Why was Ilsa Faust killed, and why did Rebecca Ferguson leave Mission: Impossible 7? is one of the most asked fan questions. After all, with three films of high-stakes espionage, iconic fight scenes, and electric chemistry with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, her sudden death left many wondering about the reason behind it.
Why did Rebecca Ferguson leave and Ilsa Faust get killed in Mission: Impossible 7?
Ferguson first joined the Mission: Impossible series in Rogue Nation (2015). Instantly becoming a fan favorite as the iconic and skilled Ilsa Faust. She reprised the role in Fallout (2018) and Dead Reckoning (2023), but after completing her three-film contract, she faced a choice to continue or move on.
In an interview on the UnWrapped podcast, Ferguson explained that the lengthy production schedules of Mission: Impossible films played a big role in her decision. The movies often take over a year to film, with actors frequently waiting long periods between scenes.
“Selfishly, that’s a lot of time to make a ‘Mission’ film,” she admitted. “Unless you’re going to have a lot of screen time, that’s a lot of sitting around. I want to work. I don’t want to sit in a trailer and know that there’s maybe coming a scene in credits.”
Beyond scheduling, Rebecca Ferguson felt Ilsa’s arc had reached a natural ending. In Fallout, she broke free from MI6, completing her personal journey. By Dead Reckoning, she had evolved from a rogue agent to a team player, something the actor believed diluted her character’s edge.
“Ilsa was rogue.. was naughty.. was unpredictable,” she said. “There was a lot of characters coming in, not leaving enough space for what she had been.” All in all, Rebecca Ferguson was killed and left Mission: Impossible 7 not because of bad blood. It was because she wanted to keep growing as an actor and because Ilsa’s story had run its course.
Now, with Mission: Impossible moving forward without her, Ilsa Faust remains one of the franchise’s most iconic characters.
