Mission: Impossible franchise: Highest-grossing films and box office records

Are you a Tom Cruise fan looking for the best Mission: Impossible Films?

Let me tell you that the Mission: Impossible movies have been loved by fans since they were screened. It all started in 1996 with a simple action film, but it quickly grew into a vast hit era. Tom Cruise plays the protagonist, Ethan Hunt; his exciting missions and crazy stunts have kept audiences hooked to an endless universe.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is finally here. This one picks up right after Dead Reckoning Part One, so if you're expecting closure, you’ll get it. Well, maybe. This is Mission: Impossible, after all.

The film had its big premiere at Cannes on May 14, 2025. Yeah, Cannes. Not every action franchise gets that kind of nod. It’s a move that says a lot—this series isn’t just about big stunts and high-speed chases anymore. There’s something bigger at play, something with legacy behind it. The kind of legacy studios like to remind you of just before closing a chapter.

They used to call it Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. That title’s gone now. Clean slate. The new name? The Final Reckoning. It hits different. It’s tighter. Less clunky. More final. And that’s the point. Paramount and McQuarrie didn’t just want a follow-up. They wanted an ending that sticks. One that feels earned.

The U.S. release lands on May 23, 2025. Right in that sweet spot before summer really kicks off. Smart move. Memorial Day weekend. People are off. Theaters will be packed. It’s a good play from a box office perspective, but it also feels like the kind of film that’s meant to be seen in a crowd. The sound. The pace. Those signature Tom Cruise moments that practically dare you to blink.

Highest-grossing films and box office records

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Mission: Impossible movie came out in 1996. Here, director Brian De Palma shows Ethan Hunt as a secret agent for the IMF. During a mission in Prague, everything goes wrong, and all of Ethan’s teammates are brutally killed. Now, the agency believes Ethan is the one behind it and calls him a traitor.

But Ethan knows he’s innocent. So, he goes on the run and starts his own secret mission to find out who really betrayed the team. He wants to catch the real spy and prove he didn’t do anything wrong.

Alongside new allies like hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Hunt executes a daring break-in at CIA headquarters in Langley to steal a list of undercover agents.

Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, and Ving Rhames in this movie introduced audiences to the world of espionage and deception, setting the stage for the franchise's future. It earned about $457.7 million worldwide, launching one of Hollywood’s most successful action franchises.

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

The second movie came out in 2000 by John Woo. This time, Ethan Hunt has to stop a former IMF agent named Sean Ambrose, who wants to spread a man-made disease called Chimera.

When it's being spread, he just wants to sell the cure to make a lot of money to become rich. So, in this mission, Ethan teams up with a smartly skilled thief named Nyah. Most importantly, he has a complicated past with Sean, but a growing bond with Ethan.

The movie has several action scenes, including cool slow-motion fights, fast motorcycle chases and all. Box office collection was about $546.4 million. We have seen Tom Cruise, along with Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, and Ving Rhames here.

Mission:Impossible III (2006)

The third part is focused more on character development and the emotional intensity of the cast. Here, Ethan Hunt, now semi-retired and engaged to Julia, is pulled back into action to rescue a captured agent. He soon finds himself targeted by arms dealer Owen Davian, played chillingly by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Davian proves to be Hunt’s most formidable enemy yet, threatening everything Ethan holds dear.

The story balances thrilling action with personal stakes, particularly through its exploration of Hunt’s dual life. With explosive set pieces, from a Vatican infiltration to a bridge assault, the film brought a fresh energy to the series. It earned about $398.5 million worldwide. We have seen Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Monaghan, and Ving Rhames.

Mission: Impossible– Ghost Protocol (2011)

Director Brad Bird brought new life to the Ghost Protocol with amazing stunts and action. The story starts after the Kremlin is attacked and the IMF is blamed. Ethan Hunt and the team are cut off from the agency. Now they have to work on their own to clear their name.

And one of the most unforgettable scenes in the movie shows Ethan climbing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is one of the most famous moments in the series. The movie introduced Jeremy Renner as a new character. The action scenes were real and full of excitement, using little computer effects.

Box office collection was around $694.7 million globally. We have seen Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Paula Patton in this movie.

Mission: Impossible– Rogue Nation (2015)

Director Christopher McQuarrie's film deepened the franchise's mythology by introducing the Syndicate, which is a rogue international organization.

As the IMF faces dissolution by the CIA, Hunt continues his mission off the books, uncovering the Syndicate's plans for global chaos. The movie introduces Ilsa Faust as a British spy who is a little bit untrustworthy.

There are some incredible action scenes, like Ethan hanging from a cargo plane and a tense underwater vault sequence, it mixes smart plans with thrilling action. Casts were Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, and Simon Pegg. The movie earned almost $682.7 million around the world.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

It’s the first time one movie directly continues the story from the one before it, Rogue Nation. In this film, Ethan Hunt makes a tough choice during a mission, and because of that, some dangerous plutonium ends up in the hands of terrorists.

Now, he has to stop them before they cause a huge nuclear disaster. Now CIA sends another agent to work with Ethan. The movie shows full of huge action scenes, like a jump from a plane at 25,000 feet and a wild helicopter chase. Luther, Benji, and Ilsa all help Ethan in his mission.

The cast includes Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames made the movie a big hit. It earned about $791.7 million worldwide.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Dead Reckoning Part One shifts the focus to the threat of artificial intelligence. A rogue AI known as “The Entity” poses an unprecedented threat by manipulating digital infrastructure and global security.

Ethan and his team, including Benji, Luther, and newcomer Grace, must track down a two-part key that unlocks control of the Entity. The movie with some really exciting scenes, like a jump off a cliff and a crazy train chase.

Even though the movie got great reviews for its real, amazing stunts, it didn’t make as much money at the box office as expected. It earned about $571.1 million worldwide.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)

Billed as the final chapter in the Ethan Hunt saga, The Final Reckoning sees the IMF team taking on their most dangerous mission yet—neutralizing the Entity once and for all before it falls into the wrong hands. Picking up where Part One left off, the story explores the global implications of AI warfare, data manipulation, and betrayal within governments.

Ethan faces personal and professional reckonings as old enemies resurface and trusted allies are put to the test. Returning cast members include Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, and Angela Bassett, with emotional callbacks to earlier films. The star cast, named Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, and Angela Bassett, are loved by the audience. Full box office numbers are still coming in

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So, maybe you know that this franchise is among some of the most popular action films ever made in the world. Each movie brings something new—amazing stunts, smart stories, and thrilling missions. Tom Cruise, as Ethan Hunt, gave the audience what they could crave. From hanging off airplanes to jumping from cliffs, his every deadly stunt is unforgettable to fans.

Over the years, the series made more than $4 billion at the box office, showing how much people around the world love it. With the final movie bringing Ethan Hunt’s story to an end, the Mission: Impossible franchise will always be remembered as one of the greatest action series in movie history.