Death-defying stunts. Jaw-dropping twists. Globe-trotting scenes. No other action franchise has captivated the audience more than Mission: Impossible.

Here’s what we think: Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt. No other actor will go to the lengths of hanging on the side of the plane to satisfy fans! He has kept us on the edge of our seats with each installment. And after 25 years, we still want more…

Thankfully, there are a lot of MI movies to go around. If you’re itching for a dose of adrenaline, it may be time for some Ethan Hunt fan fest. Download BlueStacks on your PC for a smooth streaming experience.

Here’s the best order to watch Mission: Impossible. Let’s go all the way back to 1996, when it first started.

Best order to watch Mission: Impossible

So far, seven MI movies have been released. The eighth installment, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two will be out next year. The best way to watch Mission: Impossible movies is by release date. No need to overcomplicate things because the timeline is pretty straightforward.

Mission: Impossible (1996)

In the first movie, the IMF (a fictional secret spy organization) is introduced, and with it—Ethan Hunt, our dashing agent. Hunt is suspected as a mole after a whole team of agents is killed, and he is left as the only survivor. He assembles a new team to prove his innocence and goes on an action-packed mission to find out who framed him. It’s a thrilling setup for what will become a decades-long journey.

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

Many believe the second installment is “skippable”, but we beg to disagree. Directed by John Woo, this sequel is brimming with edge-of-your-seat action scenes. The plot centers on Hunt recovering a bioweapon from a nefarious scientist. Feast your eyes on lots of chase scenes and explosive stuntwork, John Woo style.

Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

In Mission: Impossible 3, Hunt retires from fieldwork to focus on his personal life and fianceé. Not long enough, he is forced to go back when an arms dealer kidnaps his love interest (Michelle Monaghan). This installment marks J.J. Abrams’ directorial debut and also the first time Hunt’s love interest entered the picture.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Ghost Protocol marks the beginning of the new age of MI movies, successfully reviving the franchise. Hunt and his team are framed for a Kremlin bombing, and they must find “Cobalt” before he launches a nuclear attack. Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa proved how willing he is to push the limits. The risk paid off big time and set a new standard for action movies. 

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

The thrill continues on Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, with new director Christopher McQuarrie joining the franchise. Ethan Hunt and his team face off with the terrorist organization Syndicate. Hunt’s mission is to stop Syndicate’s terror attacks and assassinations. Rebecca Ferguson makes her first appearance in this installment and has proven to be a valuable member of Hunt’s team.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible Fallout has been hailed as one of the best action movies of all time. It is also the highest-grossing of all the installments, earning $791 million at the box office. Set two years after its predecessor, this movie follows another showdown with the Syndicate group—now rebranded as The Apostles. Hunt leads his team, now joined by August Walker (Henry Cavill), to recover plutonium cores from the dangerous organization. One-upping all his previous stunts, Cruise does an aerial sequence in a helicopter, giving the audience another climactic scene to remember. The Cruise-and-Cavill showdown will also go down in history as one of the most intense fight scenes of the franchise.

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

The latest installment, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning has been divided into two parts. Delayed by a global pandemic and writers’ strikes, the first part was released in 2023, and the second one won’t be out until 2025. The first chapter of the two-part saga sees our favorite spy battling a foe he hasn’t faced before—artificial intelligence. The all-knowing Entity challenges Hunt’s personal limits to protect the world. While this film was a certified box-office hit, the multiple delays, reshoots, and pandemic safety measures increased production costs, making it one of the most expensive in the franchise. 

When Is Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part Two coming out?

What’s next? Fans of the franchise are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the Dead Reckoning. Part two is slated for release on May 23, 2025. The plot for the movie has been kept under wraps but will most likely follow the story of Part One. We foresee Hunt continuing his search for the Entity. Gabriel will resurface for another intense confrontation. Maybe a big plot twist is in store for a grand conclusion. Excited? So are we.

Which among these Mission: Impossible movies are your favorites?