Ah, the Cannes Film Festival! The glamorous haven for world cinema and indie gems always adds just a sprinkle of Hollywood magic to keep things exciting. Each year, the festival rolls out the red carpet for a major studio blockbuster without entering the competition to kick off the festivities. Sometimes, it can feel a bit odd—like when Shrek II opened the show back in 2004 while the likes of Fahrenheit 9/11 and Old Boy were battling it out for a Palme. This year, they’ve bagged a real crowd-pleaser: Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, starring none other than the ever-daring Tom Cruise!
On Wednesday, May 14, get ready to spot Cruise, his regular director and co-writer Christopher McQuarrie, and the cast strutting their stuff up the iconic red carpet at the Palais des Festivals. It’s Cruise’s third visit to this star-studded bash. He first graced the Croisette in 1992 for Ron Howard’s Far and Away, and then made a splash in 2022 with the much-loved Top Gun: Maverick. Let’s not forget his honorary Palme d’Or, which he picked up when he shared some pearls of wisdom during his masterclass—this year, the honorary award is going to the legendary Robert De Niro!
How Final will this Mission actually be?
In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise reprises his role as the ever-resourceful Ethan Hunt, who, along with his IMF team, cheekily asks, “Trust me one last time.” Critics are already buzzing—could this really be the last we see of Ethan and his thrilling escapades? Or will it be like Alien where death is never the end?
One thing’s for sure: this film is sure to dominate summer headlines and fill cinema seats (and streaming platforms) for the foreseeable future. If you’ve enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of the previous films, the trailer suggests you’re in for another wild adventure!
Meanwhile, Cruise and McQuarrie are back at it again, joined by co-writer Erik Jendresen, with the film brought to us by Paramount Pictures (think Top Gun and Rocketman) and Skydance. So, grab your popcorn and prepare for an action-packed hour or so—Mission Impossible is back, and it promises to be a blast!
(Michael Leahy. Photo: (c) Paramount Picture)