Why Glen Powell refuses to replace Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible’

The end of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise is already in sight. ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ will be the eighth and final film in the saga of action, suspense and espionage that has starred Tom Cruise since the first film was released in 1996. With time running out and the popular actor set to retire from the role of Ethan Hunt after the eighth installment, rumors of a possible replacement have gained momentum in recent months. According to this buzz, Cruise’s replacement would be Glen Powell, with whom he shared the screen in ‘Top Gun’: Maverick’ (2022) and who recently starred in ‘Twisters’ (2024). Though flattered by the comparison, Powell has rejected it for one reason: he considers it too dangerous.

Glen Powell denies rumors that he will replace Tom Cruise in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise

Ever since it was announced that the eighth Mission: Impossible” film would be the last, it seemed unlikely that Paramount Pictures would let such an iconic and profitable franchise “die” at the box office, so a rumor began to gain traction that the franchise would continue without Tom Cruise. The name that came up most often was that of Glen Powell, with whom Cruise worked on Top Gun: Maverick,” which will be released in 2022. However, in a recent interview with ESPN’s Pat McAfee, Powell denied the rumors in a blunt and amusing way.

Though he was flattered that moviegoers thought he was a worthy replacement for a character like Tom Cruise in a saga as famous as ‘Mission: Impossible’, Glen Powell has denied the rumors in no uncertain terms: “My mom would never let me do that. It’s the worst gig in town, everybody knows that. It’s a death trap.” This refers to the great danger of the stunts that Cruise has performed throughout the franchise, something that has served to add an extra level of spectacularity to these films, while at the same time enhancing his legend and strong commitment to these high-profile projects.

While there has never been any official confirmation that this actor would be taking over for Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible”, Powell seems to have slammed the door on any suggestion of such a possibility, as he is unwilling to participate in sequences as dangerous as those in which Cruise has appeared without the use of stuntmen or stuntwomen.

Once ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ is released in 2025, there are no official plans to continue the franchise, with or without Tom Cruise. What’s more, the film’s marketing is focused precisely on “selling” the idea that it will be the last film in the popular franchise, which began with Brian de Palma’s first feature film in 1996, which in turn served as a sequel to the TV series of the same name.