earth-838 version of Peggy who was injected with the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers. As Churchyard explained:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’s Captain Carter is the second version of this superhero take on Peggy Carter we’ve seen, the first coming from the animated series What If… ?. While that latter Peggy is still alive and expected to appear in What If… ? Season 2, the former, like almost all her Illuminati cohorts, was murdered at the hands of Earth-616’s Wanda Maximoff, who’d become Scarlet Witch. Hayley Atwell found her Doctor Strange 2 appearance “frustrating,” but hey, at least it finally gave her the opportunity to play a costumed superhero onscreen.

As for Graham Churchyard, he certainly accomplished his goal of creating a costume that fans would want to cosplay themselves, and he was pleased to see so many Peggy Carter enthusiasts attend the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiere dressed in their replicated outfits. In his words:

Aside from What If… ? Season 2, Hayley Atwell doesn’t have any other MCU appearances lined up. That said, since we’re still in the midst of The Multiverse Saga, it’s possible we could meet another version of Peggy in another reality, perhaps in either Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars. Outside of the MCU, the actress showed off her action bonafides this past summer in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, and she’ll reprise Grace next year in Dead Reckoning Part Two. She’s also set to voice Lara Croft in the animated Tomb Raider series that’s premiering to Netflix subscribers at a yet-to-be-revealed date. 

Stream Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the rest of Atwell’s MCU work with a Disney+ subscription. If your eyes are pointed to the future, out upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows guides detail what this superhero franchise has officially slated over the next several years.

Celebrities like Karen Gillan and Hayley Atwell have been looking incredibly suave posing in the bathtub, but they’re not the only ones having fun in the tub. One celebrity from the Fast & Furious movies has joined in. We're talking about Ludacris, who has taken part in the bathtub trend that makes us all wish we could take a nice bath right now.

What’s cooler than being cool? Right now, it’s Ludacris. With more celebrities taking part in making a bathtub look so good, the soon-to-be 46-year-old actor/rapper joins the trend taking a video of himself on Instagram relaxing in his new tub. 

The Fast X actor’s caption thanked Plunge for giving him an early birthday present. This new tub is so big that it apparently needed a new room of its own. You can see the “Southern Hospitality” rapper sporting a fro that brings us back to his start in the car-racing franchise when he was in 2 Fast 2 Furious. Instagrammers, of course, commented that Ludacris’ hair gave them nostalgia feels as well, and how he's basically aged like fine wine. Despite the pruny fingers I’d have, it would still take a lot of willpower for me to leave a bathtub as giant as this one. 

As celebrities work long and hard hours, they deserve to make time for themselves in the bath like anyone else. But two other celebrities before him posed in the tub more in a professional photoshoot fashion. First, Captain America’s Hayley Atwell hopped in the bathtub to promote Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One in a sexy red dress. She took to the tub again at the end of the summer for an outdoor bath on a recent vacation. The British actress’s latest photoshoot reunited her with the tub as she clashed against a black-and-white patterned wall. This classy actress shows that the bathtub can either be a tool for professionally shot photos or just to have some well-deserved “me time.”

Karen Gillan followed suit as she showed she could pose like the best of them next to the tub. In a fun Guardians of the Galaxy photoshoot, the Scottish actress posed by a bathtub wearing one of the most fashionable boots I’ve ever seen. Whether she was standing next to the tub, sitting on its side or laying herself stretched out inside, she and the bathroom accessory make a great combo. As for why she’s been taking photos in her bathroom, the Jumanji star explained it was because she got the best lighting in there for photos. Photographers should make note of this if they need location ideas for more photoshoots.

With the Fast & Furious franchise still going, Ludacris has been taking some long-deserved bathtub time with his early birthday present just like Karen Gillan and Hayley Atwell had before him. Keep up with our 2023 movie releases so you’ll be caught up on more of Ludacris’ future projects, and don’t forget to add Fast & Furious 11 to your watchlist on April 4, 2025.

Actresses like Hayley Atwell present a classy vibe that reminds you what true beauty looks like. She gained international fame playing Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger and has a big role in two of the next Mission: Impossible movies. When Atwell is not acting in front of the camera, she tends to spend a lot of time in the bathtub. And her latest photoshoot finds her place in the tub again. 

There have been plenty of celebrities who love to show the world their bathtub pics whether it’s Karen Gillan hopping in the tub with her shiny boots or even Taylor Lautner playing with suds. When Hayley Atwell gets in the tub, she brings out a level of chicness that makes us all wish we looked that good in the same circumstance. In the latest issue of The Rake, the British magazine posted on Instagram the British-American actress sitting elegantly in a tub with editor-in-chief Tom Chamberlin. Take a look at this actress’s “rakiness” down below.

The London native blends in so well wearing a long-sleeved black top inside a pearl-white bathtub among a black-and-white patterned background. Clearly, her and bathtubs make a good combination. The stage/screen actress first hopped in the bath for a fun Mission: Impossible shoot wearing an elegant red gown I wish existed in my closet. She also took a delightful outdoor bath on a recent vacation burying herself in bubbles. Baths really are one of the best self-care tactics where you can be at one with yourself cleansing your body and your mind. 

The UK-based magazine’s editor-in-chief makes an excellent point describing Hayley Atwell’s “Hepburnian glamour.” Not all of us can pull off looking so cool and sophisticated in a bathtub. If you take a look at the Golden Globe nominee’s great movies and TV shows, you’ll see there’s a reason why she does a great job in period pieces like Brideshead Revisited, The Duchess, Christopher Robin, and more. She’s among the growing ranks of actresses like Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, and Claire Foy who play timeless period piece characters so well. Now, we just need Atwell to be the next Bond Girl.

Back in March, Hayley Atwell’s recent activity was filming Mission: Impossible 8 in the Arctic. Unfortunately, filming got suspended in July due to the 2023 WGA Writers Strike. As this upcoming action movie has a 2024 release date, hopefully a resolution will come through soon to prevent further delays. Atwell is also set to voice Laura Croft in the upcoming Netflix anime series Tomb Raider. Considering the Frozen-like training this actress did for Mission: Impossible 7, I’m sure it’ll be a relief to her to focus more on vocal training than having to worry about grueling stunt scenes. 

Hayley Atwell continues to take pics in the bathtub and she does it so well. You can see her latest movie Mission: Impossible 7 in theaters now and check out our 2023 movie releases to be in the loop for more of her upcoming film projects.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into a behemoth force in the entertainment industry over the years. Nowhere was that more obvious than with the release of Avengers: Endgame, which briefly overtook Avatar as the highest grossing movie of all time. Endgame was universally acclaimed, giving fitting endings to both Iron Man and Captain America. Here's the story behind how the came up with Steve Rogers' final scene in the MCU, and what Peggy Carter actress Hayley Atwell thought of it.

Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame brought the biggest crossover in the shared universe's history, and also ended a number of actors' tenure in the MCU. That includes the likes of Josh Brolin, Idris Elba, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans. The latter's character got to have a happy ending, while RDJ's hero famously sacrificed himself to defeat Thanos.

What Happened At To Captain America During Avengers: Endgame

After Thanos is defeated once and for all, Avengers: Endgame shows some of the fallout over the Blip and the last two movies. As promised to The Ancient One, Captain America uses the Avengers' time machine to return the Infinity Stones (plus Mjolnir) to their place in the timeline. But he returns as old Steve Rogers, with the final sequence revealing he went back in time and lived happily with Peggy Carter after completing his task.

The final moments of the film show a young Steve and Peggy finally getting their dance, seemingly without any worries in the world. Writer Christopher Markus  spoke to Fandango about the idea behind Cap's happy ending, saying:

Points were made. Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter had a fascinating tenure in the MCU. While her only starring movie role was in Captain America: The First Avenger, she got a spinoff series Agent Carter, in addition to various cameos. Most recently she appeared as Captain Carter in Doctor Strange 2, although Atwell found that brief role frustrating. So it was a full circle moment for Peggy to be featured in the final frames of Endgame. But how exactly did the writers formulate this emotional finale for Chris Evans' hero?

How Marvel’s Filmmakers Came Up With Cap’s Emotional Finale

After seeing Avengers: Endgame in theaters, it was definitely powerful seeing the very different ways Captain America and Iron Man's stories were wrapped up. As previously mentioned, the latter died to save the galaxy, wielding the Infinity Stones and snapping Thanos' forces out of existence. But Captain America got to finally be with Peggy after years of longing for her and eventually mourning her death in Civil War. 

In the same interview with Fandango, Stephen McFeely addressed the juxtaposition between Tony's noble death and Steve's well-deserved ending. He said:

Points were made. Part of what makes Captain America such a tragic figure throughout the MCU is that he was ultimately a fish out of water. His loved ones had aged or died while he was frozen, including Peggy Carter. Steve Rogers never really got his own life until after the events of Avengers: Endgame, where he's able to go into the past and rest.

Stephen McFeely spoke further about the ways that Cap and Iron Man's stories were intrinsically connected, and in some ways mirroring each other. This is why their endings stand in juxtaposition to each other, as he put it:

Touche. This type of attention to detail is what made Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame so remarkable upon their release. On top of being massive and featuring the full ensemble of stars from the MCU, they also tell a very human story. Although Captain America and Iron Man's stories are particularly powerful.

What Hayley Atwell Has Said About Steve And Peggy’s Happy Ending

So what did Hayley Atwell think of how things went down at the end of Avengers: Endgame? On top of shooting Peggy and Steve's dance, she also appeared very briefly during the Time Heist. The Mission: Impossible actor spoke to THR about the ending, saying:

I'm not crying, you're crying. It looks like Atwell as moved by Peggy and Steve's happy ending, just like the fans were when Avengers: Endgame hit theaters back in 2019. We'll just have to wait and see when she once again surprises moviegoers by appearing in the MCU. 

Marvel fans are hoping that What If...? Season 2 featured Atwell's Peggy Carter, who was a big role in the first season. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Amid her bustling career of starring in the latest Mission:Impossible films or continuing to kick ass as Captain Carter in upcoming Marvel movies and television projects, the incomparable Hayley Atwell knows how to take a break in style. The charismatic actress recently gave her fans a glimpse into her idyllic getaway, which featured a genuinely charming and picturesque moment: an outdoor bath. The star proves that even amidst the whirlwind of Hollywood, finding solace in simple pleasures can be the ultimate luxury. Honestly, everything about this looks so delightful.

The Captain America vet, a beacon of elegance and grace on the red carpet and the silver screen, took to her Instagram to share a few images from a tranquil episode from her recent vacation. Atwell let her hair down, metaphorically and quite literally, as she submerged herself in an open-air bathtub surrounded by the beauty of nature. In the post, the actress shared a serene adventure that included reading a cherished book, Haruki Murakami’s “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running,” cooking on an open fire, and savoring the sounds of @thevaleriejune while enjoying a cup of coffee. Check out the full post below to experience the magic firsthand.

Hayley Atwell has a knack for keeping her fans intrigued, and her latest outdoor bath photo is no exception. However, this isn't the first time she's charmed us with her bathtub adventures. Just recently, she playfully took a dip for a Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part I shoot, and it's absolutely impossible not to be utterly captivated. Even with her classy appearances, such as her stunning party-in-the-back black ensemble at the M:I 7 premiere in Rome, Atwell remains rooted in life's simple pleasures. As devoted fans, we can only hope she continues to share these delightful glimpses into her world, providing us with a much-needed escape from our bustling day-to-day lives.

When she isn’t enjoying a dip in nature, the Christopher Robin actress stays busy. If you’re a fan of the bombshell Britt–and who isn’t?--perhaps check out our list of her 13 best works and how to watch them. Hayley is set to return as Grace in one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 moves, the second half of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning. She is also in line to voice Lara Croft in an upcoming animated series adaptation of the Tomb Raider video games. 

While Dead Reckoning Part 1 looks like it will lose a lot of money for the studio, thanks in part to bloated budgets due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the movie is still playing in theaters–along with many other projects on the 2023 movie schedule–so you still have plenty of time to catch Hayley Atwell's M:I franchise debut on the big screen. But if you would like to enjoy her work from the comfort of your home, all the MCU movies and television shows featuring her character, Peggy Carter, are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. 

The Mission: Impossible franchise took on its toughest challenge when it made the decision to film two M:I movies back-to-back. The decision was only made more difficult by the global pandemic that first delayed Mission: Impossible 7 entirely and then caused shooting to run at a snail's pace once it could begin again. This caused a lot of new and unexpected complexities in production, including the fact that Tom Cruise needed a wig for some scenes.

We already know that the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning reshoots were a little wild, with some shots taking place at Tom Cruise’s garage because director Christopher McQuarrie realized he needed some new shots at the last minute. But speaking with the Empire Spoiler Special Movie Podcast (via ScreenRant), he also reveals that reshoots required Tom Cruise to be in a wig for a few scenes, including the final moments between Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and Haley Atwell’s Grace. McQuarrie explained…

Apparently the first of the two Mission: Impossible movies being filmed evolved enough over time that by the end the original version of the farewell scene wasn’t right, so it needed to be redone. The problem was, Tom Cruise had very different hair by that point.

The issue was the reshoots for Dead Reckoning Part One were taking place while principal photography for Dead Reckoning Part Two was happening, and apparently Cruise has very different hair in that movie, so it needed to be covered in order to work in the earlier scene. McQuarrie continued…

Tom Cruise has gone back and forth between his Top Gun-style short hair and a shaggier style throughout his career, and even within the Mission: Impossible franchise.  It sounds like he may be doing that even within the two parts of Dead Reckoning. 

This is actually a potentially interesting detail as it would seem to confirm that Part Two isn’t going to pick up immediately after the events of Part One, or at least there will be a significant time jump at some point in the film. How else will Cruise's hair be changing so much? It makes a certain amount of logical sense. When you’re busy saving the world, who has time to get a haircut? 

One could argue that the Mission: Impossible movies are a franchise that keeps improving upon itself with each installment on just about every level — from Tom Cruise’s latest high wire stunt to its ever-growing, talented ensemble. I personally believe that the latter is a definite plus, especially with the most recent casting of Hayley Atwell as thief-turned-reluctant-IMF-ally, Grace, in the new 2023 movie, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.

Of course, this is not the first time that the American-born, London-raised actor has played a spy. In fact, espionage is in the job description of her most iconic role to date (at least the best-known variation of her, I should say). There are plenty of other great characters that we intend to cover below as we explore our picks for the best Hayley Atwell movies and TV shows so far, but where you have seen her star as Agent Margaret “Pegg” Carter is where we shall start.

Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies (2011-2022)

A British military agent (Atwell) helps a small man with a big heart (Chris Evans) become the world’s first supersoldier during World War II, which turns out to be only her first of many marvelous adventures as a member of an organization that comes to be known as S.H.I.E.L.D.

Why they are some of Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell debuted as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger and would reprise the role in four more of the best Marvel movies (2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man from 2015, and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame) before playing an alternate version of the character, Captain Carter, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022.

Stream Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies on Disney+.

Agent Carter (2015-2016)

Demoted to doing only secretarial duties, a skilled spy (Atwell) is given the chance to get back into the fight when her wealthy former colleague (Dominic Cooper) asks her to help clear his name when he is accused of treason in the post-World War II 1940s.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Directly following the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, creators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s Agent Carter sees Atwell reprising the title role and taking center stage in this thrilling, fun, and unfortunately short-lived series that stands out as one of the more unique, let alone best, Marvel TV shows for its espionage themes and historical production design.

Stream Agent Carter on Disney+.
Buy Agent Carter on Amazon.

Marvel's What If...? (2021-Present)

T’Challa becoming Star-Lord instead of Black Panther, Ultron defeating the Avengers, and flesh-eating corpses overrunning the Earth are just some of the scenarios introduced in this anthology series that reimagines the most significant events from the Marvel movies in order so far.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell first played Peggy’s alternate, super soldier alter ego, Captain Carter, when she appeared in the What If…? voice cast for this inventive animated show that explores different corners of the Marvel Multiverse and has a second season coming to Disney+ at some point.

Stream Marvel's What If...? on Disney+.

Cassandra's Dream (2007)

A compulsive gambler (Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell) and his aspiring businessman brother (Emmy winner Ewan McGregor) seek help from their restauranteur father (Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson), who asks them to commit an unspeakable act in return.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell made her theatrical film debut as Angela (an actress whom McGregor’s character, Ian, falls in love with) in Cassandra’s Dream — an intense, high-stakes noir thriller from writer and director Woody Allen. 

Stream Cassandra's Dream on Freevee through Amazon.

Brideshead Revisited (2008)

The friendship between a British Army officer (Matthew Goode) and his close friend (Ben Whishsaw) changes when one falls for the other’s sister (Atwell) while meeting his family at their grand London estate.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell earned raves for her role as Lady Julia Flyte — who becomes entangled in a bizarre love triangle involving her brother and his best friend — in director Julian Jarrold’s adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s seminal novel, Brideshead Revisited.

Rent or buy Brideshead Revisited on Amazon.

The Prisoner (2009)

A man (Jim Caviezel) finds himself unable to remember his name and trapped in a seemingly idyllic remote island village with a charismatic, but shady leader (Sir Ian McKellan).

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: This AMC original update of the cult favorite 1960s sci-fi series, The Prisoner, stars Atwell as a woman linked to Caviezel’s character’s past — if only she could remember her own.

Stream The Prisoner on AMC+ through Amazon.

The Pillars Of The Earth (2010)

Families and lives become tarnished in the wake of violent conflict, greed, and religious autocracy in 12th Century England.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell starred as Aliena in an acclaimed limited series for Starz called The Pillars of the Earth — an Emmy-winning, eight-part adaptation of the romantic period thriller novel by Ken Follett — which predates Game of Thones’ themes of war, power, and forbidden romance by a year.

Buy or rent The Pillars Of The Earth on Amazon.

Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013)

A talented, but widely unknown, American guitarist (André Benjamin) leaves New York City and travels to London, where his distinct sound defines a generation and makes him a legend in the late 1960s.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Real-life rap star “André 3000” Benjamin embodies rock ’n roll revolutionary Jimi Hendrix in writer and director John Ridley’s unauthorized biopic — which featured none of the musician’s catalog — Jimi: All is By My Side, alongside Atwell as the the guitarist’s lover, English writer Kathy Etchingham.

Rent or buy Jimi: All Is By My Side on Amazon.

The Duchess (2008)

An Englishwoman (Keira Knightley) becomes royalty when she marries a duke (Ralph Fiennes), only to find the experience disappointing and oppressive, in 18th century Devonshire, England.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another notable biopic on Atwell’s resume is one of Keira Knightley’s best movies — director Saul Dibb’s retelling of Georgiana Spencer’s life, The Duchess, in which she stars as Lady Bess, who serves not only as Georgiana’s friend, but also the romantic liaison of her husband, the Duke.

Rent or buy The Duchess on Amazon.

Cinderella (2015)

A chance meeting with a charming prince (Game of Thrones cast member Richard Madden) inspires a shy, young woman (Lily James, in one of her own best movies) to overcome the cruelty of her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and go to a ball, with a little help from her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell was a much more positive presence (albeit a brief one) in another legendary, but fictional, tale of becoming royalty, director Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella — Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic in which the actor appears at the beginning as the title character’s biological mother.

Rent or buy Cinderella on Amazon.

Christopher Robin (2018)

A straight-laced, workaholic family man (Ewan McGregor) gets a chance to rediscover life’s joys when the sentient stuffed animals he grew up with pay him an unexpected visit.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: In addition to reuniting with McGregor more than a decade after Cassandra’s Dream, Atwell would go on to star in another live-action reimagining of a classic Disney property (in this case, Winnie the Pooh) with director Marc Forster’s Christopher Robin, in the role Evelyn, who is shocked to discovery her husband’s childhood friends are not so imaginary after all.

Stream Christopher Robin on Disney+.
Rent or buy Christopher Robin title on Amazon.

Testament Of Youth (2014)

After her lover (Kit Harrington) enlists in the Army, an upper class woman (Alicia Vikander, in one her best movies) sees the perils of World War I for herself while serving as a nurse for the British Army.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another acclaimed biopic on Atwell’s resume is director James Kent’s Testament of Youth — a romantic adaptation of the memoir by famous socialist, pacifist, and feminist figure Vera Brittain — in which she appears in the smaller role of a woman named Hope which, itself, is a profound theme of the story.

Rent or buy Testament Of Youth on Amazon.

Black Mirror: Be Right Back (2013)

A woman (Atwell) mourning the loss of her boyfriend (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers that she can reconnect with him from beyond the grave with the use of an AI that mimics his personality.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: We may not believe that its second run of episodes is the very best Black Mirror season yet, but Season 2’s first episode, “Be Right Back,” does see Atwell give one of the best performances of the entire acclaimed anthology series as a woman wrestling with her longing for her tragically killed beau while trying to keep her grip on reality.

Stream Black Mirror: Be Right Back on Netflix.

Atwell is set to return as Grace in the second half of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning (one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 moves) and is set to voice Lara Croft in an upcoming animated series adaptation of the Tomb Raider video games. So, needless to say, there are going to be plenty more great movies and TV shows starring the actress where these came from.

Over the course of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’s promotional cycle, Hayley Atwell has been absolutely killing the fashion game! Now, she’s proving this statement to be true once again by posting a fun bathtub photoshoot, that has big M:I vibes. Let’s just say, I’m obsessed. 

Atwell posted that she was “rubadubdub randomly” found herself “in a tub,” and she just happened to be in a gorgeous red gown and some epic gold heels. The Instagram post showcased her in a massive bathtub that she could almost lay down flat in. Along with the dress and heels, she was also rocking neutral glam and her facial expression was to die for. Honestly, she looks like she’s having a blast. Check it out: 

This look is right on par with the business in the front, party in the back dress Atwell wore to the M:I 7 premiere in Rome. As she posed on the red carpet with Tom Cruise at the Dead Reckoning event, she looked classy and stunning, but her look also had a bit of edge with the fun chain-like back. 

The same can be said about this post. It’s giving big Mission: Impossible energy, and her look encapsulates the vibe of the movie super well. It’s also very fun and slightly edgy with Atwell’s silly expression, and you know, the fact that she’s in a bathtub. 

I think this fan put it best when they commented:

There were lots of other flattering comments that praised Atwell and her red-hot look. Here are a few of the highlights:

• icon if u ask me -celiamccn 
• No wonder Steve Rogers went back in time and stayed there -the.uncu1tured.swine 
• Hayley.😍 -g.davies03 
• you own the colour red -abs_cooling 

The love for the post was real, and I’m so here for it. She truly looks fabulous. Along with the praise though, one fan did note that they were worried her heels would scratch the bath. I’m personally more worried about her stepping in and out of the tub in those gold heels. However, based on her agile performance in Dead Reckoning Part One, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. 

Overall, Atwell truly looks stunning, and I'm truly over the moon about this fabulous red look. 

This post also further shows off the exceptional fashion sense among the Mission: Impossible 7 cast. Both Pom Klementieff and Rebecca Ferguson looked fab at the London premiere, and all three women showed off their love for classy fashion that also is a bit daring. Overall, they’ve all looked fabulous while out promoting their new action movie, and Hayley Atwell’s latest post was a wonderful reminder of that. 

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is currently playing in theaters along with many other projects on the 2023 movie schedule. So you still have plenty of time to catch Hayley Atwell's fashionable debut in the M:I franchise on the big screen.

Spoilers for Mission: Impossible -Dead Reckoning Part 1 can be found ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Like many fans of Tom Cruise out there, I have really enjoyed the actor’s collaborations with director Christopher McQuarrie, which started with the release of Jack Reacher in 2012 (though McQuarrie also worked on Valkyrie)  and continued with Mission: Impossible films, starting with Rogue Nation. In general, I love what the two men have been able to accomplish together. The Mission movies are daring, splashy, have stunning cinematography, and are incredibly engaging with audiences. But the latest Dead Reckoning- Part 1 has some problems, and my major issue with it is not the complaint most people seem to have. 

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 is running at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing and for the most part it deserves that ranking. There are some issues people are having, though, many of which have to do with the villainous AI at the heart of the film’s dense plot. The Huffington Post – who liked the movie – called it “melodramatic.” CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg referred to it as ‘generic artificial intelligence plotting” in his own Dead Reckoning review. 

Yes, the artificial intelligence plot is maybe not the movie’s biggest strength, but my main complaint actually has to do with Ilsa Faust, played by the wonderful Rebecca Ferguson, and the totally cavalier attitude this franchise has toward its leading ladies in general.

My Main Complaint? Why Kill Off Ilsa Faust? 

As you may have guessed – and hopefully have already seen -- Faust dies in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1. She dies when Ethan Hunt is given an impossible choice: Save the intriguing woman he cares for or the innocent thief Grace (Hayley Atwell) who is in over her head. 

Faust clearly is not one to back down from a fight, and she pays for it with her own life by taking on the human embodiment of The Entity (aka the AI), a terrorist named Gabriel (Esai Morales). The action scene’s a great sendoff for Ferguson. It’s also really annoying in context because it didn’t need to happen. 

Ilsa Faust didn’t need to die. She’s exactly the perfect type of character McQuarrie and co. could have allowed to pop in and out of the franchise when the timing was right, and her exit comes off like the movie killed her off so Cruise could have a new, shiny co-star. I get the movie tries to sell Hunt’s choice and how that choice impacts his decision to take Grace under his wing and teach her about the IMF, but it’s dumb and it shows (yet again) why this franchise has a total disregard for its female characters, who tend to die off or disappear so Hunt can spar with a new leading lady. 

Furthermore, killing off Faust is irritating because Mission: Impossible 7 actually takes the time to kick off with a great action sequence featuring Ilsa and Ethan. The two take on some bad guys in the desert and it seems in one moment that Faust had died. I was relieved the movie didn't kill her off there so they could go on another adventure together. 

I honestly thought the early scene in the movie with Ilsa and her eye patch felt like an excellent way to setup a future for her character. It read McQuarrie reintroducing her so she could pop in later in the movie (which did happen) and then hopefully afterwards, pop in and out of the franchise without being a main character (which obviously did not). When she did show back up mid-movie, I thought, 'Cool, Ilsa plays outside the lines, but she can be there when Ethan needs her most.' I see now that McQuarrie was setting the audience up to prepare them for Ethan's impossible choice, but I'm going to type it once and I'm going to type it very clearly: 

She. Didn’t. Need. To. Die. 

She most certainly definitely didn't need to die for Hayley Atwell to join the IMF and become the focal point in this movie! 

There’s just no payoff with this story. In fact, it’s like a clunky attempt at trying to show that Ethan Hunt cares about the women in his life, too, despite the fact they seem to die off left and right (or at best disappear) while Benji and Luther have nine lives. To be honest with you, I don’t really care that M:I is generally a boys club. I love Benji and Luther! What I don’t like is this ham-fisted attempt at making her death a big movie moment with alleged emotional payoff. Her purpose and inclusion in this movie should have mattered more, or I wish they hadn't brought her back at all. 

To note though, even the aforementioned reviews of the new M:I movie complaining about AI are at least on the positive side, and despite my one big beef about the Tom Cruise flick, I liked everything else --including the Dead Reckoning - Part 1 ending -- very, very much. I just wish an interesting female heroine would stick around for once.

For now, I'll be pouring one out for Ilsa Faust tonight. 

The Hollywood and fashion communities lost a true titan of pop culture this weekend. It’s been reported that Jane Birkin, the beloved English actress and singer who inspired the bag that holds her surname, has died at the age of 76. Since the news broke, a plethora of fans have taken to the Internet to pay tribute to her. One of her more notable admirers is none other than fellow actress Hayley Atwell. The Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning star paid tribute to Birkin in a subtle, yet sweet, way. 

Hayley Atwell, like so many others, used social media as a means to honor the late French cinema icon. The 41-year-old A-lister took to her Instagram story to express her condolences, sharing a vintage photo of the big-screen titan as well as her life span. And in the bottom right-hand corner, there’s a small heart scribbled down. You can Atwell’s tribute to her fellow London-born thespian down below: 

Though it’s a subtle tribute, it's one that exemplifies the fact that the Captain America: The First Avenger alum respected the A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries star and her body of work. The two actresses do have different professional paths, of course. While Jane Birkin, did mostly arthouse films, her famous fan has (non-exclusively) done plenty of blockbusters. But though she’s done wild car stunts with Tom Cruise and wielded a shield for a “frustrating” Captain Carter cameo, one would imagine that she seeks to channel elements of Birkin’s work in whatever she does.

Jane Birkin was born in London on December 14, 1946 and ultimately began auditioning for movie and TV roles as a young woman. By the ‘60s, she appeared in films like Wonderwall and Kaleidescope. It was during this decade that she also began to appear in French films, as she starred in La Piscine and even landed the lead role in Slogan, despite not speaking the language. While she gained recognition for her work, her celebrity status would truly rise after she married her second husband, French music man Serge Gainsbourg, in 1968. The two would collaborate for years and eventually separate in 1980.

The late star was also known for her keen sense of style, especially her eclectic accessories. In the ‘80s, she caught the attention of Jean-Louis Dumas, one of the big wigs at the Hermès group, who took notice of her signature straw basket while they were on a flight. After learning from the actress that she couldn’t find a leather bag that worked for her, Dumas created one just for her, and it was ultimately dubbed the Birkin bag. Today, it remains a hot-ticket item – and a pricey one at that. Birkin seemed mostly content with the product but, at one point, she did ask for her name to be removed, before the company complied with the production practices she was lobbying for.

Per The New York Times, Jane Birkin was found dead in her home in Paris, and a cause of death has yet to be confirmed. Though it’s sad that she's no longer with us, she certainly lived a full life, and we’re all the better for having had her for as long as we did. Her influence was quite mighty, and it’ll surely continue to be felt for years to come. One would think that Hayley Atwell and other actors that were influenced by Birkin’s work will see to that. 

We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Jane Birkin during this time.

The Mission: Impossible films are best known for their death-defying stunts, often performed practically by the virtually ageless Tom Cruise. We covered, extensively, the amount of prep that Cruise put in to filming the motorcycle jump into a freefall base-jump cliff stunt for the new movie Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One. But if you ask director Christopher McQuarrie, he’ll tell you that the Fiat car chase around Rome is the scene that he’s most proud of, and for good reason.

You have seen the scene teased in the trailers. Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell are running for their lives, escaping some heavy hitters (including Pom Klementieff, acting like a lunatic). They escape in a series of vehicles. Motorcycles. Cars. And they end up in a tricked out yellow Fiat… handcuffed together. 

That should be challenging enough, right? Well, no. While speaking with Christopher McQuarrie regarding the planning and execution of that chase scene, he talked alot about how Rome, and the conditions of the location, dictated what they could do… and not do. As McQuarrie told CinemaBlend:

But there’s a technical element to the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One Fiat car chase around Rome that might go unrecognized unless you know to look out for it. Because as Hayley Atwell went on to explain that throughout the chase sequence, she and Tom Cruise are framed by McQuarrie in a two shot. Meaning, the take of the scene that the director could use had to be good for both actors, and not something that could be covered up by quick edits. Atwell went on to say:

That’s saying a lot. But that’s what happens when you team with Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on a Mission: Impossible movie. They are technical exercises that warrant being seen on the biggest screen possible. And make sure that you watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order, to truly track Ethan Hunt’s progress. You also have to keep up to date with this most recent MIssion: Impossible so that you are ready when the second half of Dead Reckoning plays out … even though that might not be the end of the franchise, if you believe what Tom Cruise is now saying. Stay tuned for more, and go see Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One while it’s still in theaters!

Although the main version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peggy Carter died offscreen in Captain America: Civil War, Hayley Atwell has been able to revisit the role several times since then, ranging from cameoing as a past version of that Peggy in Avengers: Endgame to playing alternate versions of the character. In the latter category, 2022 saw her appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Earth-838’s Peggy, a.k.a Captain Carter. Unfortunately for the actress, in comparison to when she played a different take on Captain Carter in the animated What If… ? series, what went down with her in the Doctor Strange sequel felt like a frustrating moment.

Earth-838’s Captain Carter was featured as a member of that reality’s Illuminati, with the other members including the 838 versions of Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Mordo, Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau (who became Captain Marvel), Anson Mount’s Black Bolt, Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and John Krasinski’s Mister Fantastic. But we didn’t spend a lot of time with the group, as all but Mordo were slaughtered by the main version of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, i.e. the one from Earth-616 who became Scarlet Witch. During an interview with Josh Horowitz, Atwell had this to say about her disappointment with this Peggy’s fate in Multiverse of Madness after being asked about if she knew which characters would end up in that finished scene:

That’s right, Captain Carter did indeed meet her demise from her own shield thanks to Scarlet Witch telekinetically whipping it back at her. It was brutal, although I’d argue it was a better death than Mister Fantastic being spaghetti’d. Regardless, Hayley Atwell wasn’t pleased with how this alternate version of Peggy Carter was handled, particularly given that she bites the dust mere moments after declaring “I can do this all day,” the same line that a pre-Super Soldier Serum Steve Rogers said in Captain America: The First Avenger, followed by Captain America: Civil War. This also isn’t the first time Atwell has candidly voiced her thoughts on this cameo.

In contrast, the actress has had a more positive experience from her work on What If… ?, where she voices the Captain Carter from a different Earth. As Atwell explained:

That’s not to say that Hayley Atwell’s time on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was entirely negative, as she also said in the interview that she enjoyed getting to do those Captain Carter stunts in the big fight scene with Scarlet Witch. Perhaps there will come a time when Atwell to play yet another version of Captain Carter in an upcoming Marvel movie, but this one manages to stick around for a lot longer. Should that happen, we’ll let you know, but for now, we continue to mourn the loss of Earth-838’s Peggy.

Both Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and What If… ? Season 1, along with nearly every other piece of MCU content, can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. The latter show is returning for a second season, but its premiere date hasn’t been announced yet. As for Hayley Atwell, she can be seen playing Grace in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, which is now playing in theaters.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One welcomes a number of new faces to the fold, including Hayley Atwell. The fan-favorite actress plays the role of the elusive Grace in the film, and the trailers suggest that she’s really going to shake things up for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. In actuality, Atwell and Cruise seem to have gotten along well and, at one point during production, romance rumors swirled around the two. The assertions ultimately proved to be untrue and, now, Atwell is opening up about that past chatter. She even shared the advice that Cruise gave her about it while they were on the set. 

The romance reports span back to 2020, during which the two friends were photographed attending Wimbledon the July of that year. Paparazzi also captured multiple snapshots of them on set. By fall 2021, it was alleged that Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell had broken up, despite the fact that neither of them had confirmed any sort of relationship up to that point. One would imagine that such chatter can weigh on a person, and that seems to have been the case for Atwell. She firmly shut down the rumors while also posing a question: 

The 41-year-old actress explained to The Independent that she actually views both her co-star and director Christopher McQuarrie as “sort of two uncles.” The star does present a very fair point that ideas can be projected onto people and, in the context of Hollywood, that happens frequently with actresses. All in all, she found the speculation particularly “upsetting” because: 

Thankfully, for Hayley Atwell, she had a source of support on set in the form of Tom Cruise. The 61-year-old star has been at the center of countless rumors over the years, so he surely knows how to contend with outside chatter. With that, he was able to give Atwell some very invaluable advice in regard to conducting one’s self:

Those are wise words, for sure. As long as you know yourself and what you’re about, nothing else matters. That’s surely guidance that many of us can use. No, we’re not A-list actors or public figures like the M:I co-stars. However, it rarely ever hurts to stay true to yourself and your morals when navigating your professional and personal lives. 

Tom Cruise also gave more keen advice to Hayley Atwell, though that feedback was in regard to stunt work. When Atwell was pondering how to stay “safe” on set, Cruise said “don’t be safe, be competent.” And ultimately, the Captain America: The First Avenger alum found that to be a “great mantra.” The pair seem to have been successful in their endeavors and had fun doing them, based on Atwell’s sweet BTS photos. Atwell seems to have liked the stunt work and had to do her fair share. One particularly thrilling sequence even sees her handcuffed to Cruise. 

Based on what they’ve been through production-wise (and continue to do on Dead Reckoning Part Two), it’s easy to see why Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise have become friends. Atwell’s latest comments are likely to put any relationship rumors to rest for good. One would also think that she finds comfort in the fact that the record has been set straight. 

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opens in theaters on July 12 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

At some point in the long run of action movies leading up to Mission: Impossible 7, most everyone at one point or another in this universe has taken a run. It’s kind of hard not to when Tom Cruise sets an example of such madman energy, and his Dead Reckoning - Part One co-star Hayley Atwell is the latest party to jump in on the fun. Though she isn’t exactly running, taking to the treadmill on super high heels is a stunt that deserves its own special salute.

Showing off footage of her athletic feat on TikTok, Atwell braved some exercise equipment in style. But in the eyes of the new kid on the IMF block, that wasn't a treadmill she was walking, it was a runway. And as you can see for yourself, she walks it in style, and at a very safe speed: 

As someone who’s never walked in heels, my hat is firmly tipped to Hayley Atwell for being able to even walk on a treadmill in those shoes. While she does have the benefit of a chunkier heel surface, that still doesn’t change the fact that even merely walking on those shoes can be a bit of a pain. It may not be as intense as Bryce Dallas Howard’s “controversial” Jurassic World sprint, but it’s still not a walk in the park. 

If anything, I wouldn’t be surprised if this MCU vet was preparing for some sort of future stunt in Mission: Impossible 8 that would require running in such footwear. Considering that Hayley Atwell studied car drifting for her first Mission in the field, the dedication is certainly there. So maybe what we're seeing is part fun social media content, and part training for some crazy future endeavor in a franchise of the best action movies.

Depending on what happens in Dead Reckoning Part One, there just might be some good reason for the character of Grace to have such skills at her disposal. Though if there's still time to write a scene where Atwell and Tom Cruise get into a foot race of epic proportions into the next Mission: Impossible chapter, that's time well spent if you ask me.

If that’s the case, here’s hoping those scenes don’t run into the cobblestone problems Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One encountered during its car chases. We’ll see how this latest Tom Cruise action movie endured those obstacles, as the picture is set to streak into theaters next week. 

Some early screenings taking place as early as Monday, so you should check your local listings before heading out. And if you’re looking to reminisce upon the Mission: Impossible films of the past, your Paramount + subscription is all you need to light that particular fuse.

One of the most impressive stunts from what we’ve seen out of Mission: Impossible 7 has to be the sequence where Hayley Atwell has to drive and drift while being handcuffed to Tom Cruise. With this legendary franchise of action movies favoring as many practical stunts as possible, the moment seen in many of Dead Reckoning Part One’s trailers meant that Atwell needed to study the art of drifting pretty intensely. The results speak for themselves, and you can pretty much call her fast and furious at this point. 

Hayley Atwell went into greater detail about her preparation for this experience, as she recently sat down with ET Canada. The Captain America actor's remarks about her automotive antics not only showed how much she had to study the art of drifting, but also revealed the following challenges when bringing this big scene to life: 

The way that Atwell describes this Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One experience definitely tracks. As Hayley previously revealed, a key piece of advice from Tom Cruise was “don’t be safe, be competent,” which is something that totally covers having to drift in both a doorless BMW (as well as a small yellow Fiat) while bound to your co-star. 

That competence is clearly exhibited in Hayley Atwell and her drifting studies, especially in the way she discusses transferring those skills from the track to the set. As we’ve seen in snippets across trailers and featurettes, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One involves a Rome-based set piece where Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his new friend Grace (Hayley Atwell) are bound together in high speed pursuit.

Both of our protagonists get to engage in some risky business behind the wheel, especially with the way the two are cuffed together. It's one of the most ridiculous Mission: Impossible 7 stunts we've seen so far, and that's a good thing as all of that control sells the image of chaos so perfectly. 

If history had shaken out a little differently, Hayley Atwell could have co-starred with Tom Cruise much sooner. While it’s exciting to think about what could have been, their pairing in the first half of this Mission: Impossible two-parter ended up giving Hayley some skills that she could use for future gigs. 

Maybe with the Fast and Furious saga ending on a proposed trilogy, there’s a chance that Ms. Atwell could jump into another action fueled franchise. Not only would she have the ability to do her own driving stunts to boot, but there's still time to try and write her into the next installment, which isn't due in theaters until 2025. Who knows what Furious plans fate has in store? 

There’s plenty more Hayley Atwell stunts in Mission: Impossible 7 headed our way, and next week’s theatrical debut of the seventh installment will unveil them all to the world. Which means that Paramount+ subscription of yours is about to become even more convenient, thanks to all six previous missions being available to stream on that platform. 

Director Christopher McQuarrie and the cast of “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One,” including Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby, Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis, sat down to discuss the making of the franchise's seventh installment. They tackle the debate on the use of A.I. in the moviemaking business, the incredible feats met while shooting a car chase with Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise handcuffed to one another, and more.

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro
00:28 - ‘Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1” Cast On The Impact Of A.I. In Storytelling
03:08 - Shooting A Chase Scene While Handcuffed To Tom Cruise
05:44 - Is Simon Pegg Ready To Say Goodbye To Benji?
06:41 - Where Did The Cast Have The Most Fun Shooting On Location?

Race a fiat? He can do it. Jump a motorcycle from great heights? Yep, he can do that, too. Transform into a paparazzo to snap photos of his co-stars? Check. The Mission: Impossible superstar can do that as well. Tom Cruise is known for pulling off some of the most ridiculous stunts, but he's not just a daredevil; he’s also a skilled photographer. At the Seoul premiere of Dead Reckoning Part One, he showcased his talent behind the lens, capturing stunning pictures of Hayley Atwell and his other female M:I co-stars.

On the red carpet for the premiere of one of the most anticipated action movies of the year, the Hollywood legend charmed fans and attendees when he playfully took hold of a photographer’s camera. In a delightful Instagram post shared by Hayley Atwell, you can catch a glimpse of Tom Cruise capturing a photo of his co-stars, including Atwell herself as well as Pom Klementieff and Vanessa Kirby. Don’t miss out on witnessing the Mummy star’s impressive photography skills in the video below:

It's truly amazing to see the 60-year-old actor, known for his perfectionism, sharing the spotlight as he crouches down to capture the three women posing on a stage above the red carpet. With unwavering determination, he aims for that flawless shot. Judging by the photo revealed in the clip, there's nothing that the talented Top Gun: Maverick actor can't accomplish. But of course, it's his on-camera work that fans are probably most eager about.

Introduced to us over 25 years ago, Ethan Hunt has entertained audiences through six incredible M:I movies filled with breathtaking action sequences. Building upon the success of 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Tom Cruise is set to reprise his role for two final films that will conclude his character's story. The first installment, Dead Reckoning Part One, is scheduled for a July release. Critics who have had the opportunity to attend early screenings have taken to social media to share early reactions to the M:I flick, and based on their response, it appears that the cast and crew have once again delivered a hit.

Although the next two installments of the Mission: Impossible franchise are expected to be Tom Cruise's farewell, the actor isn't quite ready to retire from his risk-taking stunts. Rumor has it that he is working on a space-themed film with Universal, aiming to become the first civilian to perform an actual spacewalk. I certainly hope the team organizing this extraordinary adventure remembers to pack a camera in his space suit. Because it's possible that the Risky Business alum can capture his own photos, even when he's approximately 250 miles above the Earth.

You can catch the actor and all his female co-stars when Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One lands in theaters on July 12th. Eager moviegoers will have to wait until 2024 for Dead Reckoning Part Two but, while you wait, why not take a look at our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to see what other thrilling summer blockbusters are on the horizon?

Tom Cruise may be one of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest box office stars, but he’s also one of the most generous. Cruise’s acts of kindness have been Hollywood lore for years. It seems every year a new “Tom-Cruise-is-a-nice-guy” story emerges from colleagues and fans alike. Now, his Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning co-star Hayley Atwell has added another story to this last as she spilled about the Hollywood A-lister taking her grandmother for a helicopter ride.

The Agent Carter star couldn’t hold back as she revealed the latest story about the Hollywood A-lister’s kindness. She opened up about the sweet act to ET as the cast gathered for the Mission: Impossible 7 red-carpet premiere in Rome, Italy. Atwell recalled how the whole moment played out, saying:

After working with Tom Cruise for a while, Hayley Atwell knew he loved pushing people beyond their limits, just ask his Top Gun: Maverick co-star Jennifer Connelly. So, it seemed like a coordinated effort between the M:I 7 stars to plan the perfect Christmas surprise from granddaughter to grandmother.

Atwell seemed overjoyed to share this moment, but there was more to the delightful Christmas Eve joyride. The former MCU star explained how her grandmother went from shunning a copter ride to joining Cruise for a sky-high tour of London, saying:

Now, that’s the power of Cruise’s charisma as he managed to make fast friends with Hayley Atwell’s grandmother. His charismatic ways got her grandmother to drop her fears and take a nice aerial tour of London.

Taking Atwell’s grandmother on a helicopter ride left me in awe of the Hollywood superstar’s kindness. However, this move wasn’t surprising as many Tom Cruise fans and I have heard about his kind heart for years. Numerous co-stars and A-listers have told stories about Cruise’s generosity. Maverick co-star Jon Hamm spoke highly of the Oscar nominee by praising his attentive interactions with younger actors. One of those young stars was Hangman actor Glen Powell, who spoke about the amazing career advice the box office star gave him. Even the last awards season had many Hollywood stars – veterans to newcomers – starstruck by his mere presence as seen in his interaction with Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan.

Hopefully, Tom Cruise’s authentic kindness will translate to the box office as Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One prepares to arrive in theaters on July 12. Moviegoers will have to wait until 2024 to see Dead Reckoning Part Two in cinemas. In the meantime, check out our 2023 movie schedule to see what other summer blockbusters are arriving soon.  

If you're a die-hard action movie fan, then you're no stranger to the electrifying force that is Tom Cruise. At a sprightly 60 years young, this action superstar has kept us on the edge of our seats with his thrilling performances in films like Edge of Tomorrow and Top Gun: Maverick. And he's ready to deliver another heart-pounding spectacle in the upcoming Mission: Impossible adventure, Dead Reckoning Part One. Speaking of his speed, the actor's M:I 7 co-star Hayley Atwell just blew our minds, revealing the Jerry McGuire performer doesn't settle for a mere "need for speed." Oh no, strap yourselves in tight and grab a parachute, because this daredevil extraordinaire has an insatiable appetite for "stratospheric speed." According to the actress, he strives for a velocity that defies gravity and tickles the heavens.

During the world premiere of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1, Atwell found herself in the hot seat in an interview posted to the Mission: Impossible TikTok account. She was asked how her running skills compared to Cruise's, given his legendary reputation for taking every opportunity to show off his gazelle-like sprint, even if they’re challenging scenes to shoot. The Agent Carter alum had nothing but admiration for her co-star's prowess, saying she noticed something very unique about him and his run, explaining: 

You heard it hear; Tom Cruise is just built differently than the rest of us. Not only does he love to run, but if the Captain America: First Avenger actress is to be believed, every cell in his body is “alive” and made for what he loves most. Though he probably cannot travel the multiverse like the Flash, the man could probably still give Barry Allan a run for his money, especially since Atwell said it looks like he's "cutting through air at stratospheric speed," when he runs.

Lucky moviegoers have already witnessed the first part of Dead Reckoning, and the reactions were very positive, with the flick seeming to be another franchise winner. Tom Cruise has been captivating us for over 25 years as the legendary Ethan Hunt, delivering six mind-blowing movies filled with some of the greatest action sequences. And she's not slowing down, as the man known for running with unrivaled intensity continues to stun audiences with his stunts in planes, trains, automobiles, and even on foot.

The action doesn't stop here either, as Cruise is already in production for Dead Reckoning Part Two alongside the incredible cast of Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, and more, with Christopher McQuarrie returning to the director's chair. The sequel is set for the 2024 movie release schedule.

Get your calendars ready because Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, featuring Cruise and Atwell going toe to running toe, hits theaters on July 12 as part of the 2023 new movie releases.