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Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the eighth installment in the long-running action franchise led by Tom Cruise. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film is scheduled to release globally on May 23, 2025. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, the movie continues the high-stakes adventures of Ethan Hunt as he faces his most dangerous mission yet.
The film stars Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, alongside returning cast members Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, and Hayley Atwell. Key filming locations include the United Kingdom, Malta, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, and Italy.
These global backdrops provide the setting for a variety of action sequences, chase scenes, and pivotal plot developments that define the franchise.
According to the official synopsis, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning follows Ethan Hunt and the IMF team as they confront a mysterious global threat with ties to past missions.
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Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning global filming locations
Filming for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning took place at various international destinations, reinforcing the film’s theme of global espionage. These locations were carefully selected to match the ambitious scale of the story.
Each setting provided not only visual grandeur but also logistical and cinematic opportunities aligned with the narrative pace of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
London, England
London served as one of the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning's most frequently used backdrops. Iconic landmarks such as the Natural History Museum, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Bridge, and Trafalgar Square were prominently featured. A scene was filmed at a fictional “Trafalgar Square Station” constructed for the movie, with actors emerging into a tense crowd sequence.
Blackfriars Bridge and the rooftops of St Paul’s Cathedral were also used for chase scenes. Tom Cruise's well-known rooftop sprinting stunts continued in this installment, supported by Film London's location access and logistical aid.
Lake District and Derbyshire, UK
The Lake District in Cumbria, specifically Buttermere Valley, was used for dramatic aerial visuals and car chases across winding countryside roads. In Derbyshire, Middleton Mine provided a network of limestone tunnels used in high-intensity underground scenes.
These remote and rugged British landscapes offered a contrast to urban set pieces, giving Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning a geographical diversity and suspenseful tone.
Norway
Scenes were filmed in Svalbard and Aurland, capturing Arctic visuals and mountain terrain. Svalbard’s freezing temperatures and remote location added authenticity to scenes involving a CIA sonar array. Hayley Atwell confirmed the harsh filming conditions in an interview with People magazine, published on May 22, 2025, noting the impact of the climate on the film's tension.
A cliff-top motorcycle stunt sequence was filmed on Helsetkopen Mountain in Hellesylt, continuing the franchise’s tradition of filming gravity-defying scenes in real environments.
South Africa
Filming in South Africa included locations such as Blyde River Canyon, the Drakensberg mountains, and the Wild Coast. A standout aerial sequence involving a biplane was filmed here, with Tom Cruise performing his own stunts above these landscapes.
According to the production team, the sequence took over four months to complete, with rehearsals held at Duxford Airfield in the UK before execution on site.
Malta
In Malta, coastal visuals and fortified cityscapes in Valletta provided the backdrop for espionage-focused scenes.
While exact filming locations in Malta remain under wraps, reports confirm that several historical structures and ports in the capital were used to capture the aesthetic of high-stakes international missions.
Italy (Puglia)
Though no land-based filming took place in Italy, the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush was used for ocean-based scenes off the coast of Puglia. The ship was stationed in Italian waters for logistical reasons, serving as the set for scenes involving submarine recovery missions.
Longcross Studios, Surrey
Interior shots and underwater sequences were filmed at Longcross Studios. The studio’s advanced water tanks were utilized to recreate submerged environments, such as the sunken Russian submarine Sevastopol.
Director Christopher McQuarrie participated in underwater filming along with Tom Cruise, maintaining the franchise's commitment to real-location authenticity.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning behind the scenes and production insights
In an interview with Film London published on May 20, 2025, Supervising Location Manager Ben Browning Firminger shared insights about the franchise's long-running use of London, saying:
"There aren’t many London locations Mission: Impossible hasn’t shot at over the years, from Tower of London to St Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern, and most recently Trafalgar Square."
He also recalled the challenges faced during filming, especially after Cruise’s on-set injury,
"We did have to return to London for the chase sequence over Blackfriars Station roof, as after Tom’s injury we had a hiatus while he recovered."
Discussing the scale of location scouting and prep work for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Firminger noted:
"You are often given a blank slate by director Christopher McQuarrie, and told to go and find the coolest and most unique looking locations from around the world, to give him inspiration for what could be shot there."
On the importance of realism, he added:
"It’s extremely important. It’s becoming less and less common these days that action sequences are shot for real, with real stunts taking place. Without the passion of filmmakers and actors to push the limits, we risk losing that realistic, authentic feel."
Christopher McQuarrie returned as both director and co-writer, continuing his collaboration with Tom Cruise that began in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Erik Jendresen joined him on the screenplay, and the production was managed by Skydance Media and Paramount Pictures.
Filming for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning began in 2022 and took place in over 10 countries. The team encountered challenges due to global travel restrictions and adjusted their plans by altering location schedules.
McQuarrie explained in an interview with Film London published on May 20, 2025:
"Flexibility was key. We had to pivot and innovate to maintain momentum."
According to IMDb, cinematographer Fraser Taggart led the visual direction while Wade Eastwood handled action choreography. Eastwood had previously worked on other Mission: Impossible entries. Composer Lorne Balfe contributed the score, incorporating orchestral and electronic elements.
Stunts were performed as practically as possible. In a segment featured by Visit Britain, it was confirmed that Tom Cruise piloted a biplane for the opening sequence of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Additional interior scenes were built at Pinewood Studios to recreate detailed settings that matched international locations. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is positioned as the conclusion to nearly thirty years of interconnected films in the franchise.
According to production sources, the film incorporates practical effects, a wide range of filming locations, and a storyline that integrates key plotlines from earlier entries into a single narrative structure.
