How to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order

If you're thinking of watching all Mission: Impossible movies in order ahead of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, you might need some help. The eighth instalment in the action franchise is hitting theaters soon, so this is the perfect time for a Mission: Impossible marathon – here's the best way to do it.

Unlike other longer and more complicated franchises (see our MCU in order and our Star Wars movies in order to see what a twisty timeline looks like), Tom Cruise's action franchise is pretty straightforward. There are no unexpected jumps in time, like in the Fast and Furious timeline, or prequels and any spin-offs muddling things. It's as easy as following the release order. However, most Mission: Impossible films don't include a number in their official title, so you might need to get a refresher on which is which.

Over almost 30 years, the Mission: Impossible saga has followed the top-secret missions of Ethan Hunt, from unexpected betrayals and passionate romance to jaw-dropping stunts and many (many) world-ending threats. The Final Reckoning ends Tom Cruise's journey, and it will most definitely do it with a bang.

Here, we tell you how to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order so you can prepare for a week-long film marathon ahead of the eighth installment in the saga. Mission: Impossible is not the most extensive franchise out there, which means putting together this list is definitely not as difficult as the James Bond movies in order.

Still, you might need a refresher – should you choose to accept it. Don’t worry, this guide won’t self-destruct in five seconds. Here’s how to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order.

How to watch the Mission: Impossible movies in order

Don’t worry too much about chronological order here, it's all about the release dates. There are a handful of flashbacks – most notably, Dead Reckoning includes a brief look back at Ethan’s pre-IMF days – but the series should be watched beginning with 1996’s Mission: Impossible (which technically takes place six years after the TV series it’s based on) and concluding with The Final Reckoning, which is set to be released in theaters on May 23, 2025.

• Mission: Impossible (1996)
• Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
• Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)

If you want to divide up your Mission: Impossible marathon, we’d recommend watching the first four movies in order and then watching Rogue Nation and Fallout in pretty close proximity before heading to the cinemas to see Dead Reckoning. The fifth and sixth movies are most closely connected. Both directed by Chris McQuarrie, they introduce villain Solomon Lane. Dead Reckoning then continues on with multiple relationships and alliances from that pair of missions, with various characters returning.

As for skippable entries: if you're short on time, Mission: Impossible 2 is by far the most disposable. It's a completely self-contained affair with essential no carry-over in future films - which can't be said of every other entry.

For more on Mission: Impossible, check out our latest Dead Reckoning interviews and coverage:

• How Mission: Impossible's Hayley Atwell brought her "scrappy" Dead Reckoning newcomer to life
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’s Hayley Atwell spent 100 days on set before recording dialogue
• Mission: Impossible director on why Dead Reckoning is split into two parts
• Chris McQuarrie opens up on Dead Reckoning: "I’m more frightened now than I was on my first Mission: Impossible"