It has been nearly 30 years since Tom Cruise chose to accept his mission in the first Mission: Impossible movie — and audiences have been along for the thrilling ride ever since.

Now, three decades and eight movies later, the Mission: Impossible film franchise continues to be a series stuffed with stunt spectacles and jaw-dropping action sequences featuring Cruise and his fellow Impossible Mission Force agents as they try to save the world.

Cruise and Ving Rhames have appeared in all of the Mission: Impossible entries, while many other notable names have been part of the rotating roster of secret spies.

The latest installment, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, which hit theaters on May 23, continues the story set up in 2023's Dead Reckoning, weaving together elements from the previous seven films, for what is possibly the last Mission: Impossible movie.

Take a Look Back at Some of the Biggest Stars Who Have Joined the IMF

• Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt

  Tom Cruise has been one of the biggest stars in Hollywood since the '80s. He made his film debut in 1981's Endless Love, but two years later he had his breakout role in Risky Business.

  

  The actor has been the face of the Mission: Impossible franchise since 1996, when he first played secret agent Ethan Hunt. Cruise has starred in all eight Mission: Impossible movies, the most recent being 2025's Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.

• Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell

  Ving Rhames plays computer and tech expert Luther Stickell. Aside from Cruise, Rhames is the only other actor to have appeared in all eight of the Mission: Impossible movies.

  

  Outside of the Mission: Impossible series, Rhames has appeared in multiple other notable TV and movie projects including Pulp Fiction (1994), Con Air (1997), Out of Sight (1998), Bringing Out the Dead (1999), and Don King: Only in America (1997), for which he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture.

• Michelle Monaghan as Julia Meade

  Michelle Monaghan first played Julia Meade, Ethan Hunt's wife, in Mission: Impossible III. She later reprised her role in Ghost Protocol and Fallout.

  

  In addition to Mission: Impossible, Monaghan is also known for her roles in True Detective and the third season of The White Lotus.

• Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn

  Simon Pegg made his first appearance as Benji Dunn, a technician for the Impossible Mission Force (IMF), in Mission: Impossible III. He has been featured in every Mission: Impossible movie since.

  

  When not supporting Ethan Hunt on death-defying missions, Pegg is a favorite of comedy fans for his roles in Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007), and bringing levity to sci-fi action blockbusters like J.J. Abrams' Star Trek trilogy.

• Jeremy Renner as William Brandt

  Jeremy Renner played William Brandt in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation, but did not reprise his role in the three most recent Mission: Impossible.

  

  Renner is also known for his roles in The Hurt Locker (2008), The Town (2010), The Mayor of Kingstown and for playing the superhero Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

• Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust

  Rebecca Ferguson played MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in three Mission: Impossible movies: Rogue Nation, Fallout, and Dead Reckoning.

  

  Ferguson has also appeared in The Greatest Showman (2017), Apple TV+'s Silo, Dune and Dune: Part Two.

• Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis

  Vanessa Kirby portrayed Alanna Mitsopolis, aka the White Widow in Fallout and Dead Reckoning. Alanna has ties to the first Mission: Impossible, as she is the daughter of Max Mitsopolis, played by Vanessa Redgrave in the 1996 original.

  

  Kirby has been part of the Mission: Impossible family since Fallout and has called her costar Cruise "the most passionate actor."

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