For almost 30 years, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt has saved the day with his IMF team in the Mission: Impossible film series. Obstacles great and small have been overcome, with Ethan winning the day no matter what. Now, the beginning of the end may be here, as Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One has just released its first trailer. Brace yourself for what looks like the most *ahem* impossible mission yet.
We knew that classic adversary Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny) was coming back for the seventh installment, which already raised a bunch of questions on its own. Looking at this trailer for Paramount’s latest Mission: Impossible adventure, one Impossible legacy query may have been answered. If what we’re seeing and hearing is correct, Kittridge is in league with what was once known as The Syndicate - and he looks very upset.
On top of this, the first-look preview at one of the most hotly anticipated upcoming movies includes tons of throwbacks to moments and locations throughout Mission: Impossible history. We also get glimpses of friends old and new. Esai Morales looks absolutely awesome as the villain for Dead Reckoning - Part One, and Guardians of the Galaxy star Pom Klementieff kicks quite a bit of ass in her brief moments as well.
Rounding it all off is fellow MCU vet Hayley Atwell, who plays a mysterious character pal-ing around with Tom Cruise’s Ethan. Which, as anyone will tell you, is the shortcut to the most dangerous life possible, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One does not seem to be an exception to that rule. Especially when there’s a harrowing car chase that throws Cruise and Atwell into a cramped yellow Fiat, a scene which had previously been teased during filming
The trailer for Mission: Impossible’s big return comes with another ominous, potentially villainous monologue; because why wouldn’t it? This is where writer/director Christopher McQuarrie’s deep dive into the franchise's history really pays off, as Kittridge’s intent is signaled by the following Dead Reckoning lines that dominate this first look:
Your days of fighting for the greater good are over. This is our chance to control the truth, the concepts of right and wrong, for everyone for centuries to come. You’re fighting to save an ideal that doesn’t exist. Never did. You need to pick a side.
Playing out as a two-part movie (according to McQuarrie), Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part One throws out a lot of clues as to what’s headed our way next year. It also reunites franchise fans with the faces of Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby; on top of showing off Tom Cruise’s death-defying motorcycle stunt. It’s been a longer wait than expected, but the start of what looks to be Ethan Hunt’s final adventure looks to be bringing its S-game to the table. With amazing action like this, a grade of A+ doesn’t even cut it.
The fuse on Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One will be lit on July 14, 2023; with Part Two exploding into theaters on June 28, 2024 - a little under two years before the series’ 30th anniversary. All agents looking to brush up on some IMF history can do so with a Paramount+ subscription, as at the time of this writing almost all of the previous Mission: Impossible movies are available for streaming.
