Mission: Impossible 8: Tom Cruise Confirms Major Cast Update Amid Delays

Stephen Oyoung is set to join the Mission: Impossible franchise. According to Deadline, the actor and stunt performer has been cast in the eighth installment in an undisclosed role. Oyoung, known for his work as a fight choreographer on films like 47 Ronin and The Equalizer, has also made appearances in various TV dramas such as NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, and Good Trouble.

Expressing his excitement on Instagram, Stephen Oyoung wrote, “Mission accepted! Thank you to Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie for having me along for the ride. An absolute dream come true and an incredible master class in filmmaking every day! Can’t wait for you all to see it!”

Details around Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two remain under wraps. Led by Tom Cruise, the Hollywood star has been seen filming scenes across the UK in recent months.

Earlier this year, Cruise stepped into his iconic role as Ethan Hunt to shoot at notable locations such as the Natural History Museum in Kensington and Westminster Bridge. Filming has also taken place in Derbyshire and Surrey.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. In May, production faced a significant setback after a technical malfunction. According to The Mirror, a malfunction with a £23 million submarine’s gimbal caused delays, halting the shoot. Repairs are ongoing, though Tom Cruise has yet to comment on these reports.

Currently, the eighth installment’s premiere is set for May 23, 2025. The film was initially scheduled for a 2024 release, but production was delayed following last year’s SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Alongside Tom Cruise and newcomer Stephen Oyoung, fans can look forward to the return of Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, and Pom Klementieff in the sequel.

While the plot details are top secret, director Christopher McQuarrie has hinted at some exciting elements. Speaking to Collider, McQuarrie revealed there will be an epic underwater sequence in Part Two. “Tom and I are constantly reevaluating our own work and asking ourselves how we could have done it better,” he explained.

“We’ve done underwater sequences previously. We’ve worked underwater in Edge of Tomorrow, and we worked underwater in Rogue Nation, and we left very dissatisfied with those sequences. We analyze why we were dissatisfied. What were all the factors working against us? The biggest being, not having real knowledge in that area. Everything you’re looking at in Dead Reckoning is the application of knowledge from previous sequences,” McQuarrie added.

Source: Deadline, The Mirror, Collider