Dead Reckoning Part One is billed as the most ambitious Mission: Impossible film yet. Director Christopher McQuarrie promised that it will be “bigger, more challenging, and more ambitious” than any of the previous films. The film has been shot on location in several countries, including Norway, Italy, the United States… and South Africa.
Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh installment in the Mission: Impossible film franchise, and the first of two films that will conclude the story of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who also directed the previous two Mission: Impossible films, Rogue Nation and Fallout.
Ethan Hunt will be facing off against a new enemy, played by Henry Cavill. The film will also feature the return of some familiar faces from the franchise, including Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, and Hayley Atwell.
Hunt is assigned to retrieve half of a key from his ally Ilsa Faust, who has a bounty placed on her. He travels to the Arabian Desert and briefly reunites with Ilsa, before returning to the US to infiltrate a meeting of the Community, where officials of various intelligence agencies discuss an experimental AI called the Entity. Originally designed to sabotage digital systems, the Entity went rogue, expanded to potential sentience, and infiltrated all major defense and military systems and intelligence networks. Major powers are racing both to prevent sabotage and to gain control of the Entity, which lies with both halves of the key.
If it sounds like AI-meets-Infinity-Gauntlet or any other number of quests to get all the rings, bear in mind that’s just the beginning of the story. The movie offers much more.
The film’s sequel, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, which features at least three scenes shot in South Africa, is scheduled to be released in theaters on 28 June 2024.
In a video shared from a plane on set of the filming, Cruise declared: “Hey everyone. Here we are over stunning South Africa, where we’re filming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning parts one and two. And I didn’t want the year to end without thanking you all for coming out to the theaters and thank you for supporting Top Gun: Maverick.” Maverick was also partly shot in South Africa.
Here are some of the things to look forward to in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One:
Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts: Cruise is known for doing his own stunts. The film has already been praised for its jaw-dropping stunts, including a motorcycle chase on the frozen Norwegian Sea and a helicopter fight in the sky.
The return of some familiar faces: In addition to Cruise, Dead Reckoning Part One will also feature the return of some familiar faces from the franchise, including Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, and Hayley Atwell. These actors have all proven to be great additions to the Mission: Impossible franchise.
A new villain: Henry Cavill will play the film’s new villain, a formidable opponent for Ethan Hunt. Cavill is a talented actor, who brings a lot of menace to the role.