Angela Bassett is set to return to the high-stakes world of espionage in Mission: Impossible 8 (or Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Part Two) reprising her role as CIA Director Erika Sloane. The first teaser trailer, released by Paramount Pictures and Skydance, hints at her character’s involvement in yet another dangerous mission.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s plot is simple, “Our lives are the sum of our choices.”
Following the recent success of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, which achieved multiple Oscar nominations and brought in over $567 million globally, the franchise continues to deliver thrilling narratives that revolve around Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt, portrayed by Tom Cruise. The series, renowned for its breathtaking stunts and global scale, remains one of Hollywood’s premier action franchises, known for its intricate plots centered on world-threatening scenarios.
Joining Cruise and Bassett in the upcoming film are familiar faces Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, and Frederick Schmidt. Mission: Impossible 8 will also introduce new talent to the series, including Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Katy O’Brian, and Stephen Oyoung.
The film, directed by Christopher McQuarrie—who also serves as the writer and producer—will hit theaters on May 23, 2025. McQuarrie, who has helmed multiple Mission: Impossible entries, partners again with Cruise and executive producers David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and Chris Brock.
Angela Bassett joined the Mission: Impossible franchise in 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, portraying Erika Sloane, a formidable CIA Director whose character added an additional layer of complexity to the IMF’s dynamics. Her return in the eighth installment of the series further solidifies her role within this high-stakes universe and continues to bring a strong, authoritative presence to the franchise.
The Mission: Impossible series, which debuted in 1996, has become a defining title in the action genre, largely due to Tom Cruise’s iconic role as Ethan Hunt. Known for doing his own stunts, Cruise has helped the franchise achieve a reputation for intense action sequences and storytelling that seamlessly blends suspense and international intrigue.
Outside of Mission: Impossible, Bassett stars as LAPD sergeant Athena Grant on ABC’s 9-1-1, now in its eighth season. On the film front, she is set to voice a character in Laika’s upcoming animated feature Wildwood and will soon be seen opposite Robert De Niro in Netflix’s political thriller series Zero Day.