Impossible franchise, confidently stating he plans to continue making films well into his later years. Known for performing his own daring stunts, Cruise remains a unique and enduring action star whose identity is deeply tied to his role as Ethan Hunt.

Speaking to the good folks at Empire ’s Spoiler Special Podcast, The Final Reckoning helmer spilled state secrets on several aspects of this summer blockbuster. When it came to the potential death of Ethan Hunt, McQuarrie shared that his head was literally in the clouds when pondering it:

Impossible franchise started in 1996, with Tom Cruise playing the ever-resourceful IMF spy Ethan Hunt. The franchise is believed to have wrapped with the recent release, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,