Glen Powell Shuts Down Rumors of Him Replacing Tom Cruise in ‘Mission Impossible’ Franchise

Glen Powell and Tom Cruise attend the South Korea red carpet for "Top Gun: Maverick" at Lotte World in Seoul. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Glen Powell addressed rumors that he would replace co-star Tom Cruise as the leading character in the “Mission Impossible” franchise.

During Tuesday’s broadcast of “The Pat McAfee Show,” the host called Powell to ask about a report alleging that Cruise wanted the “Twisters” star to take over as the lead for potential upcoming films.

“They just broke some massive news about you and your future, and we just wanted to say congratulations,” McAfee told Powell, who then asked what news the host was referring to.

McAfee then read aloud a headline from X that wrote, “Tom Cruise reportedly wants Glen Powell to replace him and lead the ‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ franchise in potential future installments. (Via: @TheInSneider)”

“My mom would never let me do that,” Powell replied after McAfee read the post, “It’s a death trap.”

The action-packed spy movie collection is widely recognized for the high-risk stunts Cruise performs throughout the seven films, including holding his breath underwater for six minutes, climbing Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and free-falling from a helicopter.

The franchise’s next installment, “Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning,” will be released in May of next year.

Powell starred alongside Cruise in the 2022 blockbuster hit “Top Gun: Maverick,” which is set to be followed by an upcoming sequel, People reported in March.

Powell’s Parents

Powell has a close relationship with his mother, Cyndy Powell, and father, Glen Powell Sr. The couple has appeared in all of their son’s movies since his feature film debut in “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.”

“They’ve made it since ‘Spy Kids 3,’” Powell said of his parents’ movie cameos during a July interview with Today, “Literally since ‘Spy Kids 3,’ I think they have been in every single one.”

During a screening of his movie “Hit Man” in May, Powell was joined by his parents on the red carpet, where they held up cardboard signs behind the actor, teasing him.

“Stop trying to make Glen Powell happen,” Cyndy’s sign read.

“It’s never gonna happen,” read Glen Sr.’s sign as he stood alongside his wife.

Powell, who would also be inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame that same day, is seen laughing and smiling in front of the signs while being a good sport about the playful stunt.

US actor Glen Powell’s parents hold up signs behind him as they attend the special screening of "Hitman" at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, on May 15, 2024. Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images

“Well, my family–always my mom and my dad–are known for kind of trolling me a bit,” the “Anyone But You” star shared with Entertainment Tonight, noting that the signs were inspired by mean posts on X.

“I don’t read tweets, but my parents read tweets. So if you’re talking [expletive], know that my parents are reading those tweets.”

“They thought that was going to be a funny idea, so I loved it,” he added. “Even though they troll me, they support me in every way.”

Powell’s Career

Born October 21, 1988, in Austin, Texas, Powell made his film debut in 2003’s “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over,” followed by Denzel Washington’s “The Great Debaters” in 2007.

After connecting with Washington’s agent, Ed Limato, who signed Powell as a client, the Texas native moved to Hollywood after his first year of college. Powell went on to appear in films such as 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” 2016’s “Hidden Figures,” and 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” alongside Cruise.

Powell’s most recent projects include the 2023 romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” where he starred opposite Sydney Sweeney, 2023’s “Hit Man,” and 2024’s “Twisters,” a sequel to Jan de Bont’s 1996 film “Twister.”

The 36-year-old actor recently moved from Los Angeles back to his hometown, a decision inspired by fellow Texas native and actor Matthew McConaughey.

“He’s like, ‘Hollywood is the Matrix, man. You plug in and it’s all fake world,’” said Powell of McConaughey in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“He’s like, ‘Then I go to Austin, and I unplug. It’s all real. Those are my friends, that’s my family, my actions matter there.’ And he’s right. If you’re here, you live in the Matrix all the time, there’s no separation of those worlds,” he added. “And for me, especially as my parents get older and my niece and nephew are growing up, I want a separation of those worlds.”

Powell will star in the upcoming film “The Running Man,” set to release in 2025.