At this point, Tom Cruise has saved the world in the Mission: Impossible series countless times. While he originally went up against some corrupt members of the IMF, he has since battled crazed terrorists, reloading arms, and deadly viruses.

However, the recently announced seventh and eighth movies in the franchise should certainly be his last.

This week the official titles were revealed for the next two instalments in the M:I franchise.

They are: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.

Part one of this two-parter won’t hit cinemas until summer next year, but it would be the perfect time for the series to begin its end.

Cruise has been playing Ethan Hunt since 1996. The original movie was a much more low-key film that employed a handful of big actors. Since then, the series has expanded exponentially. Also, since then, Hunt has dodged death in countless ways.

Hunt (and Cruise in real life) has hung off the side of a flying aeroplane, run up and Burj Khalifa, gone HALO jumping, and much more. But he can’t always carry out his death-defying stunts unscathed.

The two Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning films would be the perfect way to end Ethan Hunt’s journey in a blaze of glory. In fact, he should go out in a similar fashion to that of James Bond in No Time To Die.

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In the latest Daniel Craig movie, 007 had to put his life on the line to not only save the world, but also the lives of his lover and daughter, in a beautifully tragic end to the selfless hero’s journey. 

Comparatively, there is only one woman Hunt cares for: his ex-wife, Julia. He saved her from in Mission: Impossible 3 from Phillip Seymour Hoffman before sending her into a witness protection program. She was later threatened in the final moments of Mission: Impossible – Fallout by the terrorist John Lark (Henry Cavill), who figured out who she was.

Although Lark was killed off, Solomon Lane, the leader of the terrorist group The Apostles, still lives on. And if he were to return, his main target would be Hunt, without a doubt. What better way is there to get at Hunt than to attack Julia (again)?

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Over the years, Hunt has protected the world from various threats but has only been forced to look out for his own loved ones on rare occasions. With Julia’s presence confirmed by Lane in Fallout, she is never going to be safe again.

Hunt’s end is near, and it could become a bitter end, just like James Bond received last year. He’ll have a massive audience to do so, as well.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has already confirmed the arrival of some new actors, including Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Rob Delaney, Indira Varma and more. These newcomers join the already recurring crew of Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson and Vanessa Kirby.

The film will also be directed by Cruise’s righthand man: Christopher McQuarrie.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hits cinemas on July 14, 2023.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two hits cinemas on June 28, 2024.