Subscribe
Follow Us
When rumors circulated online suggesting Tom Cruise might want Glen Powell to take over the Mission: Impossible franchise, ESPN’s Pat McAfee wasn’t having it. On the Nov. 12 broadcast of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee FaceTimed Powell to address the swirling speculation directly, Variety reports.
After McAfee playfully congratulated Powell on the alleged career transition, the actor quickly denied the claim, citing his mom’s disapproval. “My mom would never let me do that,” Powell joked. He went on to mock the high-risk, high-reward world of Mission: Impossible, calling it “the worst gig in town” and a “death trap” due to the dangerous stunts, referencing Cruise’s daredevil antics such as hanging off a plane and leaping off cliffs.
Powell’s playful tone, punctuated with laughter, led McAfee to humorously suggest, “He’s lying!” The conversation veered into college football talk, but before hanging up, Powell did share some exciting news about his current project, The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright. “It’s gonna be sick!” he teased, leaving fans excited for what’s next.
While Powell may have denied the rumors, the connection between him and Cruise is undeniable, especially given their on-screen chemistry and real-life friendship.
Powell and Cruise: The Perfect Mentee-Mentor Relationship
Though Powell might not be ready to take on Ethan Hunt just yet, comparisons between him and Cruise have been inevitable since his breakout role in Top Gun: Maverick. Powell, who played the cocky naval aviator Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, was cast as the natural counterpart to Cruise’s legendary pilot, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. This role only heightened the public’s perception of Powell as a potential successor to Cruise’s action-hero legacy.
Their friendship, forged on set during Maverick, has continued to grow since. Cruise even gifted Powell flying lessons, which Powell said was an unforgettable gesture. “After I got my pilot's license, there was a little card that just said, ‘Welcome to the skies,’” Powell recalled in an interview, further cementing their bond.
Despite the playful rumors of Powell stepping into Cruise’s iconic shoes, both actors seem to thrive in their own lanes. Cruise, now 62, is still headlining Mission: Impossible films, with the eighth installment, Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, already generating buzz. Meanwhile, Powell is carving out his own path in Hollywood, starring in upcoming projects like The Running Man while also enjoying the success of Top Gun: Maverick.
For now, Glen Powell's future may not lie in taking over Mission: Impossible, but his relationship with Cruise has set him up for success in whatever comes next.
