“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” Will Be Longest Film in Franchise History
Ethan Hunt’s about to go on his longest mission yet.
IGN reports that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has made its runtime official, clocking in at two hours and 36 minutes, cruising past the previous longest film in the franchise, 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which ran for two hours and 27 minutes. As the franchise has grown bolder, with more intense (and very often practical) stunts, complex plots, and far-flung locations, the run times have steadily clicked up. The 1996 original was a brisk hour and 50 minutes long.
Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh film in the franchise and the first in the final two-part conclusion to Cruise’s career as Ethan Hunt. The film’s plot has been kept pretty tightly under wraps, but the most recent trailer hinted at a deadly weapon, possibly having to do with artificial intelligence, falling into the wrong hands in what is being promised as Hunt’s deadliest mission yet. Co-writer/director Christopher McQuarrie is back at the helm, guiding Cruise’s super spy and many of his longtime allies, including Rebecca Ferguson as Isla Faust, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, and Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell. Vanesa Kirby also returns as the White Widow, and the cast gets a boost with newcomers Hannah Waddingham, Pom Klementieff, Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Indira Varma, and Cary Elwes.
As always, the practical stunts in Dead Reckoning Part One will attempt to top all the insane set pieces they’ve already accomplished over the past 27 years. Many of the stunts are done by Cruise himself, who is guided by veteran stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood. Dead Reckoning Part One boasts Cruise barreling off a cliff on a motorcycle and going into a BASE jump, a stunning feat that required a year of BASE training, advanced skydive training, canopy control, and a slew of other skills.
With two hours and 36 minutes to work with, we’re guessing that’ll be but one of the many wild stunts the film offers.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is due in theaters on July 12.
For more on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, check out these stories:
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” Trailer Unveils Tom Cruise’s Deadliest Mission Yet
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” Poster Reveals Tom Cruise’s Craziest Stunt
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2” Adds “Ted Lasso” Star Hannah Waddingham
Featured image: Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
