In a remarkable milestone for the franchise, Ving Rhames, known for his role in the Mission: Impossible series, will return for the highly anticipated eighth installment, titled Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning. The film is set to hit theaters across the United States on May 23, 2025, under the banner of Paramount Pictures. Rhames expressed his admiration for his co-star, Tom Cruise, while promoting his latest boxing film, Uppercut.
Ving Rhames Reflects on Working with Tom Cruise
“Working with the cast and crew and really getting to know and meet Tom Cruise has been a highlight for me,” Rhames stated, emphasizing the unique treatment he receives from Cruise. “He truly respects his actors and crew.”
Rhames further shared a personal anecdote about Cruise, saying, “He’s the only person I’ve encountered who doesn’t perceive color in the way many people do. He once told me a story about his adopted Black son, who asked, ‘Dad, why are you always trying to hold the Black man down?’ This experience resonated deeply with me, as it highlighted values I hold dear.”
The synopsis for Mission: Impossible 8 teases a focus on choices and consequences, stating, “Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
Directed and co-written by Christopher McQuarrie, who has helmed multiple previous installments, including 2015’s Rogue Nation and 2018’s Fallout, the film promises to deliver the thrilling action fans have come to expect.
In addition to Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames, the cast features Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett, among others, ensuring a dynamic ensemble for this action-packed installment.
