Tom Cruise Returns to Cannes with ‘Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning’
Three years after soaring into the 2022 Cannes Film Festival aboard a French fighter jet for the high-octane premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise is once again set to make a dramatic return to the Croisette. This time, the Hollywood megastar will be bringing one of his most iconic franchises back to the global stage with Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning, which is slated for a special out-of-competition screening at the prestigious French festival.
Organizers of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival confirmed on Tuesday that Final Reckoning will be showcased on May 14 — nine days ahead of its global theatrical release on May 23. Cruise, alongside returning director Christopher McQuarrie and key members of the cast, is expected to attend the red carpet event at the Palais des Festivals, marking a highly anticipated return for one of Hollywood’s most enduring action stars.
For Cruise, this marks only his third official film appearance at Cannes, but the significance of his return cannot be overstated. His last visit in 2022 was nothing short of a spectacle. He was honored with a surprise Palme d’Or, the festival’s highest accolade, following a thunderous reception for Top Gun: Maverick, which went on to become a global box office phenomenon and a symbol of cinema’s post-pandemic revival.
That same energy is expected to surround Cruise’s arrival this May, especially with Final Reckoning being positioned as a major cinematic event. Though the film will not be competing for the Palme d’Or, its out-of-competition slot still places it front and center of the global film conversation, particularly in a year when audiences are craving large-scale, theatrical storytelling.
Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning is the latest chapter in the long-running action spy saga, which has become one of the most critically and commercially successful franchises of the modern era. Known for its adrenaline-pumping set pieces, globe-trotting plots, and Cruise’s penchant for performing his own jaw-dropping stunts, the series has cemented itself as a cornerstone of blockbuster cinema.
The film, which reunites Cruise with director Christopher McQuarrie — who has helmed the franchise since Rogue Nation (2015) — promises to be an ambitious installment that may serve as a turning point or conclusion for Ethan Hunt, the superspy character Cruise has portrayed since 1996.
While plot details have been kept under wraps, early buzz suggests the film will continue pushing the boundaries of action filmmaking, with several sequences reportedly shot in remote international locations and using cutting-edge practical effects.
Cruise’s return to Cannes is emblematic of his singular presence in the film industry. In an era where movie stars have increasingly taken a back seat to franchises and intellectual property, Cruise remains a force unto himself — one of the last actors whose name alone can drive global interest.
His Cannes appearances reflect this rare staying power. While he’s not a festival regular like some arthouse auteurs or European cinema veterans, his presence always commands attention and brings a sense of occasion. The 2022 festival, for instance, turned into an all-out celebration of Cruise’s career and his commitment to cinematic spectacle, culminating in the aforementioned honorary Palme d’Or and a roaring standing ovation.
Expect similar enthusiasm in 2025, as Cruise walks the red carpet once again with his signature smile and unflinching devotion to the big screen.
This year’s Cannes Film Festival, running May 13 to 24, is already shaping up to be one for the history books. Alongside Cruise’s anticipated return, organizers announced earlier this week that legendary actor Robert De Niro will receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony.
De Niro, a two-time Academy Award winner and an icon of American cinema, joins a growing list of legends who’ve been honored by Cannes in recent years, underscoring the festival’s dual mission of celebrating both the future of film and its storied past.
The full lineup for the 2025 edition will be unveiled in Paris this Thursday, but with Cruise and De Niro already confirmed, expectations are sky-high for a festival that seems poised to mix prestige, excitement, and spectacle in equal measure.
As the countdown to Cannes begins, all eyes will be on Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning. Will this be the last ride for Ethan Hunt? Will Cruise and McQuarrie redefine action cinema yet again? And perhaps most importantly: What jaw-dropping stunt will Cruise perform this time?
While those answers remain under wraps, what’s certain is that Cruise’s return to Cannes signals another celebration of cinema’s power to awe, inspire, and unite audiences around the world.
From jet planes to motorcycle cliff jumps, from red carpets to festival accolades, Tom Cruise continues to prove that he’s not just a movie star — he’s a cinematic institution. And when the lights dim at the Palais des Festivals on May 14, the world will be watching.
