Women take center stage in ‘Mission: Impossible’

Get ready for a thrilling ride as the women of the latest “Mission: Impossible” make their mark in “Dead Reckoning Part One.” Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Hayley Atwell bring their A-game to this action-packed installment.

Ferguson, a seasoned franchise veteran known for her role as Ilsa Faust, reveals that this film showcases her most awe-inspiring action sequences yet.

Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Vanessa Kirby bring their A-game to this action-packed installment with Tom Cruise. PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES INTERNATIONAL

“What's the point in doing a Mission movie if you're not going to do the odd stunt?” Ferguson questions. She credits the unpredictability and intense training as reasons why the “Mission” series holds a special place in her heart. From knife fights to gun battles, and now even a sword fight, Ferguson's Ilsa fearlessly takes on new challenges.

Director Christopher McQuarrie, who joined the franchise in “Rogue Nation,” alongside Ferguson and Tom Cruise, emphasizes that they refuse to fall into the clichéd spy genre traps. The relationship between Ilsa and Ethan is far from a typical love interest scenario. McQuarrie asserts, “I was never interested in Ilsa, just being a typical love interest for Ethan.”

Another familiar face returning in “Dead Reckoning Part One” is Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis, alias The White Widow, who first appeared in “Fallout.” This time, Kirby promises more twists and turns, with higher stakes for her morally fluid character. The White Widow finds herself at the center of a dangerous network of spies, smugglers, and cutthroats, confronting complex emotional challenges.

Keeping with tradition, “Dead Reckoning Part One” introduces a new ensemble of dynamic and formidable characters. One standout is Hayley Atwell's Grace, described as an artful dodger and a lone wolf. When Grace steals a powerful weapon from Ethan at the film's outset, the CIA sets its sights on both of them, igniting a globe-trotting chase. Atwell teases a flirty, fun, and spontaneous dynamic between Grace and Ethan, creating unexpected chemistry.

“The more she exasperates him, the funnier it becomes,” Atwell adds.

Be amazed when Ferguson, Kirby and Atwell kick some serious butt as “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” opens July 12.