Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two: Release date, cast and plot

And now Tom Cruise has been pictured filming action scenes for an upcoming film, with many fans speculating that the actor could be shooting Mission: Impossible 8.

According to the BBC, Cruise has been spotted filming an action scene for an upcoming movie, with the videos including footage of the actor in Derbyshire in a dirt-covered Jeep, as well as aerial footage showing evidence of a film set.

While the images didn’t make it clear what film Cruise is working on, social media posts from former castmates suggest that he may be filming Mission: Impossible 8.

Simon Pegg posted a selfie on Instagram with costars Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Tarzan Davis and wrote the cryptic caption alongside: “Saving the world has never been so much fun.”

Meanwhile, Atwell also hinted that she may be filming a movie on Instagram with a post from her “day off", though she didn’t explicitly confirm she was involved in filming for Mission: Impossible 8.

Following on from the dramatic ending of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1, the sequel will once again see Cruise's IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his allies do battle with a number of antagonists as they aim to get control of the unpredictable AI weapon known as the Entity – and is sure to pack in plenty more death-defying stunts.

But when can fans expect to see the new film in cinemas? And which cast members will be returning alongside Cruise?

Read on for everything you need to know about Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2, with the warning that there are some major spoilers for Part 1 in this article.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two release date

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2 is currently scheduled to be released on 23rd May 2025.

The film was originally slated to land on 5th August 2022 but has faced delays due to global restrictions, with the pandemic disrupting plans for back-to-back filming for Part 1.

Filming began in March 2022, but was paused due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes.

Who will star in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two?

Most of the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One cast will return.

In the least surprising casting news of all time, Tom Cruise will once again be reprising the role of Ethan Hunt in the new film, no doubt attempting to pull off all manner of incredible stunts as he tries to top the already iconic motorbike cliff jump from Part 1.

Ethan will once again be joined on his impossible mission by long-term allies Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn, played by Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg respectively, while Hayley Atwell will be back as new IMF recruit Grace following her franchise debut in Part 1.

However, one big name who looks like she won't return – unless there are plans for any flashback sequences – is Rebecca Ferguson, whose popular character Ilsa Faust was tragically killed off during the newly released film.

Meanwhile, a number of other characters who debuted in Part 1 are also in line for a return, including Esai Morales as villain Gabriel, Shea Wigham and Greg Tarzan Davis as CIA agents Jasper and Degas, and the scene-stealing Pom Klementieff as assassin Paris – who narrowly avoided death at the end of Part 1.

Henry Czerny will also return as IMF director Eugene Kittridge, while Rolf Saxon will reprise his role as another character who first appeared in the very first Mission: Impossible film – CIA analyst William Donloe.

A number of new characters will also join the cast, with Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman and Hannah Waddingham among those set to star.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Angela Bassett – who starred as CIA director Erika Sloane in Fallout – will once again be absent after COVID travel restrictions ruled her out of an appearance in Part 1.

"It's interesting, she was going to be the head of the CIA, she was going to be in that room with all the other heads of the intelligence community that you meet," director Christopher McQuarrie told Variety in a recent interview. "And we're not done with Angela Bassett.

"Angela is too fabulous. You can never, ever let Angela get away," he added. "There's always a plan in the future."

We'll keep you posted with all the latest casting developments – so do keep checking back for the latest news.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two plot

Although no official plot synopsis has been provided at this stage, we know that the film will follow on directly from the events of Part 1, which saw Ethan and his pals get their hands on the key that should help them to control the Entity.

Now armed with the knowledge that the key unlocks the chamber holding the computer on the sunk submarine Sevastopol, Ethan, Benji, Luther, and Grace will race to get there while no doubt fighting off the advances of various enemies including Gabriel.

And it seems likely that the Entity will continue causing all sorts of havoc before they get close to controlling it, so it certainly won't be an easy task. This is not mission difficult, after all, it's mission impossible!

When more plot details emerge, we'll add them to this section.

Will Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two be the last film?

Although Cruise and McQuarrie initially appeared to suggest that this two-parter would bring Ethan Hunt's story to close, recent comments from the pair indicate that this won't be the case after all.

Speaking to Fandango in June 2023, McQuarrie said that not only would this not be the end, but that he and Cruise had also already been discussing ideas for what the future might hold for the IMF.

Meanwhile, Cruise said he hoped to take a leaf out of Harrison Ford's book and keep making action films until he was in his 80s.

"Harrison Ford is a legend; I hope to be still going; I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible films until I’m his age."

Looks like Ethan still has many more missions to face in the future, then!

Is there a trailer for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two?

There's no trailer for the film just yet – but we'll keep this page updated as and when one emerges.

However, we do have some footage, which was shown at the first screening of Top Gun: Maverick at CinemaCon.

The footage shows Cruise standing on top of a biplane while filming in South Africa, one of the locations in Dead Reckoning Part 2. “See you at the movies,” he says.

Read More

• Mission: Impossible's Simon Pegg would "love" a Benji and Ilsa spin-off
• Mission: Impossible's Hayley Atwell on what surprised her about Tom Cruise

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.