tom cruise mission impossible movie order

How to Watch the 'Mission: Impossible' Movies in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch one of the best action franchises of all time.

The Big Picture

• Tom Cruise has been the face of the Mission: Impossible franchise for 25 years, playing the daring and intelligent Ethan Hunt.
• The franchise has released seven films so far, with Mission: Impossible 8 coming in summer of 2025.
• The movies can be watched in either release date order or chronological order, with each installment building upon the previous ones.

Tom Cruise helped revive a franchise in 1996 when he starred in the first Mission: Impossible film as Ethan Hunt, a member of a fictional spy agency called Impossible Missions Force, or IMF. The first film kicked off a successful movie franchise that's run for 25 years, with the number of Mission: Impossible nearing the double digits. The entire series focuses on the daring and intelligent Hunt, and while playing the same character for more than two decades is no small feat, Cruise makes the impossible look easy. While Cruise has been onboard for all of the Mission: Impossible films — seven so far, with the eighth having stopped filming due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike — the other actor who’s been by his side since day one is Ving Rhames , who plays Luther Stickell, an expert hacker at IMF and Hunt’s most trusted friend. Over the years, many great actors like Jon Voight , Philip Seymour Hoffman , and Angela Bassett have had roles in the franchise, whether as allies or antagonists to Hunt.

Thankfully, for anyone wondering how to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in chronological order or by release date, the action spy franchise isn’t as complicated as Hunt’s “impossible” missions. Here’s a straightforward guide.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on November 5, 2023.

Mission: Impossible

An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Mission Impossible Movies In Order of Release Date

Here’s every film in the Mission: Impossible movie franchise, in the order they were released in:

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Mission: impossible 2 (2000), mission: impossible iii (2006).

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order of Events

The timeline of the Mission: Impossible franchise is pretty straightforward, but if you're wondering when Cruise climbed the Burj Khalifa, how many movies Ilsa Faust has been in, or who's been on Ethan Hunt's IMF team the longest, we've got you covered. Here's a breakdown of how to watch the Mission: Impossible films in chronological order and the important details to remember:

Based on the TV series of the same name that ran from 1966 to 1973, Mission: Impossible , the first film in what is now a multi-billion-dollar-earning franchise, takes the original story and turns it on its head. When a whole team of IMF agents is killed during a mission, Cruise’s Hunt is left as the only survivor. Unfortunately, surviving doesn’t do him much good, as IMF, in turn, suspects Hunt of being a mole in the organization and the one responsible for the killings. In order to prove his innocence, Hunt goes on the run in search of the real mole, intent on stopping them before they do any more damage. Along with Cruise and Rhames, Mission: Impossible also stars Voigt as Jim Phelps, one of the original series’s characters, Vanessa Redgrave as an arms dealer named Max, as well as Kristin Scott Thomas and Emilio Estevez as other major characters. Directed by Brian De Palma , the 1996 film is more of a contained, paranoid spy thriller, and ultimately, the franchise goes above and beyond the first film’s story and action sequences, but Mission: Impossible will always be the one that started it all.

Released four years after the first film, Mission: Impossible 2 , directed by John Woo, features the return of Hunt and the IMF, as Hunt is tasked with finding and disposing of a biochemical weapon called “Chimera.” The villain of this mission is a former IMF agent named Sean Ambrose, played by Dougray Scott . Other new additions to the cast are Thandiwe Newton as Nyah Nordoff-Hall, Ambrose’s ex-girlfriend who helps Hunt accomplish his task, as well as Brendan Gleeson as John C. McCloy, the CEO of Biocyte, the company that creates both the Chimera weapon and its antidote, “Bellerophon.” Ambrose aims to start a pandemic so that he can earn billions of dollars by selling the antidote, and Hunt and Nyah must secure the virus before it’s too late. The second film in the Mission: Impossible franchise ups the ante, with Hunt traveling all the way to Sydney, Australia to chase down Ambrose, and the action sequences are jam-packed in typical Woo fashion .

The third film in the Mission: Impossible franchise took a really long time to be released, with six years between 2000’s Mission: Impossible 2 and 2006’s Mission: Impossible III . The third outing for IMF agent Hunt introduces two more key characters to the story — Michelle Monaghan as Hunt's fiancée, Julia Meade, and Simon Pegg ’s Benji Dunn, an IMF technician and trusted teammate of Hunt’s. In Mission: Impossible III , Hunt attempts to retire from fieldwork and settle down with Julia, but the organization can’t seem to let him go. He is called in to rescue a kidnapped agent and stop an arms dealer named Owen Davian ( Seymour Hoffman ) from receiving a dangerous MacGuffin called the “Rabbit’s Foot.” All the while, Hunt tries to keep the secret of his real job from Julie, but despite his efforts, she gets dragged into danger anyway. Directed by J.J. Abrams , the third Mission: Impossible film also features many other fantastic actors, including Laurence Fishburne , Keri Russell , and Billy Crudup .

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

In the new decade, this is where the action franchise really hits its stride. The first Mission: Impossible film to have a subtitle, 2011’s Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol does not disappoint. After a mission goes terribly wrong, ending with the Kremlin blowing up, the U.S. government disavows IMF in what is known as the “Ghost Protocol,” leaving Hunt and his team alone and without backup. Along with Cruise, Rhames, Pegg, and Monaghan, the fourth Mission: Impossible film also stars Jeremy Renner , Paula Patton , Michael Nyqvist , and Léa Seydoux . While Hunt’s previous missions have involved traitor agents and virus weapons, this particular adventure features Hunt working to prevent a nuclear war. The stakes are higher than ever, and Hunt must overcome both physical and emotional hardships in order to do his job and save the world. The Iron Giant and Incredibles director Brad Bird made his live-action debut with Ghost Protocol , and the film is a major step up from the previous three, escalating the action set-pieces (most notably, Cruise's instantly iconic climb up the Burj Khalifa ) and introducing a more ensemble-driven approach the franchise is still embracing today.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

Enter Rebecca Ferguson . Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation is the fifth film in the Mission: Impossible series that never seems to stop. Alongside Alec Baldwin , Sean Harris , and Tom Hollander , this movie marks the first appearance of Ferguson's Ilsa Faust , an MI6 agent who encounters Hunt while undercover in the Syndicate crime organization; an international group of spies who went rogue. Ferguson’s character is definitely one of the most complicated of the series so far, and she adds new life and intrigue to the franchise. After Hunt is captured by the Syndicate, led by Harris’s character Solomon Lane, he is tortured for information and later escapes with Faust’s help. The Syndicate’s main goal is to reconstruct the world order through a series of violent terrorist attacks, and of course, Hunt gets blamed for the crimes, leaving him constantly on the run. It’s an age-old story. Hunt gets involved with a huge conspiracy then gets framed and must go on the run, relying on his amazing skills as an agent to take the Syndicate down before they can complete their plan. Considering that this formula has gotten the franchise this far, there’s really no reason to change it up, but director Christopher McQuarrie makes it feel fresh and new with extraordinary stunts and a deeper interest in Hunt as a character. It's no wonder that he's the only filmmaker to date to stick with the franchise for multiple sequels.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible - Fallout follows Hunt, Faust, and the rest of Hunt's now-familiar team as they work to stop what’s left of the Syndicate. The organization has reformed as the Apostles, led by an unknown figure known as John Lark. After a mission to secure stolen plutonium cores doesn’t go well, Angela Bassett, finally joining the franchise as CIA Director Erika Sloane, assigns Henry Cavill ’s August Walker to oversee Hunt’s future missions. Meanwhile, an arms dealer named Alanna Mitsopolis, or the White Widow (a new character played by Vanessa Kirby ) causes trouble for Hunt and the IMF by stealing the plutonium to make a deal. According to Mitsopolis’s offer, Hunt must secure Lane (the villain from the previous movie) and deliver him to MI6, and she will give him the plutonium cores for the CIA and IMF. Of course, very little goes according to plan, as Hunt discovers that the person known as Lark is closer than he thought. Set two years after Rogue Nation , the two films’ plots are heavily intertwined, so it’s best to watch them together if you can.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

The latest chapter of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One features even bigger stunts than ever before and adds a host of exciting new cast members, including Hayley Atwell , Pom Klementieff , Shea Whigham, Esai Morales , Indira Varma , Cary Elwes , and Mark Gatiss , among others. Christopher McQuarrie once again wrote and directed the movie and will be doing the same for MIssion: Impossible 8 . The film introduces a new threat involving a familiar face, an organization known as the Community. It is by far the biggest film in the series, both in terms of cast and scope.

What's Next?

With every new installment, the Mission: Impossible franchise gets better and better. And while Dead Reckoning Part One may just be the best it's ever been, Cruise and McQuarrie will be looking to top that with Mission: Impossible 8 . However, the film has been delayed multiple times and has undergone a quiet name change. As of now, the eighth part of Ethan Hunt's story is set to premiere on Memorial Day, May 23, 2025.

Watch the Mission: Impossible franchise on Paramount+ in the U.S.

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(Photo by Paramount /Courtesy Everett Collection)

How to Watch Mission: Impossible Movies In Order

If you want to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order and see Ethan Hunt get in his daily steps, fall from high up, take a deep breath, defy mask policy, catch a plane, and kick ass and chew bubblegum (he gets them from the IMF snack room), you can watch the movies as they released, no prequel plotting here.

• Mission: Impossible (1998)
• Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Now, if you’re new to the series, do you actually need to watch all the Mission: Impossible movies in order? If you were a big fan of the original TV series , you’d probably give a bellowing NO, since the 1996 Mission: Impossible movie re-introduced the Jim Phelps hero role and then gave him a thoroughly impressive character assassination. But that’s just director Brian de Palma taking the piss out of the blockbuster and Tom Cruise taking the reins of the IP on his own terms.

So the first M:I movie is a perfectly good place to start if you’ve never seen the TV show, likely since it’s over 50 years old at this point. It’s also more of a spy thriller — all dense plotting and subdued action, but with an explosive set piece or two that would become the series’ trademark. There isn’t really an overarching story to Mission: Impossible until the latter-half of the franchise, but this movie does introduce support characters like hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, who’s appeared in every movie) and then-IMF director Eugene Kittridge, who returns for Dead Reckoning .

Mission: Impossible 2 is the most skippable of the series, both in story and quality. Anyone who’s seen director John Woo’s Hong Kong stuff will likely find this one more palatable, believing that a man can fly and motorcycles can duel.

Cruise hand-picked J.J. Abrams to direct a soft reboot for Mission: Impossible III , which expands more of Hunt’s IMF team (including Simon Pegg’s Benji) and introduces Michelle Monaghan as Ethan’s fiancée Julia.

For the fourth Impossible , Ghost Protocol , Cruise made another unlikely choice for director: Brad Bird, making his live-action debut. This is where the series really establishes itself in the upper echelon of action filmmaking, and set the standard for death-defying practical stunts for each release.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) 97%

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) 96%

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (2015) 94%

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) 93%

Mission: Impossible III (2006) 71%

Mission: Impossible (1996) 66%

Mission: Impossible II (2000) 56%

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All Mission: Impossible Movies in Order Chronologically and by Release Date

The Mission: Impossible franchise is one of the best in the action genre. Here's how to watch the films in chronological and release order.

It has been more than 25 years since the first Mission: Impossible film hit theaters. The spy series has only grown more popular over the years, as evidenced by the sixth installment, Mission: Impossible - Fallout , becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise. Mission: Impossible has enjoyed an incredible lead in Tom Cruise, whose hard work has gained him recognition as one of the world's greatest movie stars.

Update October 27, 2023: This article has been updated following the release of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and the recent delay and title change of Mission: Impossible 8.

The franchise originally showed no signs of stopping, but after the disappointing box office of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and the next entry in the franchise being delayed out of the summer movie season of 2024 into 2025, the franchise might be calling it a day soon. But with more than 25 years of Mission: Impossible films, it can be overwhelming for a newcomer to keep track of them all. Whether you're new to the franchise or have been a lifelong fan, here's a handy list of all Mission: Impossible movies in chronological and release order.

All Mission: Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Mission: impossible (1996), mission: impossible 2 (2000), mission: impossible iii (2006), mission: impossible - ghost protocol (2011), mission: impossible - rogue nation (2015), mission: impossible - fallout (2018), mission: impossible - dead reckoning part one (2023), mission: impossible 8 (2025), mission: impossible.

The film that started it all, Mission: Impossible , was directed by Brian De Palma , the director behind Carrie , Scarface , and The Untouchables . The film introduced Cruise as Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt, who was framed for the murder of the rest of his team. It was the first Mission: Impossible film that featured the iconic sequence of Ethan descending into a vault, just barely avoiding touching the floor that would have resulted in catastrophic failure.

You can stream Mission: Impossible on Netflix and Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible 2

Mission: Impossible 2 saw Ethan Hunt embark on a new mission to stop a biological weapon from being released. Hunt teamed up with professional thief Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Thandiwe Newton), the former partner of the rogue IMF agent who possessed the weapon. Mission: Impossible 2 was the highest-grossing film in 2000, grossing more than Gladiator and Cast Away .

You can stream Mission: Impossible 2 on Netflix and Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible 7 Clip Goes Behind the Scenes of Tom Cruise's Speedflying Stunt

Mission: impossible iii.

Ethan came out of retirement in Mission: Impossible III when a powerful arms dealer (Philip Seymour Hoffman) emerged to threaten everything he held dear. The film introduced Michelle Monaghan as Julia Meade, a nurse who became Ethan's fiancée and, simultaneously, a target for the film's villain. Mission: Impossible III was also the film that introduced Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, who appeared in every film afterward.

You can stream Mission: Impossible III on Netflix and Paramount+

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

The fourth film in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Ghost Protocol harked back to the franchise's beginnings by having Ethan blamed for another crime he did not commit. Following a mission gone wrong, the U.S. President initiated "Ghost Protocol," which ordered the immediate shutdown of the Impossible Missions Force. Ethan formed a team with Benji and new member William Brandt ( played by Jeremy Renner ) in spite of the shutdown, desperate to clear their names and prevent a nuclear war.

You can stream Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol on Netflix and Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

2015's Rogue Nation was the first Mission: Impossible film directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie, who went on to direct and write Fallout , Dead Reckoning Part One , and the now-titled Mission: Impossible 8 . Rogue Nation featured new antagonists in The Syndicate, a terrorist organization that sought to establish a new world order. Rebecca Ferguson made her debut as Ilsa Faust in Rogue Nation , becoming one of the franchise's main characters.

You can stream Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation on fuboTV and Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Not only was Mission: Impossible - Fallout the highest-grossing film in the franchise, but it was also the best-reviewed film in the franchise. In this installment, The Syndicate are back and planning to simultaneously explode plutonium cores over three different cities. The film reunited cast members Cruise, Ving Rhames, Pegg, Ferguson, and Michelle Monaghan. Fallout additionally starred Henry Cavill as August Walker, an ally of Ethan's who was eventually found to be the villainous John Lark.

You can stream Mission: Impossible - Fallout on Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Read our Review:

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Review: Blockbuster Action Overcomes Long Runtime

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One was Cruise's first film after the success of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022. Marketing for the seventh installment in the Mission: Impossible series saw IMF's most dangerous mission yet as Ethan comes face to face with new enemies, and a weapon that threatens the very future of the human race. Henry Czerny has reprised his role as former IMF director Eugene Kittridge after having been absent from the franchise since the first film. Vanessa Kirby has reprised her role from Mission: Impossible - Fallout as Alanna Mitsopolis / White Widow, with new cast members including Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, and Pom Klementieff.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is available for purchase and rental on PVOD.

Mission: Impossible 8

The 8th entry in the long running Mission Impossible franchise. Starring Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby.

Paramount originally scheduled the release of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two for Summer 2024. However, in view of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors strike, like several other long-awaited sequels , the expected release date has been pushed back to May 23, 2025. The film also reportedly will not be called Dead Reckoning Part Two and, as of this moment, is just being referred to as Mission: Impossible 8 . Variety previously reported that the film would be a "sendoff for Cruise's Ethan Hunt character," however, in June 2023, director Christopher McQuarrie told Fandango that the series would not end with Dead Reckoning (via Games Radar ).

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Director Reveals Why It Was Split Into Two Parts

Release dates of all mission: impossible movies.

How to Watch Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Catch up with ethan hunt and imf ahead of dead reckoning part two..

In 1996, 30 years after the Mission: Impossible TV series first aired on CBS, Paramount Pictures recruited Tom Cruise to bring the franchise to the big screen. In the 27 years since, Cruise has led the franchise through seven spy films (soon to be eight) and a $4 billion USD box-office haul to rest comfortably among the best action franchises of all time.

Following the thrilling release of this year's Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One - and the highly-anticipated release of its direct sequel Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two next year - we've compiled a spoiler-free* list of every Mission Impossible movie ordered by narrative chronology and release date, from oldest to newest, so you can watch or re-watch the movies in their proper order.

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release order

Mission Impossible Movies in Order

How Many Mission Impossible Movies Are There?

There have been seven Mission: Impossible movies released since the series’ inception in 1996. An eighth is set to release next year on June 28 as well. See our guide on where to watch all Mission Impossible movies for streaming info on every film.

Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Following the Mission Impossible chronology is as easy as watching the movies in the order they were released: the narrative chronology follows the release order from 1996’s Mission Impossible to 2018’s Fallout.

The list below outlines the definitive order in which to watch the Mission Impossible movies. We've added broad plot overviews and information on each movie’s critical and commercial reception.

*The blurbs below contain character/actor names and broad plot overviews.

1. Mission: Impossible (1996)

1996’s Mission: Impossible introduced us to Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, a highly capable agent within the elite Impossible Mission Force (IMF) espionage agency. Hunt, believed to be a mole within the IMF, flees and sets out to discover the traitor’s true identity.

Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, and Henry Czerny star alongside Cruise, as does the series’ most recurring support actor, Ving Rhames (Luther). It’s the only film in the franchise directed by Brian De Palma (Scarface).

2. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Ethan Hunt returned four years later for Mission: Impossible 2 , a sequel that tasks the agent with recovering a dangerous bioweapon and its cure from the hands of a nefarious pharmaceutical company and its lackeys.

The sequel weaves another spy-thriller plot through explosive stuntwork, chase scenes, and the drama of blackmail and stolen identity. It’s the only movie in the series directed by action-film legend John Woo.

3. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Mission: Impossible 3 introduces a love interest for Ethan in Michelle Monaghan’s Julia Meade. The plot sees Julia unwittingly mixed up in Ethan’s espionage work, which once again focuses on the recovery of a bioweapon.

Ving Rhames again reprises his role as Ethan’s trusted colleague Luther. Other cast members include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg, and Laurence Fishburne.

Mission: Impossible III was J.J. Abrams’s feature-film directorial debut. It’s the only movie in the franchise he directed.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

The first of the more-modern Mission Impossible movies, Ghost Protocol was a big success for Paramount, grossing nearly $700 million USD worldwide and earning 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another tale of deception with potentially earth-shattering consequences, Ghost Protocol tasks Ethan and co. with tracking down Russia’s stolen nuclear codes. The movie ends by setting up The Syndicate terrorist network as the next film’s big bad.

Ghost Protocol was directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles). Cruise and Pegg returned from M:I 3 and were joined by newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton.

5. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Christopher McQuarrie took over the franchise’s directorial duties with Rogue Nation and has held onto them since. A frequent collaborator of Tom Cruise’s, McQuarrie has made the two most critically acclaimed M:I movies and two of the three highest-grossing.

Rogue Nation is another globe-trotting spectacle filled with stuntwork and sabotage. This time around, Ethan Hunt faces off against The Syndicate, a shadowy terrorist organization set up at the end of Ghost Protocol.

Joining Cruise, Pegg, Renner, and Rhames in Rogue Nation are Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, and Alec Baldwin.

6. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

The previous new Mission Impossible entry is the franchise’s most critically and commercially successful film. Fallout features healthy servings of M:I’s staple ingredients — government conspiracies, double-crosses, bombastic set-pieces — but as stated in IGN’s review, the main draw is watching “Tom Cruise do his death-defying thing.”

The Syndicate, rebuilt as The Apostles, returns as the antagonist organization in Fallout. Ethan Hunt, accompanied by Henry Cavill’s August Walker, is tasked with recovering three plutonium cores to prevent the detonation of three nuclear bombs.

Cruise, Pegg, Rhames, Monaghan, Ferguson, Baldwin, and Harris all return from the series’ past, while Cavill leads a group of newcomers that includes Angela Bassett, Wes Bentley, and Vanessa Kirby.

7. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

As the newest title in the Mission Impossible series, Dead Reckoning Part 1 brings new stunts, cast members, and all of the action you'd expect. Directed by Christopher McQuerrie and led by the ridiculous stunts of Tom Cruise, it's one of the best movies in the series to date.

The story follows Ethan Hunt and his team embark on a dangerous mission to track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity. Confronted by a mysterious and all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to weigh the importance of his mission over the lives of the people he cares about most.

The new cast members added to Dead Reckoning include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, Indira Varma, Cary Elwes, and Mark Gatiss. You can expect Dead Reckoning Part 2 to arrive sometime in 2024. Box Office: $567,535,383 (Rank: 4/7) | Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% (Rank: 2/7)

Upcoming Mission Impossible Movies

Mission: impossible – dead reckoning part two (2024).

Dead Reckoning Part Two will be a direct sequel to Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s scheduled to be released just shy of a year later on June 28, 2024.

How to Watch the Mission Impossible Movies By Release Date

• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible II (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)*

*Not yet released

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

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The Mission: Impossible Movies In Order And How To Watch Them Streaming

Your (streaming) mission, if you choose to accept it...

It’s hard to think of a better modern action series than what we’ve seen with the Mission: Impossible franchise, one that sees Tom Cruise and company continue to up the ante with each new movie. And with the release of Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , it’s safe to say there are more eyes on spy-action property than ever before. 

Starting with the release of the first set of adventures featuring IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his ragtag group of expert hackers, operatives, and government officials back in 1996 all the way to the most recent entry to the saga, we’ve provided a quick rundown (if you choose to accept it) of how you can go about watching all of the Mission: Impossible movies streaming. From dropping into CIA headquarters in Langley to skydiving through a thunderstorm in Paris , there’s a lot to go over here. 

Mission: Impossible (1996)

When an operation in Prague leads to the death of nearly every member of an Impossible Mission Force team, the only surviving member, Ethan Hunt ( Tom Cruise ), becomes his agency's prime suspect. Brian De Palma’s 1996 spy thriller Mission: Impossible follows as the disavowed agent puts together a team of outcasts to find the person, or persons, responsible for the framing him for a crime he did not commit while also trying to protect the identities of the spies on the compromised disk sought out by the mysterious arms dealer named Max (Vanessa Redgrave) that was at the center of the failed operation. Stream Mission: Impossible on Paramount+. Rent Mission: Impossible on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

When a rogue IMF agent by the name of Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) steals a deadly virus with plans to unleash it into the world before selling the antidote to the highest bidder, Ethan Hunt puts together a team consisting of his old pal Luther Stickell ( Ving Rhames ) and notorious thief Nyah Nordoff-Hall ( Thandiwe Newton ) to stop a global pandemic in the making. Although not as tight of a movie as its predecessor, John Woo’s Mission: Impossible 2 is an action spectacle with some of the most hard-to-believe stunts at the time of its release, and a sign of things to come for Tom Cruise and his desire to one-up himself with each subsequent film, even if the stress gets the best of him . Stream Mission: Impossible 2 on Paramount+. Rent Mission: Impossible 2 on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

Directed by J.J. Abrams , Mission: Impossible III (which celebrated its 15th anniversary in May 2021 ) follows Ethan Hunt as his retirement from field duty is cut short to track down an arms and information broker Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) before he can sell “The Rabbit’s Foot,” a deadly and mysterious object that could potentially kill millions. To make matters worse for Hunt and his team, which includes a returning Luther Stickell and IMF newcomer Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the job becomes personal when Ethan’s fiancée Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan) becomes part of the maniacal Davian’s plan. Stream Mission: Impossible III on Paramount+. Rent Mission: Impossible 3 on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011)

The Mission: Impossible franchise reached new heights with Brad Bird ’s 2011 effort Ghost Protocol . When Ethan Hunt and the rest of his IMF team are framed for a bombing at the Kremlin during one of their investigations, the group of top-notch spies are forced to work on their own (and avoid capture) while pursuing a mysterious figure named “Cobalt” (Michael Nyqvist) before he can use nuclear launch codes to bring chaos and destruction to the world. Filled with one insane stunt after another, the franchise’s fourth installment once again shows just how far Tom Cruise is willing to push himself for the sake of a movie, especially when climbing the Burj Khalifa in the franchise’s best action sequence so far. Stream Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol on Paramount+. Rent Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation (2015)

Directed by franchise newcomer Christopher McQuarrie , the 2015 spy adventure film Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation follows Ethan Hunt and his small team of returning IMF agents are tasked with the impossible: prove the existence of the mysterious organization known as the Syndicate while also stopping the group’s leader before it’s too late. The entire situation is made all the more complicated with the arrival of Ilsa Faust ( Rebecca Ferguson ), an MI6 agent working undercover in the terrorist organization who can’t be entirely trusted by Hunt and his team. The start of the McQuarrie era of the series, Rogue Nation helps establish a new chapter for the popular franchise.

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Stream Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation on Paramount+ Rent Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible — Fallout , the most successful movie in the franchise to-date, according to BoxOfficeMojo , sticks with most of Ethan Hunt’s IMF team from its predecessor (besides the absence of Jeremy Renner ’s William Brandt) as well as concepts and storylines started several years later. Released in the summer of 2018 and once-again directed by Christopher McQuarrie , the sixth film in the series follows Hunt and his team as they attempt to uncover plutonium stolen by former members of the Syndicate hellbent on bringing utter and complete destruction to many of the world’s cultural cornerstones. To make matters worse for Hunt and his team, the operative’s past mistakes and past relationships are used against him as he sets out to complete a mission in one of the best action movies of all time . Stream Mission: Impossible – Fallout on Paramount+. Rent Mission: Impossible — Fallout on Amazon.  

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

In July 2023, the most daring, and possibly most consequential, addition to the franchise was released with the debut of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One . The first chapter in a saga that could very well be the end of the road for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, this epic action film saw the IMF team face off with a cold, calculated, and all-knowing artificial intelligence known as the Entity that has gone rogue.

New and old friends, as well as an assortment of enemies, all come into play in this exciting action movie that deals with everything from power and control to what it means to be family (as well as its price).

Stream Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One on Paramount+. Rent/Buy Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One on Amazon.

Mission: Impossible’s Director Reveals The ‘Unsung Strength Of Tom Cruise’ That Makes These Films Great

Over the course of the past 27 years, Tom Cruise and the rest of the players behind the Mission: Impossible franchise have continued to up the ante in terms of scope, story, and most of all, stunts. If you want to see the series in all its glory in the highest possible definition, there is always the Mission: Impossible 4K 6-movie collection available on Amazon. 

As you can probably tell by now, a Paramount+ subscription is going to be your best bet to watch the Mission: Impossible movies streaming, and the service will undoubtedly be home to Dead Reckoning Part One in the near future. By the time that happens, we’ll probably be getting all geared up for the release of Mission: Impossible 8 in 2025.

Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop barking at the mailman, or chatting about professional wrestling to his wife. Writing gigs with school newspapers, multiple daily newspapers, and other varied job experiences led him to this point where he actually gets to write about movies, shows, wrestling, and documentaries (which is a huge win in his eyes). If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time.

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How to Watch Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Catch up with ethan hunt and imf ahead of dead reckoning part one..

In 1996, 30 years after the Mission: Impossible TV series first aired on CBS, Paramount Pictures recruited Tom Cruise to bring the franchise to the big screen. In the 17 years since, Cruise has led the franchise through six spy films and a $3.5 billion USD box-office haul to rest comfortably among the best action franchises of all time.

With the series’ seventh and eighth movies —  Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Part Two — on the horizon, we've compiled a spoiler-free* list of every Mission Impossible movie ordered by narrative chronology and release date, from oldest to newest, so you can watch or re-watch the movies in their proper order.

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release order

How Many Mission Impossible Movies Are There?

There have been six Mission: Impossible movies released since the series’ inception in 1996. A seventh film will be released this year, followed by an eighth in 2024.

Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Following the Mission Impossible chronology is as easy as watching the movies in the order they were released: the narrative chronology follows the release order from 1996’s Mission Impossible to 2018’s Fallout.

The list below outlines the definitive order in which to watch the Mission Impossible movies. We've added broad plot overviews and information on each movie’s critical and commercial reception.

*The blurbs below contain character/actor names and broad plot overviews.

1. Mission: Impossible (1996)

1996’s Mission: Impossible introduced us to Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, a highly capable agent within the elite Impossible Mission Force (IMF) espionage agency. Hunt, believed to be a mole within the IMF, flees and sets out to discover the traitor’s true identity.

Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, and Henry Czerny star alongside Cruise, as does the series’ most recurring support actor, Ving Rhames (Luther). It’s the only film in the franchise directed by Brian De Palma (Scarface).

2. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Ethan Hunt returned four years later for Mission: Impossible 2 , a sequel that tasks the agent with recovering a dangerous bioweapon and its cure from the hands of a nefarious pharmaceutical company and its lackeys.

The sequel weaves another spy-thriller plot through explosive stuntwork, chase scenes, and the drama of blackmail and stolen identity. It’s the only movie in the series directed by action-film legend John Woo.

3. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Mission: Impossible 3 introduces a love interest for Ethan in Michelle Monaghan’s Julia Meade. The plot sees Julia unwittingly mixed up in Ethan’s espionage work, which once again focuses on the recovery of a bioweapon.

Ving Rhames again reprises his role as Ethan’s trusted colleague Luther. Other cast members include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg, and Laurence Fishburne.

Mission: Impossible III was J.J. Abrams’s feature-film directorial debut. It’s the only movie in the franchise he directed.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

The first of the more-modern Mission Impossible movies, Ghost Protocol was a big success for Paramount, grossing nearly $700 million USD worldwide and earning 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another tale of deception with potentially earth-shattering consequences, Ghost Protocol tasks Ethan and co. with tracking down Russia’s stolen nuclear codes. The movie ends by setting up The Syndicate terrorist network as the next film’s big bad.

Ghost Protocol was directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles). Cruise and Pegg returned from M:I 3 and were joined by newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton.

5. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Christopher McQuarrie took over the franchise’s directorial duties with Rogue Nation and has held onto them since. A frequent collaborator of Tom Cruise’s, McQuarrie has made the two most critically acclaimed M:I movies and two of the three highest-grossing.

Rogue Nation is another globe-trotting spectacle filled with stuntwork and sabotage. This time around, Ethan Hunt faces off against The Syndicate, a shadowy terrorist organization set up at the end of Ghost Protocol.

Joining Cruise, Pegg, Renner, and Rhames in Rogue Nation are Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, and Alec Baldwin.

6. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

The most recent Mission Impossible is the franchise’s most critically and commercially successful film. Fallout features healthy servings of M:I’s staple ingredients — government conspiracies, double-crosses, bombastic set-pieces — but as stated in IGN’s review, the main draw is watching “Tom Cruise do his death-defying thing.”

The Syndicate, rebuilt as The Apostles, returns as the antagonist organization in Fallout. Ethan Hunt, accompanied by Henry Cavill’s August Walker, is tasked with recovering three plutonium cores to prevent the detonation of three nuclear bombs.

Cruise, Pegg, Rhames, Monaghan, Ferguson, Baldwin, and Harris all return from the series’ past, while Cavill leads a group of newcomers that includes Angela Bassett, Wes Bentley, and Vanessa Kirby.

Upcoming Mission Impossible Movies

Mission: impossible – dead reckoning part one (2023).

The first of a two-part blockbuster, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will be released in theaters on July 12, 2023. It’s a sequel to Mission: Impossible – Fallout, maintaining the synchronicity between the series’ narrative and release chronologies. Here’s the official synopsis from Paramount:

In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Dead Reckoning Part Two will be a direct sequel to Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s scheduled to be released just shy of a year later on June 28, 2024.

How to Watch the Mission Impossible Movies By Release Date

• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible II (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)*
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)*

*Not yet released

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

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How to Watch the 'Mission: Impossible' Movies in Order Now That 'Dead Reckoning' Is Out

Unlike some other franchises, the release order is the chronological order.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

"This is far and away the most dangerous thing we've ever attempted," Tom Cruise says as he stands atop a sheer Scandinavian cliff face. "We've been working on this for years. We're going to shoot it in Norway, and it'll be a motorcycle jump off a cliff into a BASE jump. I've wanted to do it since I was a little kid."

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is in theaters now , and if you need to refresh yourself on the franchise before you go see it, now is the time to re-watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order . If you can't keep your Rogue Nations straight from your Ghost Protocols (and can't guess at the order based on the changing lengths of Tom Cruise's hair), bookmark this page, so you'll always have the Mission: Impossible order at the ready.

The good news is that the order of release is also the order of the events within the movie, so you don't have to untangle a thorny timeline: The release order is the chronological order. The better news is that they're easy to find on streaming services. All the previous Mission: Impossible movies are available on Paramount+ , as well as rental service like Prime Video and iTunes.

Once you finish those, you can start your rewatch of all the Indiana Jones , Transformers , Spider-Man and Marvel MCU movies in order, since those franchises all have new movies coming out this year, too.They should hold you until Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two comes out in June 2024.

Mission: Impossible (1996)

There's a mole at the Impossible Mission Force, and Ethan Hunt has to team up with other disavowed IMF agents to keep more of his co-workers from getting killed. This movie is known for its depiction of a break-in scene at the CIA headquarters in Langely — that's the one where Hunt has to dangle from the ceiling without touching the floor — which spawned a thousand homages.

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

Superstar action director John Woo takes up where director Brian De Palma let off. This movie plays like a slick, action-filled gloss on the Alfred Hitchock film Notorious ; Hunt has to recruit a professional thief, played by Thandie Newton, to help extract information from her ex-boyfriend, who has control of a biological weapon.

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Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

After the events of the second film, Hunt gets to settle down with a wife and just live out the rest of his years having a normal life. Well ... until an arms dealer, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, starts going after Hunt's protégés and family, and Hunt has to stop at nothing to bring him down. This one is directed by J.J. Abrams before he jumped to the Star Trek / Star Wars franchises.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles , makes his live-action debut with this one — and basically treats Tom Cruise like an invulnerable Mr. Incredible, making him do everything from climbing the exterior of the Burj Kalifa to fist-fighting in an automated parking garage while cars are being flung at him. At least he has the help of Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), two returning characters who will become the core of his team from this movie on out.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Jack Reacher director Christopher McQuarrie comes in for the fifth film in the franchise, and he's the one who will see it through from here to the end of Dead Reckoning Part Two . McQuarrie, like the rest of the series, is known for intricate, high-suspense sequences, like the one in this film that has Hunt and his team squaring off with former MI6 agent Ilsa Faust — quietly — behind-the-scenes at the Vienna opera.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

The previous Mission: Impossible film sets the series up for a one-two punch of an ending. The bad guys that the IMF has been outfoxing for the past two films have become a terrorist organization known as the Apostles, and Hunt's team needs to recover the plutonium they've acquired.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One finds Ethan Hunt doing what he does best — jumping off of cliffs, fighting on top of trains, doing some high-performance driving on tiny European streets — all in the name of fighting an enemy called The Entity. The regular cast is joined by new members like Hayley Atwell (of Agent Carter fame) and Pom Klementieff (aka Mantis in The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ) and Shea Whigham (of the Fast and Furious movies).

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Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

And then, after Dead Reckoning Part Two , we'll say goodbye to Ethan Hunt forever. This one is set for June 28, 2024 (assuming it won't be delayed due to the Hollywood strikes). Will Hunt finally get to settle down with a family? Will a bad guy actually get the better of him? Will he drive his motorcycle off into the sunset, or off a cliff without a soft place to land? Only time will tell.

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} The Best Movies to Watch

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How to Watch All 7 ‘Mission Impossible’ Movies In Order

Where to stream:.

• Mission: Impossible

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Stream it or skip it: ‘the accountant’ on netflix, with ben affleck doing math and murder, ‘road house’ director doug liman’s studio star vehicles are always refreshingly uneven, unpredictable, and weirdly alive, in the ‘road house’ remake, jake gyllenhaal is still desperate to play the tough guy.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch all of the Mission: Impossible movies in order before Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opens in theaters. Unfortunately, that gives you (checks calendar) one day to watch the entirety of the franchise. Fortunately, Decider is more than happy to help you achieve this particular impossible mission. Cue the iconic theme song!

Of course, true Mission: Impossible fans know that it all started with the ’60s TV show created by Bruce Geller, but the franchise didn’t become the mega-hit we all know and love until star Tom Cruise suspended himself from the ceiling in 1996. That first Mission: Impossible movie, directed by Brian de Palma, was a major success, and the rest is history.

Now, over twenty years and billions of dollars in profits later, Cruise is once again stepping into the shoes of agent Ethan Hunt. This time around, Ethan and his team are facing off against a mysterious, all-powerful enemy known as “the Entity.” Ominous!

Hollywood has Mission: Impossible fever this week, and we know you do, too. Here’s how to catch up on the franchise.

How many Mission Impossible movies are there?

There are currently seven Mission: Impossible movies, including the one opening in theaters this weekend. However, as the title of the newest film suggests— Dead Reckoning Part One —there is at least one more movie in the bank.

Here’s a list of all the Mission: Impossible movies, including the upcoming eighth movie, in order:

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Mission: impossible 2 (2000), mission: impossible iii (2006), mission: impossible – ghost protocol (2011), mission: impossible – rogue nation (2015).

• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Do you have to watch the Mission Impossible movies in order?

If you want to skip around while watching the Mission: Impossible movies, that’s perfectly fine. With the exception of this upcoming two-parter, each movie comes with a new mission for Tom Cruise, and each movie is self-contained and self-explanatory enough that you will be able to follow it. It’s all about the individual missions, baby! We’re sure you won’t be too confused.

That said, if you are planning to watch every film, you might as well go in chronological order.

How to watch the Mission Impossible movies in order by release date:

The best way to watch the Mission: Impossible movies are in the order they were released. All of the movies are available on Paramount+ , which is the streaming service for ViacomCBS and features content from CBS All Access, CBS, Showtime, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Pluto TV, and more company brands. Subscribers in the U.S. can get a  premium plan for $9.99/month , or an  ad-supported plan for $5.99/month .

Scroll down to find out where to watch every Mission: Impossible movie on streaming.

It’s the movie that started it all, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Brian De Palma. If you only watch one Mission Impossible movie before the new one in theaters, you should probably make it this one. Nothing beats the OG! (Well, nothing beats the OG, which is technically a spin-off continuation of the ’60s TV series and ’80s sequel series of the same name. Whatever!)

Director John Woo took over for the second Mission: Impossible movie, which hit theaters four years after the first film was a box office success. Critics didn’t love the sequel, but audiences sure did. Mission: Impossible 2 was the highest-grossest film of the year 2000.

Who knew that J.J. Abrams directed a Mission: Impossible movie? Well, you do, now that you’ve bothered to read this little blurb! The Star Trek and Star Wars director took on the third film in the Impossible franchise, and Abrams’s take on the film was much more well-received by critics than the second movie.

The fourth Mission: Impossible movie is the first film in the franchise to bring on Christopher McQuarrie, who handled re-writes for Ghost Protocol and would go on to direct the next four Impossible films. The film was directed by Brad Bird, and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. If you’re only interested in the McQuarrie era of the franchise, you can start here.

The fifth film in the franchise is where Christopher McQuarrie (also known for his Oscar-winning screenplay for The Usual Suspects) truly took over. He is credited both as the director and the writer of Rogue Nation , and his take on the franchise was once again well-received by audiences and critics.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout  (2018)

In the most recent Mission: Impossible movie, before the current one in theaters, Agent Ethan Hunt and his team take on the terrorist group previously known as the Syndicate, now known as the Apostles. Written and directed by McQuarrie, it’s also the first film to feature Henry Cavill as a trained assassin.

Right now, you can only watch Mission Impossible 7 in theaters. It’s not streaming anywhere, yet, and we don’t want to give too much away, because it’s about to open in theaters this weekend! You can buy tickets to a showing near you via Fandango . That said, you can expect Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One to stream on Paramount+ later this year.

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The Correct Order To Watch The Mission: Impossible Franchise

There aren't many film franchises nowadays that are more well-known or beloved than "Mission: Impossible." The Tom Cruise-led film series, which is based on the 1966 TV show of the same name, is on the verge of releasing not only its seventh installment but also its eighth. That'd be seen as an undeniable achievement for any film franchise, but seems like a particularly special one when it comes to "Mission: Impossible," which released its first installment all the way back in 1996.

Over the years, directors like Brian De Palma, Brad Bird, and Christopher McQuarrie have all brought their own perspectives to the "Mission: Impossible" series. In addition to Cruise, who has led every "Mission: Impossible" movie to date, the franchise has also gradually built an impressive rotating cast of supporting players. However, while that means the "Mission: Impossible" franchise has the ability to assemble a new ensemble for each of its installments, the ever-changing nature of the series' cast can also make it difficult for new viewers to fully get their heads around the ongoing story and adventures of Cruise's Ethan Hunt.

With that in mind, here's the correct order in which viewers should watch the "Mission: Impossible" movies .

Mission: Impossible (1996)

It all began back in 1996. That's the year "Mission: Impossible," the Brian De Palma-directed, loose continuation of Bruce Geller's iconic TV series, was released in theaters. The beloved thriller also marks Tom Cruise's screen debut as Ethan Hunt, the Impossible Mission Force agent that he has gone on to play an additional five times to date.

While the "Mission: Impossible" film franchise has evolved quite a bit in the years since its 1996 debut installment was released, De Palma's big-screen thriller set the tone and laid the groundwork for everything that has come after it. Based on a script written by David Koepp and Robert Towne, the film follows Cruise's Ethan Hunt as he is forced to uncover the identity of the secret double agent working within the very organization he's dedicated his life to supporting.

With De Palma at the helm, "Mission: Impossible" makes a lasting impact as a pulse-pounding spy thriller that features more than its fair share of now-iconic set pieces. That includes a covert infiltration of CIA headquarters, which remains one of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise's most memorable action sequences. For that reason and more, this 1996 thriller remains a strong entry point into the "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

Coming four years after the release of its predecessor, 2000's "Mission: Impossible 2" takes place after the events of 1996's "Mission: Impossible." Unlike the latter film, though, "Mission: Impossible 2" was not directed by Brian De Palma, but by acclaimed Hong Kong action filmmaker John Woo. The film, consequently, not only looks and feels different than the "Mission: Impossible" franchise's first installment, but it also moves at a far different rhythm and pace.

Starring "Westworld" alum Thandiwe Newton, the 2000 film follows Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt as he teams up with a professional thief (played by Newton) in order to locate and destroy a dangerous, genetically modified disease. The disease in question just so happens to be in the possession of a former Impossible Mission Force agent (played by Dougray Scott) that Newton's thief once dated.

The "Mission: Impossible" films that have followed this Woo-directed entry have referenced it a surprisingly small number of times, and it remains one of the franchise's lesser-beloved movies. However, it deserves to be seen not only for its handful of truly memorable action sequences but also so that the full breadth of Ethan Hunt's espionage adventures isn't ever lost on "Mission: Impossible" viewers.

Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

This 2006 installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise is narratively one of the series' most important. Picking up years after the events of its 2000 predecessor, "Mission: Impossible III" finds Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt living a happy life in the suburbs with his fiancée, Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan). Ethan is pulled back into active spy duty, however, when he's asked to rescue a former protégé. That mission sets off a series of events that force Ethan into a head-to-head battle with Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a dangerous arms dealer.

As is usually the case with the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, this J.J. Abrams-directed blockbuster is a thrilling piece of spy-centric entertainment. Beyond that, the film introduces several characters and storylines, including Ethan's relationship with Julia, that have since been referenced and revisited multiple times in the "Mission: Impossible" movies that have followed it. In other words, of all of the franchise's early films, "Mission: Impossible III" is undoubtedly the one that's worth watching before moving on to any of the series' subsequent installments.

Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011)

Following the release of "Mission: Impossible III," the "Mission: Impossible" franchise took a five-year break. The series made an impactful return, however, when "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" was released in theaters in December 2011. Directed by "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille" filmmaker Brad Bird, "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" picks up several years after "Mission: Impossible III" and finds Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt actively working again as a field agent for the Impossible Mission Force.

After Ethan fails to prevent a dangerous attack overseas, the film follows him and the members of his latest team as they are forced to go without their usual resources or governmental support on a mission to both save the world and rescue the IMF's oft-maligned reputation. Outside of its thrilling plot, "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" is likely best known for its centerpiece action sequence, which follows Cruise's Ethan as he literally scales the outside of the world's tallest building , the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The sequence in question, notably, marks the beginning of a new era for the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, one in which the series' installments are more often remembered for their jaw-dropping practical stunts than they are for their plots or characters. That fact alone makes it one of the more important entries in the ongoing "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation (2015)

Unlike "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol," which directly references the events of its predecessor, 2015's "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation" functions as one of its franchise's more standalone entries. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation" opens with an awe-inspiring sequence in which Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is forced to hold onto the outside of a cargo plane as it takes off into the air. From there, the film ultimately follows him on yet another twisty, complicated spy adventure.

Outside of its memorable stunt sequences, "Rogue Nation" is perhaps most well-known for introducing not only Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), who ranks as one of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise's most noteworthy villains, but also Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), the MI6 agent who quickly became one of the series' biggest, fan-favorite characters. Additionally, while "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation" bears very few major connections to the films that have come before it, the film's story does directly lead into the plot and events of 2018's "Mission: Impossible — Fallout."

That, in other words, makes this 2015 outing yet another "Mission: Impossible" film that must be watched before its sequel in order for any possible confusion to be avoided.

Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" picks up shortly after the events of "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation" and follows Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt as he is forced to break his most recent foe, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), out of his prison in order to track down three plutonium cores that have fallen into the wrong hands.

Along the way, Ethan teams up with August Walker (Henry Cavill), a formidable CIA assassin, and finds himself coming face-to-face again with figures from his past, like Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) and his former fiancée, Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan). "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" also, notably, features some of its franchise's biggest action sequences to date, including a high-octane chase through the streets of Paris, a death-defying helicopter chase, and a practical high altitude—low opening (HALO) jump out of a cargo plane.

In addition to its impactful stunts and character reunions, "Fallout" also happens to be the most recent "Mission: Impossible" film to date, which means it's the latest chapter in the series' ongoing story. In other words, once first-time viewers watch this 2018 thriller, all they'll have left to do is go back and rewatch the "Mission: Impossible" franchise's past installments while they wait for its next entries to be released.

How to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order online before Dead Reckoning Part 1

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to watch all of the Mission: Impossible movies

It's never a bad time to watch the Mission: Impossible movies online. The seventh film, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One , is due in theaters on July 12th, but don't think this is the beginning of the end for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt. 

Dead Reckoning is seemingly going to tie-up some loose threads, though, as agent Hunt encounters a familiar face in Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny). Kittridge appears to be on the wrong side (i.e. not Hunt's) of morality this time, and we're curious what he's been up to since Ethan kept evading him earlier in this series.

The good news is that anyone with a Paramount Plus  subscription, at least for the moment, will be able to watch Hunt's adventures — at least right now. Those who want to own them outright have other options, including buying the six currently-released movies on 4K Blu-rays from Amazon .

How to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order

How to watch mission: impossible online.

Impossible Mission Force (IMF) team member Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is the sole survivor of a mission in Prague where the CIA NOC list, which has the names and identities of every agent, is stolen. IMF director Eugene Kittridge (Czerny) believes Hunt is a mole responsible for the failed mission, pushing Hunt to (memorably) blow up the restaurant they're in with chewing gum, and escape to prove his innocence.

Mission: Impossible was the reboot that jump-started the series, and is most memorable for the vault heist scene where Cruise is suspended in the air on cables. Its plot may be a bit convoluted, but its action is solid.

Director: Brian De Palma Stars: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Henry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave, Jean Reno Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

How to watch Mission: Impossible 2 online

Ethan Hunt is back in action in Mission: Impossible 2, starting with a shot where he was hanging from the side of the Grand Canyon. Because, you know, Tom Cruise is always going to Tom Cruise. This chapter of the M:I series is all about a plot to threaten the world with a biological weapon known as the Chimera virus, and how IMF agent Sean Ambrose (Scott) has gone rogue and has its cure.

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Not exactly anybody's favorite chapter of the Mission: Impossible series, as it spends a lot of time on a potential romance between Hunt and Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Newton), Ambrose's ex who becomes wrapped up in the Chimera chaos. Still, M:I 2 offers thrilling action ... and that odd take on the Mission: Impossible theme song from Limp Bizkit.

Director: John Woo Stars: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandiwe Newton, Richard Roxburgh, John Polson, Brendan Gleeson, Rade Sherbedgia, Ving Rhames Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

How to watch Mission: Impossible III online

The current 'era' of Mission: Impossible movies truly kicked off in its third edition, as that's when we finally met Benji (Pegg), who helped complete the team of Hunt (Cruise) and Luther (Rhames). It begins with a standard action trope: Ethan's pulled himself out of the IMF work, and lives a normal life with Julia (Monaghan), a nurse. 

Unfortunately, Hunt's forced back into action when one of his trainees (Russell) is held captive. This begins Ethan's dance with the big question of "can I live outside of the action?" All while he has to stop the maniacal arms dealer (Hoffman).

Director: J.J. Abrams Stars: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Billy Crudup, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg, Laurence Fishburne Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

How to watch Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol online

If you thought Tom Cruise had been doing wild stunts in the previous Mission: Impossible movies, you were probably shocked by 'Ghost Protocol.' The fourth chapter sees Hunt scale the side of the massive Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai, among other major moments. 

One of the more critically-respected Mission: Impossible movies, Ghost Protocol impressed with its fantastic set-piece action scenes. It also recognized the need to scale back the drama surrounding Hunt's personal life.

Director: Brad Bird Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Léa Seydoux, Josh Holloway Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

How to watch Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation online

The third and current era of Mission: Impossible movies, those from writer/director Christopher McQuarrie kicked off with Rogue Nation. Here, Hunt is a man without a home team, as an attack from Ghost Protocol leads the government to shut the IGM down and jam it into the CIA. This chapter also introduces the treacherous Syndicate organization, teased at the end of the previous film.

Rogue Nation may have earned slightly less at the box office than Ghost Protocol did, but critics loved it even more. The action got better, and it's said that McQuarrie understood how to draw the best elements of past Mission: Impossible chapters into his own.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

How to watch Mission: Impossible — Fallout online

Possibly best remembered for a kinetic fight scene in a bathroom between Hunt and Special Activities Division agent August Walker (Henry Cavill), 'Fallout' is yours truly's favorite chapter since the first. Here, Ethan is up against the former Syndicate agents calling themselves the 'Apostles' who have stolen plutonium cores for use in nuclear bombs. 

Fallout is one of Cruise's statement films, where he basically told the world he'll be the action hero that's arguably dying out in this age of too-much-CGI and superhero movies.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie Stars: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin Watch on Paramount Plus Buy or rent digitally on Amazon

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Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.

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How to Watch the ‘Mission: Impossible’ Movies in Order

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch a bunch of movies

Since 1996, Tom Cruise has been the heart of the “Mission: Impossible” film series, thrilling audiences as Ethan Hunt, the IMF (that stands for Impossible Mission Force, don’t-cha-know) agent constantly plunged into increasingly dangerous scenarios. And he’s not about to stop anytime soon – “ Mission: Impossible, Dead Reckoning, Part One ,” the seventh film in the franchise, is due out this July, while “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two” will be unleashed next June.

If, somehow, you’ve never seen any of the “Mission: Impossible” movies, they began in 1996 with the Brian De Palma-directed original, an adaptation of the popular, Bruce Geller-created spy series that ran from 1966 to 1973 for 172 episodes and was revived briefly in the late 1980s (that version only ran for two seasons and 35 episodes). Many of the hallmarks of the television series made it into the movie – the mission briefing that would “self-destruct” at the end of the message, the idea of a team of highly trained specialists, characters like Jim Phelps (played by Jon Voight in the movie and Peter Graves in the original series) – but updated for modern, ‘90s audiences.

From there the franchise got a reputation for being director-driven, with each subsequent installment (up until the fifth film) being helmed by a different director. John Woo brought his Hong Kong bullet ballet aesthetic (and heightened emotional tenor) to “Mission: Impossible 2”; J.J. Abrams made his feature debut with the more grounded and human “Mission: Impossible III”; Brad Bird brought a playfulness and sense of fun to “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”; and Christopher McQuarrie turned “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” into an elevated thriller that bordered on the Hitchcockian, while his followup “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” became even grander, more thrilling and more emotionally resonant. From inauspicious beginnings, “Mission: Impossible” has grown into one of the most exciting (and artistically ambitious) franchises in Hollywood history, with no signs of slowing down.

While each entry has its own cast of characters, there have been a few stalwarts that have become series regulars, including Ving Rhames (who has appeared in every entry since the first), Simon Pegg (a regular from “Mission: Impossible III” on), Rebecca Ferguson (around since “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) and folks like Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom were introduced in “Fallout” and are expected to return for the two new movies ( among many others ).

With six films in total (now) and eight by the end of 2024, and with only the first three movies assigned helpful numerical values, we will help keep things straight with this handy list (which will, of course, self-destruct five seconds after you finish reading).

How to Watch the “Mission: Impossible” Movies in Chronological Order:

The chronological events of the “Mission: Impossible” movies follow the order in which they were released, meaning no backtracking is needed for prequels or sidestepping for spinoffs.

• “Mission: Impossible” (1996)

• “Mission: Impossible 2” (2000)

• “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)

• “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011)

• “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015)

• “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)

• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One” (2023)

• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two” (2024)

Do you have to watch the “Mission: Impossible” movies in order?

While there might be some that would suggest that you can watch them in any order, this isn’t exactly true. Each installment builds to the next in interesting and unexpected ways, with “Fallout” and the two new movies feeling like they are the culmination of everything that came before. Even “Mission: Impossible 2,” arguably the most disposable entry in the franchise, has paid off in some fun ways, particularly during the climax of “Fallout” (no spoilers here).

With “Mission: Impossible III” you do feel that the series is gelling in a way that would continue throughout the franchise, with Abrams taking an active role as producer on “Ghost Protocol” and “Rogue Nation” and his production company Bad Robot sticking around for “Fallout.” (The next two movies are the first Bad Robot-free productions since “Mission: Impossible 2.”) Still, we think that every entry is necessary. They’re all a lot of fun. Why would you want to skip any?

Just watch them in the order they were released. You will be rewarded for the journey.

Where are the “Mission: Impossible” movies streaming?

You can watch all the “Mission: Impossible” movies, along with the 1966 TV series, on Paramount+ (though some of the films are currently only available through Paramount+ with Showtime).

You can also stream “Mission: Impossible,” “Mission: Impossible II,” “Mission: Impossible III,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” on FuboTV.

Paramount+ will also be the streaming destination for the two upcoming new movies after their respective theatrical runs.

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Mission Impossible: Movies, TV Shows In Chronological Timeline Order

These are the movies and TV Shows from Mission Impossible in Chronological Timeline Order.

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)

TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Crime

An elite covert operations unit carries out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure, death or capture.

Stars: Peter Graves , Barbara Bain , Greg Morris , Peter Lupus

Votes: 11,451

Year: 1966-1973 (Season 1-7)

2. Mission: Impossible (1988–1990)

TV-PG | 47 min | Action, Adventure, Crime

Stars: Peter Graves , Thaao Penghlis , Antony Hamilton , Phil Morris

Votes: 4,289

Year: 1988-1990 (Season 1-2)

3. Mission: Impossible (1996)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jon Voight , Emmanuelle Béart , Henry Czerny

Votes: 469,726 | Gross: $180.98M

4. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera".

Director: John Woo | Stars: Tom Cruise , Dougray Scott , Thandiwe Newton , Ving Rhames

Votes: 377,297 | Gross: $215.41M

Year: March, 2000 (4-years after the events of the first movie)

5. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.

Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Tom Cruise , Michelle Monaghan , Ving Rhames , Philip Seymour Hoffman

Votes: 390,327 | Gross: $134.03M

Year: 2006 (6-years after the events of the sequel)

6. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg , Paula Patton

Votes: 527,984 | Gross: $209.40M

Year: 2011 (5-years after the third movie)

7. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Rebecca Ferguson , Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg

Votes: 410,461 | Gross: $195.04M

Year: 2015 (4-years after the events of Ghost Protocol)

8. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

PG-13 | 147 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Henry Cavill , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg

Votes: 377,634 | Gross: $220.16M

Year: 2018 (3-years after the events of Rogue Nation)

9. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

PG-13 | 163 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Hayley Atwell , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg

Votes: 245,316 | Gross: $172.14M

Year: 2023 (5-years after the events of Fallout)

10. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two (2025)

Action, Adventure, Thriller | Post-production

The 8th entry in the long running Mission Impossible franchise.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Vanessa Kirby , Hannah Waddingham , Hayley Atwell

Year: 2024 (a couple of months to a year after the events of Part One)

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Mission: Impossible - How to watch Tom Cruise's action franchise (and the hidden prequels) in chronological or release order

With Mission: Impossible ruling the cinemas this summer, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to revisit the franchise in full. Here’s how.

Tom Cruise is the face of the consistent, longest-running franchise with his Mission: Impossible series. As we prep for its return in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, we're going back in time to the beginning - of the movie franchise, and also the TV shows that came before, to give you a guide to how to watch the whole thing.

And yes, the Mission: IMpossible TV shows are indeed in continuity with the movies.

What is Mission: Impossible?

Fortunately, Popverse is here to help, presenting the entire Mission: Impossible watch order in both chronological and release order for those looking to dive headfirst into the franchise.

From the obscure ‘60s compilation film to the surprising connection between the films and the television series that preceded them, there is a ton of Mission: Impossible history to explore and enjoy. Here’s how the Mission: Impossible saga unfolds, the links between the various projects, and what to expect next from the iconic high-octane franchise.

Mission: Impossible in chronological order

Get ready - there's more than just the Tom Cruise movies (and there's a lot of them).

• Mission: Impossible (1966-1973)
• Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob (1967)
• Mission: Impossible (1988-1990)
• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
• Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Mission: Impossible in release order

And here is the Mission: Impossible TV shows and movies, in release order.

• Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob (1969)

Where can I stream the Mission: Impossible movies and TV shows?

The streaming platform with the most Mission: Impossible content is Paramount+ , boasting all six theatrical films and all seven seasons of the ‘60s television series, which ran for 171 episodes in all. With Paramount Pictures as the principal studio behind the franchise, it has taken full advantage of this synergy to position itself as the ultimate streaming source for virtually all things Mission: Impossible.

The first four movies, 1996’s Mission: Impossible through Ghost Protocol, are currently available to stream free with ads on Pluto TV for those comfortable with awkwardly timed commercial breaks throughout a stream. The online cable alternative fuboTV currently has Rogue Nation and Fallout available on its platform. Though the service does carry a $74.99 monthly subscription fee, it also offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers curious about the platform or just looking for an easy and relatively cost-effective way to get caught up on the two most recent movies.

All the films and ‘60s television series are available to rent or purchase on digital platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and VUDU. Additionally, physical home video releases for the movies and television shows are available through various retailers for those not looking to be chronically online with their enjoyment of the franchise. The physical home media route is the only way to legally view the ‘80s Mission: Impossible television series, as it is currently not available to stream on any platforms and similarly unavailable for purchase or rent digitally through online retailers. The ‘80s series comes bundled with its two seasons together on DVD, the most advanced physical home video format available, containing all 38 episodes.

The only bit of Mission: Impossible media currently unavailable to legally stream or purchase in North America is the 1969 compilation film Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob. The movie edited a two-part story, “The Council,” from the show’s second season into a feature-length film for theatrical release in foreign markets. Both individual episodes are still available to stream or purchase along with the rest of the season on its usual platforms.

Wait, how are the Mission: Impossible TV shows connected to the movies?

Unlike many movie adaptations of popular TV shows, Mission: Impossible shares a clear continuity between the two, with the films functioning as something of a sequel to both television series preceding them. Appropriate for its era, the ‘60s Mission: Impossible series is framed against the backdrop of the Cold War and other contemporary geopolitical crises, both domestic and abroad as IMF is led by its director Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves. Phelps is preceded in the show’s first season by Director Dan Briggs, who is absent, moving forward, without explanation as the series continues.

Graves reprises his role as Phelps in ‘80s revival series , with Phelps coming out of retirement after his IMF Director replacement Tom Copperfield is killed in the line of duty in the series premiere. Running for two seasons, the ‘80s Mission: Impossible series features the usual high stakes, including the first time the American government is forced to disavow an IMF operative on-screen when series regular Casey Randall is killed on a mission in the first season.

The 1996 Mission: Impossible movie recasts the role of Jim Phelps with Jon Voight, the sole character from either television series appearing in the films. Disenfranchised by the end of the Cold War and resulting changes to American intelligence operations, Phelps fakes his death and orchestrates the massacre of his main IMF team on a routine mission in Prague. Phelps and his wife Claire attempt to sell the identities of undercover CIA agents to a European arms dealer only to be stopped and killed by the IMF team’s sole surviving member Ethan Hunt. Subsequent films focus solely on the cinematic adventures of Ethan, omitting any direct references to the television series.

The decision to have Jim Phelps betray his country and the IMF is one that was received with some degree of controversy upon the 1996 movie’s release. Greg Morris, who played IMF mainstay Barney Collier on both television series, reportedly walked out of a screening of the film, disgusted by its handling of the source material. For his part, Graves claims he wasn't offered the opportunity to reprise his role as Phelps for the movie and was ultimaticaly displeased with its villainous depiction of Phelps rather than simply creating a new character to serve as the movie’s traitorous antagonist instead.

What are the next Mission: Impossible projects?

As its title suggests, Dead Reckoning is the first installment of a two-part story, with Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part Two scheduled to be released in theaters worldwide on June 28, 2024. Part Two is expected to retain much of the main cast from its predecessor and is reportedly designed to serve as a send-off for Ethan Hunt without elaborating on the specifics at that time. However, while promoting Dead Reckoning Part One at its world premiere in Rome, filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie claimed that Dead Reckoning Part Two is not intended to definitively conclude the overall franchise and is already developing ideas for its potential future.

Mission: Impossible leans into the most ambitious practical effects and stunt work in big budget Hollywood filmmaking, making star Tom Cruise the most ubiquitous action hero in the world. Whether on television or on film, Mission: Impossible provides premier action adventure and has so for generations, earning it legions of loyal fans. With Dead Reckoning Part Two and more possible projects on the way, Geller’s most enduring creation has plenty of gas left in the tank as it rockets to new cinematic heights with every action-packed installment.

The M:I series shows no signs of stopping, as Tom Cruise says he'll keep making Mission: Impossible movies until he's 80 .

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Where to Watch Every Mission: Impossible Movie In Order

Keith Langston

Official JustWatch writer

Next year audiences will get to see the next installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which is scheduled for a summer 2025 release. If you want to watch (or re-watch) the previous movies before then, check out our guide revealing where to stream every Mission: Impossible film in order.

The Mission: Impossible series is actually one of the longest-running action franchises in cinema history, going on almost 30 years since the original movie premiered in 1996. Centered around a team of elite spies, Mission: Impossible grossed over $180 million at the box office, becoming a bonafide hit…that’s only gotten bigger as the years have gone on.

To date, there have been seven Mission: Impossible films, with the highest-grossing being 2018’s Mission: Impossible - Fallout which earned a whopping $791 million globally. Tom Cruise has led every film and the franchise has also accumulated some other recurring characters, including ones played by Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames. Other famous faces who have held roles throughout the series include Thandiwe Newton, Henry Cavill, and Angela Bassett, among others.

While each film is different and has its own plot (and largely its own unique ensemble cast), every entry in the series is filled with action, espionage, and secrets. The most recent movie in the franchise, Dead Reckoning Part 1 , focuses on an AI entity that’s gained sentience, granting whichever governmental power owns it total control of the world. As a global chase begins by the world’s most powerful nations, it’s up to IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

The story will pick up with Dead Reckoning Part 2 next year, with many fans eager to see how the story concludes. If you want to catch up on the series before then, check out our guide below to find out where you can stream all seven Mission: Impossible movies.

Mission: Impossible

When Ethan Hunt, the leader of a crack espionage team whose perilous operation has gone awry with no explanation, discovers that a mole has penetrated the CIA, he's surprised to learn that he's the No. 1 suspect. To clear his name, Hunt now must ferret out the real double agent and, in the process, even the score.

Mission: Impossible II

With computer genius Luther Stickell at his side and a beautiful thief on his mind, agent Ethan Hunt races across Australia and Spain to stop a former IMF agent from unleashing a genetically engineered biological weapon called Chimera. This mission, should Hunt choose to accept it, plunges him into the center of an international crisis of terrifying magnitude.

Mission: Impossible III

Retired from active duty, and training recruits for the Impossible Mission Force, agent Ethan Hunt faces the toughest foe of his career: Owen Davian, an international broker of arms and information, who is as cunning as he is ruthless. Davian emerges to threaten Hunt and all that he holds dear -- including the woman Hunt loves.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Ethan Hunt and his team are racing against time to track down a dangerous terrorist named Hendricks, who has gained access to Russian nuclear launch codes and is planning a strike on the United States. An attempt to stop him ends in an explosion causing severe destruction to the Kremlin and the IMF to be implicated in the bombing, forcing the President to disavow them. No longer being aided by the government, Ethan and his team chase Hendricks around the globe, although they might still be too late to stop a disaster.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet—eradicating 'The Syndicate', an International and highly-skilled rogue organization committed to destroying the IMF.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

When an IMF mission ends badly, the world is faced with dire consequences. As Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfill his original briefing, the CIA begin to question his loyalty and his motives. The IMF team find themselves in a race against time, hunted by assassins while trying to prevent a global catastrophe.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the world's fate at stake and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan must consider that nothing can matter more than his mission—not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Mission: Impossible 8

The eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise.

How to Watch Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Catch up with ethan hunt and imf ahead of dead reckoning part two..

In 1996, 30 years after the Mission: Impossible TV series first aired on CBS, Paramount Pictures recruited Tom Cruise to bring the franchise to the big screen. In the 27 years since, Cruise has led the franchise through seven spy films (soon to be eight) and a $4 billion USD box-office haul to rest comfortably among the best action franchises of all time.

Following the thrilling release of this year's Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One - and the highly-anticipated release of its direct sequel Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two next year - we've compiled a spoiler-free* list of every Mission Impossible movie ordered by narrative chronology and release date, from oldest to newest, so you can watch or re-watch the movies in their proper order.

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release order

How Many Mission Impossible Movies Are There?

There have been seven Mission: Impossible movies released since the series’ inception in 1996. An eighth is set to release next year on June 28 as well. See our guide on where to watch all Mission Impossible movies for streaming info on every film.

Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order

Following the Mission Impossible chronology is as easy as watching the movies in the order they were released: the narrative chronology follows the release order from 1996’s Mission Impossible to 2018’s Fallout.

The list below outlines the definitive order in which to watch the Mission Impossible movies. We've added broad plot overviews and information on each movie’s critical and commercial reception.

*The blurbs below contain character/actor names and broad plot overviews.

1. Mission: Impossible (1996)

1996’s Mission: Impossible introduced us to Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, a highly capable agent within the elite Impossible Mission Force (IMF) espionage agency. Hunt, believed to be a mole within the IMF, flees and sets out to discover the traitor’s true identity.

Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, and Henry Czerny star alongside Cruise, as does the series’ most recurring support actor, Ving Rhames (Luther). It’s the only film in the franchise directed by Brian De Palma (Scarface).

2. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Ethan Hunt returned four years later for Mission: Impossible 2 , a sequel that tasks the agent with recovering a dangerous bioweapon and its cure from the hands of a nefarious pharmaceutical company and its lackeys.

The sequel weaves another spy-thriller plot through explosive stuntwork, chase scenes, and the drama of blackmail and stolen identity. It’s the only movie in the series directed by action-film legend John Woo.

3. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Mission: Impossible 3 introduces a love interest for Ethan in Michelle Monaghan’s Julia Meade. The plot sees Julia unwittingly mixed up in Ethan’s espionage work, which once again focuses on the recovery of a bioweapon.

Ving Rhames again reprises his role as Ethan’s trusted colleague Luther. Other cast members include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg, and Laurence Fishburne.

Mission: Impossible III was J.J. Abrams’s feature-film directorial debut. It’s the only movie in the franchise he directed.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

The first of the more-modern Mission Impossible movies, Ghost Protocol was a big success for Paramount, grossing nearly $700 million USD worldwide and earning 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another tale of deception with potentially earth-shattering consequences, Ghost Protocol tasks Ethan and co. with tracking down Russia’s stolen nuclear codes. The movie ends by setting up The Syndicate terrorist network as the next film’s big bad.

Ghost Protocol was directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles). Cruise and Pegg returned from M:I 3 and were joined by newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton.

5. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Christopher McQuarrie took over the franchise’s directorial duties with Rogue Nation and has held onto them since. A frequent collaborator of Tom Cruise’s, McQuarrie has made the two most critically acclaimed M:I movies and two of the three highest-grossing.

Rogue Nation is another globe-trotting spectacle filled with stuntwork and sabotage. This time around, Ethan Hunt faces off against The Syndicate, a shadowy terrorist organization set up at the end of Ghost Protocol.

Joining Cruise, Pegg, Renner, and Rhames in Rogue Nation are Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, and Alec Baldwin.

6. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

The previous new Mission Impossible entry is the franchise’s most critically and commercially successful film. Fallout features healthy servings of M:I’s staple ingredients — government conspiracies, double-crosses, bombastic set-pieces — but as stated in IGN’s review, the main draw is watching “Tom Cruise do his death-defying thing.”

The Syndicate, rebuilt as The Apostles, returns as the antagonist organization in Fallout. Ethan Hunt, accompanied by Henry Cavill’s August Walker, is tasked with recovering three plutonium cores to prevent the detonation of three nuclear bombs.

Cruise, Pegg, Rhames, Monaghan, Ferguson, Baldwin, and Harris all return from the series’ past, while Cavill leads a group of newcomers that includes Angela Bassett, Wes Bentley, and Vanessa Kirby.

7. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

As the newest title in the Mission Impossible series, Dead Reckoning Part 1 brings new stunts, cast members, and all of the action you'd expect. Directed by Christopher McQuerrie and led by the ridiculous stunts of Tom Cruise, it's one of the best movies in the series to date.

The story follows Ethan Hunt and his team embark on a dangerous mission to track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity. Confronted by a mysterious and all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to weigh the importance of his mission over the lives of the people he cares about most.

The new cast members added to Dead Reckoning include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, Indira Varma, Cary Elwes, and Mark Gatiss. You can expect Dead Reckoning Part 2 to arrive sometime in 2024. Box Office: $567,535,383 (Rank: 4/7) | Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% (Rank: 2/7)

Upcoming Mission Impossible Movies

Mission: impossible – dead reckoning part two (2024).

Dead Reckoning Part Two will be a direct sequel to Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s scheduled to be released just shy of a year later on June 28, 2024.

How to Watch the Mission Impossible Movies By Release Date

• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible II (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)*

*Not yet released

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

mission-impossible

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How to Watch the ‘Mission: Impossible’ Movies in Order

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Since 1996, Tom Cruise has been the heart of the “ Mission: Impossible ” film series, thrilling audiences as Ethan Hunt, the IMF (that stands for Impossible Mission Force, don’t-cha-know) agent constantly plunged into increasingly dangerous scenarios. And he’s not about to stop anytime soon – “ Mission: Impossible, Dead Reckoning, Part One ,” the seventh film in the franchise, is due out this July, while “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two” will be unleashed next June.

If, somehow, you’ve never seen any of the “Mission: Impossible” movies, they began in 1996 with the Brian De Palma-directed original, an adaptation of the popular, Bruce Geller-created spy series that ran from 1966 to 1973 for 172 episodes and was revived briefly in the late 1980s (that version only ran for two seasons and 35 episodes). Many of the hallmarks of the television series made it into the movie – the mission briefing that would “self-destruct” at the end of the message, the idea of a team of highly trained specialists, characters like Jim Phelps (played by Jon Voight in the movie and Peter Graves in the original series) – but updated for modern, ‘90s audiences.

From there the franchise got a reputation for being director-driven, with each subsequent installment (up until the fifth film) being helmed by a different director. John Woo brought his Hong Kong bullet ballet aesthetic (and heightened emotional tenor) to “Mission: Impossible 2”; J.J. Abrams made his feature debut with the more grounded and human “ Mission: Impossible III ”; Brad Bird brought a playfulness and sense of fun to “ Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ”; and Christopher McQuarrie turned “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” into an elevated thriller that bordered on the Hitchcockian, while his followup “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” became even grander, more thrilling and more emotionally resonant. From inauspicious beginnings, “Mission: Impossible” has grown into one of the most exciting (and artistically ambitious) franchises in Hollywood history, with no signs of slowing down.

Also Read: ‘Mission: Impossible’ 7 and 8 are ‘Insane,’ Paramount CEO Says: ‘The Audience Lost Their Mind’

While each entry has its own cast of characters, there have been a few stalwarts that have become series regulars, including Ving Rhames (who has appeared in every entry since the first), Simon Pegg (a regular from “Mission: Impossible III” on), Rebecca Ferguson (around since “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) and folks like Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom were introduced in “Fallout” and are expected to return for the two new movies ( among many others ).

With six films in total (now) and eight by the end of 2024, and with only the first three movies assigned helpful numerical values, we will help keep things straight with this handy list (which will, of course, self-destruct five seconds after you finish reading).

How to Watch the “Mission: Impossible” Movies in Chronological Order:

The chronological events of the “Mission: Impossible” movies follow the order in which they were released, meaning no backtracking is needed for prequels or sidestepping for spinoffs.

• “Mission: Impossible” (1996)

• “Mission: Impossible 2” (2000)

• “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)

• “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011)

• “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015)

• “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)

• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One” (2023)

• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two” (2024)

Also Read: Donloe Returns! Rolf Saxon Joins ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part 2’

Do you have to watch the “Mission: Impossible” movies in order?

While there might be some that would suggest that you can watch them in any order, this isn’t exactly true. Each installment builds to the next in interesting and unexpected ways, with “Fallout” and the two new movies feeling like they are the culmination of everything that came before. Even “Mission: Impossible 2,” arguably the most disposable entry in the franchise, has paid off in some fun ways, particularly during the climax of “Fallout” (no spoilers here).

With “Mission: Impossible III” you do feel that the series is gelling in a way that would continue throughout the franchise, with Abrams taking an active role as producer on “Ghost Protocol” and “Rogue Nation” and his production company Bad Robot sticking around for “Fallout.” (The next two movies are the first Bad Robot-free productions since “Mission: Impossible 2.”) Still, we think that every entry is necessary. They’re all a lot of fun. Why would you want to skip any?

Just watch them in the order they were released. You will be rewarded for the journey.

Where are the “Mission: Impossible” movies streaming?

You can watch all the “Mission: Impossible” movies, along with the 1966 TV series, on Paramount+ (though some of the films are currently only available through Paramount+ with Showtime).

You can also stream “Mission: Impossible,” “Mission: Impossible II,” “Mission: Impossible III,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” on FuboTV.

Paramount+ will also be the streaming destination for the two upcoming new movies after their respective theatrical runs.

Also Read: First ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ Trailer Sees Tom Cruise Riding a Motorcycle Off a Cliff (Video)

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How to watch the 'mission: impossible' movies in order, ahead of dead reckoning part one.

It all goes back to 1996. Who would have ever thought when the first Mission: Impossible movie was released that it would turn into a full-fledged franchise still surviving and thriving at the top of the box office close to thirty years later? That, our friends, appears to be the power of Tom Cruise —the man that can keep his classics from the 1980s and 1990s at the top in the 2020s. If you haven't already heard, the Mission Impossible series has a new movie coming called Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , and it's one of the most heavily anticipated blockbuster films of the summer. With the movie releasing on July 12th, we figured now is as good of a time as ever to rewatch the entire series from start to present. Here's how to watch the Mission Impossible movies in order.

RELATED: Tom Cruise Gets Banged and Bruised Up in New 'Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One' Trailer

How many Mission Impossible movies are there?

To date, there have been six Mission Impossible movies released since the series started back in 1996. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is scheduled to be released on July 12th, 2023. An eighth film will follow up in 2024.

Do I need to watch the original TV show?

While the Mission Impossible television series from the 1960s is definitely a fun watch, there's no correlation between the TV series and the movies, so you don't need to watch the television show before the movies.

Will there be more Mission Impossible movies?

As we mentioned earlier, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is the next installment of the Mission Impossible series. Dead Reckoning will have a sequel which is scheduled to be released on June 28th, 2024.

The Mission Impossible Movies in Chronological Order:

• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible II (2000)
• Mission: Impossible III (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fall Out (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Fortunately, the release order is the same as chronological order for Mission Impossible, so no need to worry about reorganizing your viewing.

1. Mission: Impossible (1996)

• Director: Brian De Palma
• Box Office: $457.7 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%
• Notable Scene: Close Call Scene

1996's Mission: Impossible is our official introduction to Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, as he and his mentor (Jon Voight) embark on an assignment that ends with the mentor being killed and Ethan as the prime suspect in the killing. Hunt is now a wanted fugitive and as a result, recruits a genius hacker by the name of Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and a maverick pilot named Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) to help him break into a CIA office to help prove his innocence.

Mission: Impossible was the result of numerous attempts by Paramount Pictures to create a movie out of the television series, and despite lukewarm reviews, the film grossed $457.7 million worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing movie of 1996.

2. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

• Director: John Woo
• Box Office: $546.4 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%
• Notable Scene: Rock Climbing Scene

Four years after the release of the first film, Tom Cruise reprised his role as Ethan Hunt for the second installment of the series Mission: Impossible II , this time around leading his IMF team on a mission to capture a lethal German virus before its released by terrorists. Hunt soon discovers he isn't the only one after this bioweapon, and he has to deal with a gang of international terrorists spearheaded by a former IMF agent who already has the virus in his possession. Mission Impossible II was released in theaters on May 24th, 2000, at wound up being the highest grossing movie of the year with $546 million at the box office.

3. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

• Director: J.J. Abrams
• Box Office: $398.5 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
• Notable Scene: Bridge Attack Scene

J.J. Abrams took on the directorial duties (his debut by the way) for 2006's Mission: Impossible III , which hones in on a now retired Ethan Hunt (or so he thinks) who's seemingly living a quiet life now training recruits for the IMF. That's is until he encounters Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) a cunning "will kill anybody in his way" international broker of arms and information, who has made Hunt and anything/anybody he loves his latest target.

Mission: Impossible III received high ratings from critics (the highest of all the Mission Impossible films up to that point), grossing $398 million at the box office.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

• Director: Brad Bird
• Box Office: $694.7 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• Notable Scene: Ending Scene

Now onto Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol which was released in 2011. This time around, Ethan Hunt is dealing with the aftermath of the IMF being blamed for a terrorist attack on the Kremlin, which has in turn resulted in the entire agency being disavowed by the U.S. government. Now the IMF is off the grid completely with no resources or backup, and it's up to Hunt to clear the agency's name before the attack occurs along with fellow IMF fugitives with suspect motives.

At the time of its release, Ghost Protocol was the highest-grossing film of the Mission Impossible franchise, raking in $694 million at the box office. Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner were also introduced into the series.

5. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

• Director: Christopher McQuarrie
• Box Office: $682.7 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
• Notable Scene: Bomb Around Benji Scene

Christopher McQuarrie made his introduction into the Mission Impossible franchise with 2015's Rogue Nation , which follows the aftermath of Ghost Protocol as Ethan Hunt is dealing with a new threat called The Syndicate, a highly-skilled group of operatives looking to achieve new world order through carefully planned terrorist attacks. Rogue Nation takes Ethan all around the world as he teams up with disavowed British agent Lisa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) whom he's unsure whether or not trust.

Filming locations for Rogue Nation included Casablanca, London, Southeast England, and Vienna, and the movie became the second highest-grossing in the franchise at the time of its release.

6. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

• Box Office: $791.7 Million
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
• Notable Scene: Bathroom Fight

This is where Mission Impossible has officially left us until July 12th. Released in 2018, in Fallout the IMF is back and working with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent another terrorist disaster at the hands of arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles. Their plan? To create a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia through the use of three plutonium cores.

Grossing almost $800 million (the highest in the franchise thus far), Fallout is still widely considered to be the best Mission Impossible film in the series, leaving the anticipation quite for this upcoming Dead Reckoning that is upon us.

7. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

• Box Office: TBA
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: TBA
• Notable Scene: TBA

At the time of this writing, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is still not yet released. What we do know, however, is that Ethan Hunt and the IMF are dealing with a brand new threat that is going to result in another deadly race around the globe, and that events of this film will set up the sequel — Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two .

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Tom Cruise looks terrified as he films dramatic Mission Impossible 8 scenes in London

• Callum Wells , Showbiz Reporter
• Published : 7:00 ET, Apr 15 2024
• Updated : 10:38 ET, Apr 15 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

TOM Cruise looked terrified as he filmed dramatic Mission Impossible 8 scenes in London today.

Actor Tom , 61, was seen filming the upcoming blockbuster near Downing Street , playing out a scene where his character appeared to be captured by the enemy.

The Hollywood movie star was seen holding his hands up in surrender while in-character as protagonist, Ethan Hunt.

Dressed in a navy jacket and jeans, Tom chatted with director Christopher McQuarrie and production staff inbetween scenes.

Just a few weeks ago, Tom stunned tourists as he sprinted through the city covered in blood , shutting down Central London.

In exclusive photos from the set, he was seen running over Westminster Bridge with army and police officers on his tail.

The Mission Impossible team have been filming at  Surrey’s  Longcross Studios as well as on location since the beginning of March.

Determined to stick to schedule by any means necessary, at one point Tom forked out for the  entire cast and crew to be flown to set by helicopters  after the M25 shut down.

Little is known about what will happen in the eighth instalment of the series - only that it will  follow on from Dead Reckoning , which was released last year.

Originally titled Dead Reckoning: Part Two, the new film has since dropped being considered a second part and will instead go by its own name.

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Reasons for this are unknown but rumours have varied from the film going in a completely different direction to what was initially planned, to the name being scrapped due to Part One's lacklustre success at the box office.

Starring alongside Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby and Simon Pegg among others, Dead Reckoning went on to get two Oscar nominations for sound and visual effects.

However, despite raking in $565.8million worldwide at the box office, Dead Reckoning failed to meet the necessary returns to break even from its $291million budget.

On average, taking into account promotional costs etc, a film needs to make 2.5x its budget in order to be considered a financial success.

This was hindered slightly by the global phenomenon of  Barbenheimer   (the release date of Barbie and Oppenheimer)  which came just two weeks after Dead Reckoning's, causing a drop off in potential sales.

Currently, the as-yet-untitled Mission Impossible 8 is scheduled to be released on May 23, 2025 after a string of  pushbacks due to the pandemic  and last year's SAG-AFTRA strikes.

It was initially meant to be ready for release in August 2022, before being delayed to November 2022, July 2023 and June 2024.

Tom Cruise Goes Running Again in First Look At Mission: Impossible 8

• Fans share excitement over Tom Cruise running in London for Mission: Impossible 8 .
• Action-packed scenes feature Cruise sprinting to save the world from rogue AI, captivating audiences globally.
• Mission: Impossible 8 plot remains a mystery, but it will likely continue the story with The Entity and familiar faces.

Hollywood icon Tom Cruise is back to doing what he does best, running, as the actor films scenes for the action sequel Mission: Impossible 8 in London, England. Fans of the actor and the franchise have now taken to Twitter/X to share images, footage, and their thoughts on Cruise’s running, which somehow remains one of the most gripping elements of modern blockbuster moviemaking.

You can check out the visual poetry that is Tom Cruise running below, as well as some thoughts and feelings shared by fans who cannot wait to see him run all over the world once again in Mission: Impossible 8 .

Several images of the actor sprinting either away or towards the latest global threat have also emerged, and offer our first look at the next Mission: Impossible sequel, which was formerly titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two before changes were made behind the scenes .

Released in July last year, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning is directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. The Mission: Impossible follow-up finds Tom Cruise back as Ethan Hunt, who this time must save the world from a rogue AI known as “The Entity.” You can check out the official synopsis and trailer for Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning below.

“Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: to track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.”

What Will Mission: Impossible 8 Be About?

It is currently unknown exactly what Mission: Impossible 8 will be about but, considering that movies 7 and 8 were initially intended to be a two-parter, we can no doubt expect the next movie to carry over some of the plot elements from its predecessor. This likely includes both the AI enemy known as The Entity , and the villainous Gabriel (Esai Morales), a terrorist with ties to Ethan Hunts's past. We can also expect to see the core cast return, including Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, and Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, as well as newcomer Hayley Atwell as Grace.

How the Mission: Impossible Title Change Could Save the Franchise

The rest of the ensemble will reportedly include Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge, Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis, Pom Klementieff as Paris, and Shea Whigham as Jasper Briggs, alongside Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman, Janet McTeer, Hannah Waddingham, and Lucy Tulugarjuk. Following the apparent fate of Ilsa Faust , it is currently unknown whether Rebecca Ferguson will be involved.

Mission: Impossible 8 is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 23, 2025, by Paramount Pictures.

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Tom Cruise looks terrified as he films dramatic Mission Impossible 8 scenes in London

• Callum Wells , Showbiz Reporter
• Published : 12:00, 15 Apr 2024
• Updated : 13:25, 15 Apr 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

TOM Cruise looked terrified as he filmed dramatic Mission Impossible 8 scenes in London today.

Actor Tom , 61, was seen filming the upcoming blockbuster near Downing Street , playing out a scene where his character appeared to be captured by the enemy.

The Hollywood movie star was seen holding his hands up in surrender while in-character as protagonist, Ethan Hunt.

Dressed in a navy jacket and jeans, Tom chatted with director Christopher McQuarrie and production staff inbetween scenes.

Just a few weeks ago, Tom stunned tourists as he sprinted through the city covered in blood , shutting down Central London.

In exclusive photos from the set, he was seen running over Westminster Bridge with army and police officers on his tail.

read more on Tom Cruise

Lewis Hamilton reveals why he turned down Top Gun 2 role

Tom Cruise runs through London covered in blood as MI8 filming shuts down city

The Mission Impossible team have been filming at  Surrey’s  Longcross Studios as well as on location since the beginning of March.

Determined to stick to schedule by any means necessary, at one point Tom forked out for the  entire cast and crew to be flown to set by helicopters  after the M25 shut down.

Little is known about what will happen in the eighth instalment of the series - only that it will  follow on from Dead Reckoning , which was released last year.

Originally titled Dead Reckoning: Part Two, the new film has since dropped being considered a second part and will instead go by its own name.

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Reasons for this are unknown but rumours have varied from the film going in a completely different direction to what was initially planned, to the name being scrapped due to Part One's lacklustre success at the box office.

Starring alongside Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby and Simon Pegg among others, Dead Reckoning went on to get two Oscar nominations for sound and visual effects.

However, despite raking in $565.8million worldwide at the box office, Dead Reckoning failed to meet the necessary returns to break even from its $291million budget.

On average, taking into account promotional costs etc, a film needs to make 2.5x its budget in order to be considered a financial success.

This was hindered slightly by the global phenomenon of  Barbenheimer   (the release date of Barbie and Oppenheimer)  which came just two weeks after Dead Reckoning's, causing a drop off in potential sales.

Currently, the as-yet-untitled Mission Impossible 8 is scheduled to be released on May 23, 2025 after a string of  pushbacks due to the pandemic  and last year's SAG-AFTRA strikes.

It was initially meant to be ready for release in August 2022, before being delayed to November 2022, July 2023 and June 2024.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the hands of a mysterious, all-powerful enemy.

Bundles containing this item

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One + Bonus Content

Available on, description.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission - not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Cast and crew

Christopher McQuarrie

Haley Atwell

Hayley Atwell

Ving Rhames

Rebecca Ferguson

Vanessa Kirby

Henry Czerny

Erik Jendresen

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Exciting new wb sci-fi movie is the perfect replacement for tom cruise's $370m sequel i've wanted for 10 years.

Warner Bros has a new sci-fi movie on the horizon that is the perfect replacement for a Tom Cruise sequel that has yet to happen, 10 years later.

• "Mickey 17" is an exciting sci-fi thriller with a star-studded cast that includes Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, and Mark Ruffalo.
• The film's plot, based on the novel "Mickey7," involves a character who can die repeatedly and return with memories intact.
• "Mickey 17" shares similarities with "Edge of Tomorrow," offering a potential substitute for the long-awaited sequel to Tom Cruise's film.

At the beginning of 2025, Warner Brothers is releasing Mickey 17 , which is not only exciting for its unique concept and star-studded cast, but also because it is the perfect replacement for a sci-fi sequel that is taking more than 10 years to happen. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, Mickey 17 is a sci-fi thriller following Mickey, an "expendable" who goes on a mission to colonize an ice world, however when he unexpectedly dies, his new body forms with almost all his memories intact. Mickey 17's cast includes Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Thomas Turgoose.

Mickey 17 has a lot going for it, even so far away from its release date. The movie's cast is outstanding , with each actor coming off of huge successes, like Mark Ruffalo's Poor Things, Steven Yeun's Beef, and Robert Pattinson's The Batman. Furthermore, this film is the first for writer and director Bong Joon-ho since his Oscar-winning film, Parasite. However, Mickey 17 is not just strong due to its cast and crew. Its story, based on the 2022 novel "Mickey7," by Edward Ashton, is also something to anticipate, especially because of its striking similarities to another beloved science fiction film .

Bong Joon-Ho Explains Why Mickey 17's Title Is Different From The Sci-Fi Book It's Based On

Wb's mickey 17 sounds similar to tom cruise's edge of tomorrow, both movies use repeated deaths in a sci-fi setting.

Part of the excitement surrounding Mickey 17 is the commonalities it has with Tom Cruise's movie , Edge of Tomorrow. Not only are both movies deeply ingrained in the sci-fi genre, but they also use a fairly similar plot device . Where Mickey 17's main character is an "expendable," which can die repeatedly but return via "human printing," Edge of Tomorrow's Cage enters a time loop which allows him to die and resurrect himself over and over again. Both characters face these horrible circumstances, and yet, it seems that their memories are the key to their stories .

What is especially great about Mickey 17 and Edge of Tomorrow's similarities is that the 2025 movie can be a sort of replacement for the Edge of Tomorrow sequel that still has yet to happen.

Although Edge of Tomorrow 2 was discussed soon after the first movie's release, it has been ten years and a movie still has yet to occur . In this way, Mickey 17 can be a stand-in for what has yet to happen. Mickey 17 can delve into a new yet similar world that, hopefully, can appease the impatient fans of Cruise's Edge of Tomorrow.

Will Edge Of Tomorrow With Tom Cruise Ever Happen?

Edge of tomorrow 2 is still in the works.

Edge of Tomorrow 2 is definitely happening. The movie was jumpstarted in 2015 when Tom Cruise claimed he had a strong idea for a sequel . Director Doug Liman signed on, and since then, has been the film's biggest advocate. From 2016 to 2019, the script went through various rewrites, and was headed toward production when the COVID-19 pandemic hit . Emily Blunt then cast doubt on the film, mentioning its high budget. However, in Janaury 2024, it was revealed that Tom Cruise would be starring in various Warner Brothers movies and Edge of Tomorrow 2 would be one of them.

In 2016, Doug Liman noted that Edge of Tomorrow 2 would be a sequel that is a prequel.