AceShowbiz - Within the Hollywood landscape, Glen Powell has emerged as an incredibly bright star, who's starred in some truly excellent films. His profile is certainly rising, and it's hard to argue against the notion that he's leading man material. Amid his continued come-up in the industry, it was recently reported that Powell had been tapped to take on a major franchise. Specifically, rumors suggested that he'd been hired to replace Tom Cruise as the lead of the "Mission: Impossible" movies. Powell himself humorously responded to that assertion.

The buzz about the "Hit Man" star allegedly joining the world of "Mission: Impossible" was first reported by The InSneider, which claimed that Tom Cruise wants his "Top Gun: Maverick" co-star to be his successor. ESPN's Pat McAfee and his colleagues discussed this on his show and, seeking answers, McAfee called up Glen Powell live on air. The sports talk show host humorously congratulated the actor on his supposed new gig, leading Powell to share his funny reply: "My mom would never let me do that. That's the worst gig in town, everybody knows that. That's a death trap."

During the call, Powell further elaborated with laughter, prompting McAfee to exclaim, "He's lying!" before shifting their conversation to college football. Powell noted that he was currently on set of Edgar Wright's "[The Running Man]", adding, "It's gonna be sick!"

The trailer for "Mission: Impossible – The Last Reckoning", which is set to release on May 23, 2025, strongly hints that the movie could be the end of the line for Cruise's Ethan Hunt and this era of the franchise. Despite all the speculation, there's no official confirmation whether it will be Cruise's last time in the role or if a successor like Powell might step in.

While the notion of Powell taking over seems wild, there's reason to believe Cruise is considering succession, especially given his age. This scenario isn't new; similar rumors about Jeremy Renner were floated around the time of 2011's Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Ultimately, Cruise has continued to lead the franchise, continually pushing the envelope with jaw-dropping stunts.

There's also the fact that Glen Powell is a busy man. Recently, he was filming his upcoming Hulu show, sports comedy Chad Powers, and collaborating on Edgar Wright's remake of The Running Man. Powell has also been teasing "Top Gun 3". As much as Powell might resemble Cruise's trajectory, tangible evidence is required before fans can believe he'll take on Cruise's storied film series.

Until concrete news surfaces, industry watchers eagerly anticipate what Cruise and his co-stars will unveil in the eighth installment of the M:I franchise. In the meantime, fans can stream the entire Mission: Impossible series and "Top Gun: Maverick" on Paramount+.