As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning wraps, Tom Cruise reveals an ambitious slate of collaborations with his longtime creative partner—spanning sequels, musicals, and more.

A Legendary Collaboration Continues

July 14, 2025: At Cannes, director Christopher McQuarrie spotlighted Tom Cruise’s multi-faceted involvement in The Final Reckoning, praising Cruise for operating the camera solo during an aerial biplane sequence. McQuarrie’s comments underscore the trust and creative symbiosis between the two—longtime collaborators on major hits including Mission: Impossible and Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise: “Always Shooting, Prepping, Posting”

In comments following the film’s premiere, Cruise affirmed that he has eight different movie projects in the works right now with McQuarrie. These include:

Top Gun 3, which McQuarrie confirmed is essentially “in the bag”—a sequel firmly in development with the story structure already set.

A musical film, an original song-and-dance project designed as a star vehicle for Cruise, guided by McQuarrie’s writing.

Another original action film with potential franchise scope, beyond their established spy universe.

A possible Tropic Thunder spin-off featuring Cruise’s iconic character Les Grossman, a passion project under early development.

Creative Brotherhood, Not Just Business

Cruise has referred to McQuarrie as his “creative brother,” celebrating their decade-plus collaboration at CinemaCon, where he honored McQuarrie as Director of the Year. Their dynamic partnership has grown beyond professional synergy into personal camaraderie and artistic shorthand.

What’s Next on Cruise’s Slate

While The Final Reckoning may cap his role as Ethan Hunt, the film does not mark the end of Cruise’s career—or his partnership with McQuarrie. According to public statements, strategies extend beyond the Mission franchise into expansive universe-building, genre experiments, and legacy-bending creativity .

Final Take

With eight new collaborations reportedly underway, Cruise and McQuarrie are setting out to redefine their partnership—and potentially reshape genre boundaries. From secret sequels to musicals to spin-offs and high-concept action, their pipeline suggests that Cruise’s next decade may be even more groundbreaking than the last.