Hayley Atwell Confirmed for Both Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 14 Sep, 2019

Hayley Atwell Confirmed for Both Mission: Impossible 7 & 8

14 Sep, 2019

It looks like Hayley Atwell isn't quite ready to give up the spy business, as she's now set to join the next two entries of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Atwell is no stranger to espionage, having played fan-favorite character Agent Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which included her own solo TV show on ABC. While nothing can make up for the cancelation of Agent Carter after only two seasons, watching Atwell kick butt alongside Tom Cruise and the rest of the IMF team will surely soothe the sting a bit.

The Mission: Impossible series of films, which is wholly the baby of Tom Cruise and his Cruise/Wagner production company, is based on the '60s/'70s classic televised spy show of the same name. The movie incarnation follows the adventures of Cruise's Agent Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Mission Force team, as they fight global threats, and generally save the world time and again. The movies have grown in quality and success over the years, moving past the overly cerebral trappings of the first film and the dumbed-down cheesiness of the dialogue and motorcycle duels in the sequel, to evolve into the smart, edgy, action-packed blockbusters that were the last four entries in the series.

Now, according to her own Instagram posts, it looks as though Atwell has chosen to accept the mission of elevating the franchise even further with her presence. Last week, writer and director of Mission: Impossible 7, Christopher McQuarrie, posted about Atwell's inclusion on Instagram, which was quickly followed by Atwell's confirmation via the same platform. A recent Instagram update by Atwell has clarified that she will actually star in not just the next entry in the series, but Mission: Impossible 8 as well. Take a look, below.

Atwell will join Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson, who has played Intelligence Officer Ilsa Faust in the last two Mission: Impossible movies, Rogue Nation and Fallout, in the cast for the seventh and (presumng Ferguson also returns) eighth films in the series. Other cast regulars, like Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames, have yet to be confirmed for the upcoming sequels, but it's probably only a matter of time before they are.

The casting of Atwell in two consecutive films is an unusual practice for the franchise, which has historically stuck to the James Bond formula of featuring a different female lead in each new entry. Ferguson's appearances in both Rogue Nation and Fallout was the only previous deviation from the revolving door of female action stars that marked the first four Mission: Impossible films. Perhaps this is a sign of the times, as the women in blockbuster franchises are no longer seen as disposable the way they once were. Either way, it's good to know Atwell's already onboard for multiple (impossible) missions.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Mission: Impossible 7 (2021) release date: Jul 23, 2021
Mission: Impossible 8 (2022) release date: Aug 05, 2022