Top 10 Things to Remember Before Watching Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One

#10: Release Date

The “Mission: Impossible” franchise has gotten quite comfortable coming out in the summer months. This one will be no different, releasing on July 12, a Wednesday. It was previously slated for late September 2022, but seeing as Tom Cruise’s previous effort “Top Gun: Maverick” was still in the box office Top 10 at that point after four months of release, Paramount was wise to bump it back. As it stands, “Dead Reckoning Part One” faces stiff competition, coming out two weeks after “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and one week before “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie.” Can “Mission: Impossible” similarly still be in the Top 10 come November? Well, we’ve learned a long time ago not to doubt the power of Tom Cruise.

#9: It’s Been Reported as the First of a Two-Part Finale

When it was first announced that “Mission: Impossible 7” and “8” would film back-to-back as “Part One” and “Part Two” of an extended adventure, many assumed it was the beginning of the end for the IMF. After all, Tom Cruise can’t actually do this forever, as he’ll be turning sixty-one just nine days before the film’s release - though he certainly doesn’t look it. So though not official, “Dead Reckoning” is expected to be the end of the franchise at least in that capacity. After all, two-part finales were a huge trend in the early-to-mid 2010s, with “Harry Potter,” “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games” all going down that route. Well, until “Divergent” made that uncool by failing to get past “Part One.”

#8: A Tumultuous Production

After that last entry, you might be saying to yourself, “Whoa, they filmed these back-to-back?” No. But they were going to. Filming was supposed to begin back in February 2020, but then came a global pandemic. Production on numerous films shut down, but none were perhaps hit as hard as this one. After officially getting underway in September 2020, production halted a month later when a dozen crew members tested positive for COVID-19. Audio of Cruise rebuking the crew for not following safety protocol later leaked online, before principal photography officially wrapped the following September. The production was hectic, but keep in mind that some of the best movies were hell to shoot - a little film called “Mad Max: Fury Road” comes to mind.

#7: Filming Locations

Obviously, keeping up the franchise’s globetrotting tendencies during a pandemic proved difficult, but they still managed to pull it off. Much like the last installment, the production visited the countries of Norway and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Italy and the United Kingdom. There was some controversy over whether a bridge in Poland would be destroyed for the shoot, leading them to settle on the UK. All told, the numerous setbacks have ballooned the budget to a whopping $290 million, over a $100 million more than the last one. It’s safe to say that “Dead Reckoning Part One” will want to be the highest-grossing in the franchise to stay on the safe side of profitability, but we have no doubt that it can.

#6: Returning Director

Whereas the first four “Mission: Impossibles” were helmed by different directors, including Brian De Palma, John Woo, J. J. Abrams and Brad Bird, the franchise has since found its stride with Christopher McQuarrie. After first collaborating with Cruise on the first “Jack Reacher,” McQuarrie has settled in with installments five through eight. That gives us incredible confidence in their consistency of excellence. But McQuarrie isn’t the only familiar behind-the-scenes player, as Eddie Hamilton and Lorne Balfe are returning to edit and score the film. Though we’ll always credit original TV series composer Lalo Schifrin for that banger of a theme.

#5: Stunts

These days, some people come out to see Tom Cruise movies for the stunts alone. And when they’re so mind-bogglingly executed by none other than him, we can see why. The big one Paramount is promoting for this installment sees Cruise motorcycling off a cliff before parachuting his way down. The actor reportedly underwent a staggering 500 hours of skydiving training for the shot, which he supposedly nailed on the seventh take. While Cruise called it the most dangerous thing they’ve ever attempted, McQuarrie claimed that a fight scene atop a moving train involving the former and actor Esai Morales was even more difficult. Well, if it’s as good as the train sequence from the first film, we’ll be more than satisfied.

#4: Where We Left Off

Okay, time to get into story details. When we last left Ethan and the Impossible Missions Force, they’d just prevented the Apostles from killing off a third of the world’s population and upsetting the global hierarchy. Its leader Solomon Lane is once again apprehended, traitor August Walker is killed, and the IMF live to fight another day. Solomon Lane actor Sean Harris isn’t slated to appear in either “Dead Reckoning,” meaning his days of villainy might finally be over. Meanwhile, Ethan reconciles with his ex-wife Julia, before the team is left to once again wipe their brow at how close they came. We don’t yet know exactly how “Fallout” will play into “Dead Reckoning,” let alone what the timeline between the two are.

#3: Returning Characters

Now if we’re talking about characters that will be coming back, you’ll be pleased to know that the cast list looks very familiar. Longtime IMF sidekicks Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn are back in action, as is former MI6 agent Ilsa Faust. Then there’s Vanessa Kirby’s Alanna Mitsopolis, aka “White Widow,” whose debut in the last film was very well received. Oh, and apparently some guy named Ethan Hunt. Perhaps most curiously is the return of Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge, the former director of IMF who hasn’t been seen since the original “Mission: Impossible” movie in ‘96. His presence here may be an indication that the supposed beginning of the end may also be going back to the beginning.

#2: New Characters

A lot of incoming “Mission: Impossible” characters make one-off appearances. However they’re usually memorable, and the new blood here looks to do the same. Serving as the primary antagonist is Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, who stepped in when Nicholas Hoult had to step down. At Gabriel’s right hand will be an assassin played by MCU actor Pom Klementieff. Another familiar MCU face is Hayley Atwell as Grace, a mysterious character who’s been described as a “destructive force of nature” and “somewhat ambiguous.” Rounding out the cast will be Shea Whigham, Rob Delaney and Cary Elwes to name a few.

#1: The Plot

The big question remains: what is “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” about? As of right now, we don’t entirely know. But, we cannot wait to learn more as it unfolds. The official synopsis given out by Paramount alludes to a “terrifying weapon that threatens humanity” that the team will have to intercept and keep out of the wrong hands. Seems like basic “Mission: Impossible” stuff. What really gets us intrigued though are the apparent “dark forces” from Ethan’s past that seek to play a role, something that hasn’t been hugely explored over the series. Couple that with the fact that Ethan must weigh the importance of the mission against his loved ones, and we’re already on pins and needles. Light the fuse, baby!