Impossible 8 Title Change Inspires A Mass Renaming On Twitter

The same day word surfaced about the title change of «Dead Reckoning Part Two,» news broke that the «Mission: Impossible 8» release date has been delayed from June 2024 to May 23, 2025. The move, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was prompted by the industry-wide work stoppage because of the SAG-AFTRA strike that began in July — just as work was to resume on the film.

With the delayed release, Paramount Pictures will have more time to figure out a subtitle that best replaces «Dead Reckoning Part Two.» The first two sequels to the 1996 original had numerals in their titles. Subsequent chapters feature subtitles, beginning with «Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol» in 2011.

While some of the responses to Variety’s X post had fun with Paramount’s «Mission: Impossible» naming quandary, some users took to the platform to criticize the shortcomings of the title «Dead Reckoning Part One.»

X user @EricJHovland posted, «Someone at Paramount should have told them that including Part 1 in a film title is a surefire way to suppress its box office potential.» Meanwhile, @Goddess_Maxwell posted, «I enjoyed the first ‘Dead Reckoning.’ But it was a bad idea marketing as a ‘part 1’. Even having a cliffhanger, films can be individually named. ‘Empire Strikes Back’ for example.»

One other issue X users pointed out was the illogical idea of a «Dead Reckoning Part One» film existing with no clear follow-up. In his post, @Pat_Kc wrote, «It’s gonna be awkward in the eventual box set with DEAD RECKONING PART ONE with no part 2.»