Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is set to be the biggest film in the long-running franchise to date. Based on the TV series of the same name from 1966, the 1999 film launched the franchise into superstardom. From the beginning, Tom Cruise has led the Mission: Impossible franchise as Ethan Hunt. Cruise may seem like he is unstoppable, but nothing lasts forever. Many agree that he should retire the character of Ethan Hunt while on top, rather than when the series goes stale. There are plenty of actors capable of taking the reins of the Mission: Impossible franchise from Tom Cruise, and here are ten of our favorites.
10. Tom Holland
Holland has made a huge name for himself as the MCU’s Spider-Man. To many, he is the most comic-accurate version of the character for a number of reasons. He is funny, charismatic, witty, and more than capable of handling action scenes. Whenever he is through being the wall-crawler, he would feel right at home at the IMF. Holland is young enough to carry the Mission: Impossible franchise as long as Cruise has. He could play a protege to Hunt – one that teams up with him before leading his own film.
9. Bill Skarsgård
Bill Skarsgård is quickly making a name for himself as one of the most versatile actors working today. He exploded in popularity in IT and only rose higher and higher from there. Not only can Skarsgård be scary, but he can also handle action scenes. Recently, Skarsgård played the antagonist in John Wick Chapter 4, and he was able to hold his own. Bill is young enough to carry the franchise into the foreseeable future, and he would bring a unique flair to the role. Skarsgård is often cunning, meaning it is totally believable that he can pull off crazy missions and outsmart his opponents. He may not seem like a natural progression from Tom Cruise, but this could be exactly why he is perfect for the role. Nobody can play Hunt but Cruise, so why try to hire someone in the same vein?
8. Miles Teller
Of all the actors to take over the franchise, Miles Teller seems like a no-brainer. Teller stunned audiences when he acted alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise had nothing but positive things to say about Teller, so it makes perfect sense he would want to pass the torch to him. Teller is yet another incredibly versatile actor who can completely disappear into his roles. Seeing as how IMF agents must often imitate others, this would be perfect for him. Teller has also proven himself in multiple action roles, meaning he can handle the intense action required by IMF agents. On top of all this, Miles is just a fun actor to watch. He can be cocky and witty while still demanding to be taken seriously. Seeing him act alongside Cruise one more time in a future installment would be a perfect segway into Teller leading the franchise.
7. Taron Egerton
Yet another young actor who continuously proves himself is Taron Egerton. Egerton made a huge name for himself in the Kingsman films. Those movies prove Taron has everything he needs to successfully lead the Mission: Impossible franchise into a new era. He can pull off being a superspy, he is incredibly handy in action scenes, and he is all-around likable. The rumor is there will be one last Kingsman film to wrap that series up. If that is the case, then Egerton should consider joining IMF for his next endeavor. The M: I series is a bit more serious than Kingsman, but as shown in Rocketman, Egerton can be dramatic as well.
6. Ana de Armas
Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas seems to be showing up a lot recently and for good reason. She has some incredible acting chops and can easily handle herself in a variety of action roles. She recently fought alongside James Bond in No Time to Die and was able to keep up with the superspy. She is also slated to appear in a John Wick spin-off titled Ballerina, meaning she can also manage fast-paced fighting and gunplay. Ana also proved in Blade Runner 2049 that she can handle serious dramatic moments as well. It could be time for Tom Cruise to let a female performer handle IMF missions, and Armas is the perfect candidate.
5. Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a fan-favorite choice to take over the role of James Bond. While he would be perfect in the role, many are speculating EON Productions is looking for an unknown actor to play 007. If this is the case, Johnson could always join the next most popular spy franchise, Mission: Impossible, in Tom Cruise’s stead. He has plenty of credentials showing he would be perfect in the role, but the best example is Bullet Train. This film shows he can be incredibly likable, and funny, and can handle himself in stylized action scenes. It would be fantastic to see Johnson kick off a film in the classic 007 gun barrel scene, but it would be equally as fun to see him light the fuse in a new M: I movie.
4. Lashana Lynch
Like Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch was featured in No Time to Die. She had much more screen time than Armas and was even given the title of 007 after Bond retired. She more than earned that codename, as she handled herself perfectly. She had the wit to keep up with Bond himself, and she had the action skills necessary for an MI6 agent. This makes her a perfect candidate to run the Mission: Impossible franchise. She has a demanding presence that keeps audiences glued to the screen when she appears. Lynch has a fantastic career ahead of her, and IMF could definitely use her talents.
3. Nicholas Hoult
Yet another popular 007 fan cast is Nicholas Hoult. Yet, like Johnson, odds are he won’t be serving on His Majesty’s Secret Service anytime soon. This just means that he will be available to relieve Tom Cruise in the IMF. Hoult can produce thrilling action scenes as evident in some of the X-Men films. He has also proven that he can play likable and witty characters. Hoult may not look like the ideal action lead, but this is exactly what makes him so great for the role. He is unassuming, and enemies could underestimate him before realizing how wrong they are, as they did in Renfield. Hoult is always a fantastic addition to any film he is in, and this franchise would be no different. Hoult was even slated to appear in the franchise, but scheduling conflicts caused him to drop out.
2. Chris Pine
Chris Pine is best known to audiences as James Kirk in the Kelvin Timeline Star Trek films helmed by J.J. Abrams. Those films show a cocky attitude and a manner of handling himself that would fit right in with this franchise. Pine also headlined his own action film when he played the titular role in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. That film proved he can handle the world of espionage as well as take part in exciting action scenes. Chris has the likability to keep audiences entertained, and the action capability to take on even the most impossible missions.
1. Florence Pugh
Yet another up-and-coming performer who deserves to lead an action franchise is Florence Pugh. Pugh has proven herself time and time again in roles such as MidSommar and Black Widow. She is an incredible action star and has the acting chops to go along with it. Pugh seems to become more and more popular with each film, and it is time she has her own franchise to truly prove herself. Florence will next star in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, where she will no doubt further illustrate that she is capable of leading the Mission: Impossible series. Pugh would make for an excellent successor to Tom Cruise.
