I’m shocked to learn that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning almost had a completely different ending. The latest Mission: Impossible movie was in many ways a celebration of the entire franchise, so it makes sense that it had a pretty definitive ending. Since Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt doesn’t die at the end of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the last movie in the long-running spy series. However, if it is, I believe it provides a satisfying conclusion for the franchise.

While not quite as high as the last few movies in the series, reviews for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning have been solid, with Screen Rant‘s own Mary Kᴀssel giving it an 8 out of 10. The movie honors the films that came before it, specifically the earlier entries in the franchise. For example, it features William Donloe from the first Mission: Impossible movie and reveals what the Rabbit’s Foot from Mission: Impossible III is. Therefore, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning brings the franchise full circle, but also almost included a post-credits scene which could have set up future movies.

Christopher McQuarrie Confirms Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Almost Had A Post-Credits Scene

McQuarrie’s Cagey About What It Would’ve Been

Since Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning seems like it was planned to potentially wrap up the franchise, it’s surprising to learn that director Christopher McQuarrie initially planned to shoot a post-credits scene for the movie. In an interview with USA Today, McQuarrie revealed that they were originally going to shoot a “coda” for the movie. However, before doing so, the director showed Cruise the final ten minutes of Mission: Impossible 8. Apparently Cruise loved the ending, since he decided to cancel the shoot for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s post-credits scene. Read McQuarrie’s full comments below:

“I came to Tom and I said, ‘Look, normally I would want you to see the whole movie before I showed this to you, but we’re about to shoot this coda in a couple of days and just look at this bit.’ He said, ‘You know what, you can cancel Saturday’s work because this is the end of the movie. This is it.'”

In the interview, McQuarrie chose not to share details about what the post-credits scene would have been since he claimed that it could “end up in another movie.“ This additional comment suggests that Cruise and McQuarrie already have ideas for another Mission: Impossible movie after The Final Reckoning. The latest film in the series definitely feels like a finale, but both Cruise and McQuarrie have admitted that they would love to make another Mission: Impossible movie, so it wouldn’t necessarily be surprising if we eventually find out what this scene was about.

The Post-Credits Scene Would Have Been A First For The Mission: Impossible Franchise

As Would’ve Befitted A Series-Ender

Including a post-credits scene in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning would have been extra surprising since no other movies in the franchise have had a scene after the credits. For the most part, all the Mission: Impossible movies have been standalone. In fact, The Final Reckoning is the only film in the franchise that requires audiences to have knowledge of the plots of previous movies, which is why so many flashbacks are included in the film.

Because of this, it’s not surprising that no other Mission: Impossible movies have had a post-credits scene, especially since many of them came out before they were common to include in major blockbusters. Throughout the 2010s, comic book movies popularized including scenes after the credits to set up future movies.

Since then, it hasn’t been uncommon for major blockbusters to include post-credits scenes. For example, this year’s Sinners, a completely original blockbuster, included one. However, despite this, the Mission: Impossible franchise has continued to resist the temptation of including a post-credits scene.

What Could Have Been The Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Post-Credits Scene?

Did It Leave The Door Open For Tom Cruise’s Return?

It’s difficult to theorize what Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s “coda” would have been about, but it likely would have set up Tom Cruise’s return in a future Mission: Impossible movie. Most of the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 agree that Cruise will likely return to the franchise at some point in the future, so this post-credits scene might have ᴀssured audiences that they haven’t seen the last of Ethan Hunt. Cruise clearly loves this franchise, so I would personally be thrilled to see him return and make another Mission: Impossible movie in the coming years.

However, since the Enтιтy was such a major threat in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, it will be hard for a future movie to raise the stakes even more. Because of this, perhaps this post-credits scene would have set up a soft-reboot for the franchise and hinted at who might replace Ethan Hunt. I think this is far less likely, but it is undoubtedly very fun to consider all the possibilities and theorize what kind of post-credits scene we almost received in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

Source: USA Today