Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning does not feature a post-credit scene, despite the fact that it nearly included one. Writer and director Christopher McQuarrie revealed to USA Today that he initially envisioned a captivating “coda” to the film, and was prepared to film it. However, Tom Cruise ultimately decided against its inclusion, which led to the idea being discarded.
During the development of The Final Reckoning, McQuarrie presented Cruise with what would become the concluding ten minutes of the film. He recalled, “I approached Tom and said, ‘Typically, I would prefer you to see the entire movie before revealing this, but we are about to shoot this coda in just a couple of days, so take a look at this segment,’” McQuarrie shared. “He responded, ‘You can cancel the work scheduled for Saturday because this is the end of the movie. This is it.‘”
With Cruise’s decision, the post-credit scene was ultimately abandoned, but McQuarrie remains tight-lipped about its content. “I won’t disclose any details because it might be incorporated into a future film,” he mentioned, maintaining an air of mystery around the scrapped scene.
While The Final Reckoning exudes a strong sense of closure, the possibility remains that this film might not be the last chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Cruise has expressed his intent to continue making films “into my 100s,” and given his determination, it would be unwise to underestimate his commitment to the franchise.
The Final Reckoning premiered in theaters just last week, achieving a franchise-best opening weekend, although it was quickly overshadowed by Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch. Our resident critic, Chris Bumbray, who is also a dedicated Tom Cruise enthusiast, enjoyed the film, but he noted that it occasionally feels overloaded. “I still believe it was not wise to split the Dead Reckoning storyline into two nearly three-hour films. However, even in its uneven moments, the series remains compelling and worth viewing,” he remarked. “If this marks the conclusion for the IMF, one cannot deny that Cruise has poured his heart and soul into this franchise, and it culminates in a gratifying manner. Although it might fall slightly short of its predecessors, this is primarily due to the exceptionally high standards previously established.” Be sure to check out the rest of his review right here, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on The Final Reckoning as well!
