Paramount Sets Mission: Impossible Sequels For 2021 & 2022

Deadline has brought word that the next two Mission: Impossible sequels in the increasingly successful espionage action blockbuster franchise have received release dates from Paramount Pictures a year apart, with the seventh installment set for a July 23, 2021 release date and the eighth set for August 5, 2022. The 7th film will be going directly against Paramount’s own Dungeons & Dragons movie (which will likely move) while the 8th film currently has no dated competition.

Following the large critical and commercial success of the past two installments, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie signed a new deal with Paramount to return to write and direct the next two installments, turning down other studio offers to continue his long-running partnership with franchise star Tom Cruise, who is slated to return for the future installments.

“We couldn’t be more excited to build on the massive success of ‘Mission:Impossible—Fallout’ by reteaming with Chris and Tom on these next two films, following two successful collaborations,” Jim Gianopulos, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, said. “We’ve also enjoyed a great partnership with Skydance and David Ellison on these three most recent films and look forward to continued success together on this great franchise.”

Skydance Media, who joined the franchise with the fourth installment, Ghost Protocol, will be returning to produce the next two entries.

The Mission: Impossible franchise spans almost 25 years and six films, starting off with modest critical and major box office success in the first two films before launching its lead protagonist into grittier and more explosive stories, each film getting progressively better reviews than its predecessor, with the most recent installment, Fallout, earning the highest reviews for both the franchise and the action genre, currently maintaining a 97% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while also acquiring the highest box office gross of the franchise at over $790 million worldwide.