Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One has a cliffhanger ending, and that might mean that it will include a big character's death in the finale. The two-part Mission: Impossible movie event is following in the footsteps of several other major franchises by splitting its potential final story into two films. Hollywood has seen great success with this model through Harry Potter, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more. There is plenty of excitement about what Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie will deliver, especially after reports that Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 could be the final appearances by Cruise.
The secrecy around Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Part Two is very high, but there have been reports that the first movie will end on a cliffhanger ending. This is not too surprising considering the sequel is already in production. However, Mission: Impossible 7's cliffhanger ending could be a massive hint that someone will not make it out of the movie alive. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 killed Dobby and Avengers: Infinity War killed half the Avengers, which are two notable examples of first parts including a major death at the end. Mission: Impossible 7 could kill a main character too.
Mission: Impossible 7 Won’t Kill Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt
If someone does die in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One's cliffhanger ending, it will not be Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt. There have been multiple pieces of evidence pointing to him surviving the seventh film, not to mention how foolish it would be to kill him before the eighth movie. Reports have pointed to Mission: Impossible 8 being Tom Cruise's final movie in the franchise, so this would be the place Ethan Hunt could die. Furthermore, it is no secret that Cruise has been very busy filming Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two, so he cannot be the answer to who dies in Mission: Impossible 7's cliffhanger ending.
Even once it comes time for Tom Cruise to exit the Mission: Impossible franchise in the sequel, Ethan Hunt's death is still very unlikely. The action star has made it clear in the past that he does not want Ethan Hunt to die as a way to wrap up his story. It is possible that Cruise changed his mind later on, but it would make more sense for him and Paramount to leave the door open for a potential return in the future, even if that means Hunt becoming IMF's boss instead of its top agent.
Who Could Realistically Die In Mission: Impossible 7’s Ending
The possibility of a major death in Mission: Impossible 7's ending could spell trouble for those closest to Ethan Hunt. Any death in the cliffhanger ending would likely be used to set up Ethan's story in Mission: Impossible 8 and raise the stakes of the potential franchise finale. As a result, killing a minor character would not have the type of impact needed, nor would killing a major new character, like Hayley Atwell's Grace. This puts main franchise characters in recent films like Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) in danger.
There are arguments to be made for each of Benji, Ilsa, and Luther being Mission: Impossible 7's cliffhanger ending death. Luther has been part of the franchise the longest, while Benji has become Ethan's best friend. Ilsa is his primary love interest now, and the trailers have already teased she could be in danger with her eye patch. Any of these characters dying in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One would certainly shake up the franchise.
