Tom Cruise rides a motorcycle in backstage photos of Mission Impossible 7

Star of the franchise prints Empire covers this month

Tom Cruise stamped this month’s Empire covers, possibly giving us the first preview of Mission: Impossible 7. The magazine did not reveal whether the photo in the main edition is part of a photo shoot or was taken from a scene in the film, but reported that the alternate cover – which can also be seen below – is a photograph captured by the director of the feature, Christopher McQuarrie. Look:

It's the moment we've all been waiting for. Tom Cruise welcomes us back to a summer at the cinema in the new issue of Empire – and gives us a WORLD EXCLUSIVE interview about his crusade to save the film industry. On sale May 13th. Order online here: https://t.co/HWSwKzOmI5 pic.twitter.com/gXXLtmJI1p

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) May 7, 2021

This month's exclusive subscriber cover features a shot of Cruise taken by Mission: Impossible 7 director and longtime Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie. Newsstand edition on sale Thursday May 13th. READ MORE: https://t.co/ESLFHeuaqj pic.twitter.com/Askq9prZQJ

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) May 7, 2021

In addition to Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg have confirmed returns, while Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter) and Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) have also been announced in the cast.

McQuarrie will direct the sequel, as well as Mission: Impossible 8. He was the only director in the franchise’s history to return for a second film when he took on the Fallout Effect. The sixth Mission: Impossible raised $ 791 million worldwide, and received the Best Action Film award at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

The premiere of Mission: Impossible 7 is scheduled for May 26, 2022 in Brazil. The eighth feature is scheduled for release on July 6, 2023.