Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning co-star has offered a blunt ᴀssessment of his stunt work for the franchise’s next movie. Set to arrive in theaters on May 23, this latest entry serves as the eighth movie in Cruise’s long-running action series, as well as a direct continuation of 2023’s Mission: Impossible – ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Reckoning. While it is not officially clear whether The Final Reckoning will serve as Cruise’s final outing as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, speculation is rife that this latest movie will provide a definitive conclusion to the big-screen adaptations of the original 1966 television series.

At this year’s AwesomeCon, ScreenRant moderated a panel with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning star Simon Pegg. When asked what fans can expect from the franchise’s next installment, Pegg insisted that the upcoming movie was his favorite to film out of the six movies he has appeared in. Suggesting that the stunts that Cruise performed “beggar belief,” he revealed that he has even said goodbye to him several times over the years, not knowing if he would live through his death-defying feats. Check out his comments below:

Well, it’s difficult to say anything [because] I don’t want to spoil anything. For me, it was my favorite of the six Missions that I filmed. It was my favorite to shoot. We were in the Arctic; we were in South Africa. The stunts Tom is doing just beggar belief. I mean, really, really dumb s–t.

A lot of people say, “Is he mad?” But he’s not. He’s incredibly focused, and he’s incredibly careful when it comes to those stunts. He rehearses and trains, but he does it because he actually cares so much about the cinematic experience for the audience, he will literally risk his life. Which he does, again and again, and it’s kind of more inspiring to watch. I’ve said goodbye to him several times over the years, just not knowing if I was ever going to see him again. I remember I went back to London when we were in New Zealand, and he was staying through all the helicopter stuff for Fallout. And I remember going, “Well, maybe I’ll see you around?”

Pegg also went on to suggest that The Final Reckoning will also serve as a culmination of the entire franchise. Praising the character arc developed by director Chistopher McQuarrie, he explained that there will be connections to each of the previous Mission: Impossible movies. Check out his additional comments below:

But this one really is the culmination of all eight films in such a beautiful way. Christopher McQuarrie has created this beautiful arc for Ethan, and if you’ve seen every Mission: Impossible film – and if you haven’t, I strongly recommend you do – there will be things in Final Reckoning that you will notice. There’s connective tissue that just joins it all together really beautifully. Yeah, it’s gonna be a heck of a ride.

What Simon Pegg’s Comments Mean For Misson: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise Is Constantly Attempting To One-Up Himself

In an industry that has increasingly turned to computer-generated special effects for high-adrenaline moments, Cruise’s commitment to practical stunt work is as laudable as it is rare. Citing the importance of crafting genuine cinematic experiences for his audiences, Cruise has consistently attempted to one-up his previous Mission: Impossible outings through a series of increasingly daring and potentially ᴅᴇᴀᴅly feats. His approach towards The Final Reckoning is no different, and earlier this year, he revealed that he physically pᴀssed out while filming one particularly daring stunt that involved clinging upside down to a 1930s-style biplane.

With this kind of continued willingness to place himself in harm’s way, it is perhaps not surprising that Pegg and his other Mission: Impossible co-stars are left wondering whether he will ever go one step too far. However, much as Pegg insists, Cruise also approaches these moments with a great deal of careful preparation, and he is known to train for months at a time to ensure they are done safely. The star’s approach to this latest movie is no different, and thankfully, Cruise managed to perform his feats without serious injury.

Our Take On Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible Future

Cruise Would Be Impossible To Replace As The Face Of The Franchise

Cruise has previously refused to comment on whether Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will be his final installment as Ethan Hunt, suggesting that it would spoil the movie’s ending. Nonetheless, speculation is still rife, and Pegg’s insistence that the franchise’s eighth entry is the culmination of all the previous movies would seem to support suggestions that this will be Cruise’s final time as the IMF agent that he has played since 1996.

While it is possible that the Mission: Impossible movies could continue on without Cruise, as was once rumored to be the case with Jeremy Renner’s introduction to the franchise, it would be exceedingly difficult to find another star as committed to the same kind of practical stunt work. If Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is indeed Cruise’s last outing as Ethan Hunt, it would be hard to imagine the franchise succeeding without him.