The Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One runtime has been revealed, and to little surprise, it's the longest installment yet. In what is expected to be the first half of the Mission: Impossible franchise's two-part finale, Tom Cruise's IMF agent Ethan Hunt embarks on his most dangerous mission yet to track down a dangerous new weapon before it falls into the hands of Gabriel (Esai Morales), a ghost from Ethan's past. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson return as his regular team of operatives, while Pom Klementieff stars as a secondary villain.
Now, ahead of Mission: Impossible 7's release date this summer, its runtime has been revealed via an IGN exclusive. Dead Reckoning Part One will run for a total of two hours and 36 minutes, excluding credits. This makes it the longest film in the franchise since the last installment, beating out the Mission: Impossible - Fallout runtime of two hours and 27 minutes. A few days ago, director Christopher McQuarrie confirmed on Instagram they had reached picture lock:
Why The Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Runtime Is So Long
The Dead Reckoning Part One runtime has been the subject of speculation ever since Paramount Global boss Bob Bakish bashed the movie as "too long" after an early Mission: Impossible 7 screening. The runtime has likely been reduced since then, but it still makes sense for Dead Reckoning Part One to be the longest installment yet. As the first half of an expected two-part finale, the film is tasked with introducing new characters who will play major roles in the franchise's endgame. Mission: Impossible 7 also features some of Cruise's most awe-inspiring stunts yet, which certainly deserve plenty of screen time.
As a modern-day blockbuster action franchise nears its conclusion, there is a lot of pressure to make each installment bigger and better. The Mission: Impossible series has slowly been doing so since its first installment in 1996. The Dead Reckoning Part One runtime also continues a recent trend for action franchises nearing their end. John Wick: Chapter 4, Fast X, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny runtimes all clocked in past the two-hour-and-20-minute mark. While the Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One runtime is the longest for the franchise so far, it will likely be broken by Part Two.
Source: IGN/Christopher McQuarrie
