Every Mission Impossible Mask Reveal, Ranked

Mission: Impossible is famous for its iconic mask reveals, with each movie in the franchise having its own spin on the famous move. The series, which began with the first movie, Mission: Impossible, back in 1996, follows the IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team’s secret missions. The franchise is famous for having some of the most daring and impressive action sequences and stunt work in cinema. The films are well known for their unexpected twists, where characters often use masks to impersonate key figures relevant to their missions.

Mission: Impossible‘s iconic mask tricks are some of the most famous scenes in each movie. From the dramatic tearing off of the prosthetics to the pulling off of the whole mask, these moments are full of surprise, ingenuity, and impressive VFX. With Mission Impossible 8 delayed to 2025, adudiences will have to wait to see the new innovative ways the creators choose to approach the mask reveals. However, with seven Mission: Impossible movies within the franchise, there are plenty of mask reveals that are worth remembering.

16 Benji’s Hypothetical Mask Mission

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

In the fifth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Rogue Nation features an iconic moment where Simon Pegg’s character finally gets to don a mask. The scene features a complex security breach involving a gait analysis system where the characters have to physically exchange data cards within a water turbine. Pegg’s character, Benji, has previously stated his desire to wear a mask, so it’s surprising and slightly disappointing when it’s revealed that the sequence was only part of the team’s theoretical planning and never actually happened.

15 Ethan Poses As Kittridge’s Assistant

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One

In the latest Mission: Impossible film, Dead Reckoning Part One, as Kittridge (Henry Czerny) speaks with the CIA director (Cary Elwes) and other government officials, a seemingly unremarkable assistant hands Kittridge a gas mask. Suddenly, the assistant, revealed to be Ethan in disguise, releases smoke bombs, incapacitating everyone in the room. He then dons another mask, this time of Kittridge himself, to execute a smooth escape. The initial reveal, while entertaining, is somewhat predictable because the film draws unusual attention to the assistant, a character never seen before.

14 Ethan Invades The Kremlin

Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol

To successfully infiltrate the Kremlin in Ghost Protocol, Ethan Hunt adopts the guise of a Russian general, complete with a prosthetic nose and mustache, a disguise intended to deceive the security guards. Though lacking an elaborate full mask, the scene is still entertaining. While evacuating, he swiftly removes his prosthetics and uniform, nonchalantly discarding them in a bush. Lastly, he reverses his jacket, transforming into the inconspicuous garb of an American tourist. This strategic use of disguise, though not as elaborate as others in the series, is clever and fun to watch.

13 Ethan And Stamp Switch Places

Mission: Impossible 2

In Mission: Impossible 2, Ethan Hunt is captured by Sean Ambrose and appears to be executed. The twist is revealed when Ambrose discovers he has mistakenly killed his right-hand man, Stamp (Richard Roxburgh), not Hunt. In a strategic switch, Hunt had disguised himself as Stamp, escaping with the biochemical weapons, a thrilling and theatrical scene that is backed by a hard rock rendition of the iconic Mission: Impossible theme. This moment, despite its predictability in not killing off Tom Cruise’s character, remains an entertaining and classic switcheroo.

12 Ethan Tricks Hunley

Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation

In Rogue Nation, disguised as MI6 director Atlee, Ethan Hunt overhears Hunley (Alec Baldwin) unknowingly lauding his skills while discussing the Syndicate with the U.K. Prime Minister. Hunley praises Ethan as a master of espionage and a “living manifestation of destiny,” capable of transforming into anyone. This ironic scene culminates when Ethan reveals his true identity by removing the Atlee mask. Hunley, who has been very vocal about the fact that he considers Hunt a liability in the past, is taken aback in a humorous moment between the two characters.

11 Kurt Hendricks’ Reveal

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

In Ghost Protocol, Ethan Hunt engages in a fierce struggle with a supposed henchman, revealing the true identity of the villain, Kurt Hendricks, a.k.a. Cobalt (Michael Nyqvist), who hides behind a mask. After Hunt’s daring ascent of the Burj Khalifa, he begins a heart-racing pursuit amidst a blinding sandstorm. At one point, Hunt ends up on top of a speeding car, fighting one of the henchmen. However, when Hunt grabs at the man’s face during the heated confrontation, he begins to tear away bits and pieces of a mask and exposes the henchman actually to be Hendricks.

10 Elevator Mask Peel

Mission: Impossible

In the first Mission: Impossible, Ethan Hunt and his team, equipped with conspicuously large glasses concealing hidden cameras, discreetly enter a gala attended by world leaders to uncover who is leaking IMF secrets. Amidst their stealthy operation, they make a hasty retreat. In a bid to seamlessly merge with the departing crowd, Ethan skillfully removes his rubber mask, allowing him to go unnoticed. It’s one of the first mask reveals in the franchise, setting a precedent for the series and becoming Ethan’s go-to technique for escape.

9 Julia’s Fake Death

Mission: Impossible III

In the third Mission Impossible‘s most climactic scene, Owen Davian (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) captures Ethan Hunt and his fiancée, Julia (Michelle Monaghan). When Hunt awakes, he finds himself staring at a harrowing scene – his finance is tied up with a gun pointed at her head. In a gut-wrenching moment, Davian fires the gun, killing Julia instantly. However, in a shocking twist, Musgrave (Billy Crudup) rips the tape over Julia’s mouth to reveal that the victim is not Julia but Davian’s assistant donning a mask. Julia’s fake death in Mission: Impossible III is one of the franchise’s most surprising twists.

8 Ethan Poses As Jim Phelps

Mission: Impossible

In Brian De Palma’s original Mission: Impossible movie, Ethan Hunt faces a deep betrayal while posing as Jim Phelps (Jon Voight). After recently discovering that his former mentor, Phelps, is the traitor they have been pursuing, he encounters Claire (Emmanuelle Béart) on the train. Hunt is disguised as Phelps, and Claire, believing she’s speaking to Phelps, inadvertently reveals her complicity in the plot to eliminate Ethan. In a stunning turn of events and the movie’s fourth and final mask reveal, Phelps then removes his face mask, revealing himself to be Ethan Hunt. Even with the previous reveals, it’s still an astonishing moment.

7 Benji Poses As Wolf Blitzer

Mission: Impossible — Fallout

Mission: Impossible — Fallout opens with the world on the brink of nuclear catastrophe. Ethan Hunt and Luther (Ving Rhames) interrogate nuclear expert Nils Delbruuk (Kristoffer Joner) to track down the elusive John Lark, when a CNN report by Wolf Blitzer announces nuclear explosions in three major cities. The twist is revealed as a hoax: there were no bombs and the Situation Room was fabricated. In a dramatic moment that wipes the smug look of victory from Delbruuk’s face, the set walls collapse, and Blitzer is revealed to be Benji (Simon Pegg). It’s an utterly satisfying moment in many in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

6 The Very First Mask Reveal

Mission: Impossible

The inaugural mask reveal in the first Mission: Impossible movie is a classic example of the franchise’s iconic trademark. In this scene, a character posing as a Russian agent successfully gathers crucial information for the IMF. Following a swift knock-out of his target, the agent dramatically removes his rubber mask, unveiling none other than Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt beneath. This moment sets the standard for all subsequent Mission: Impossible movies, and although it lacks the finesse of later installments, there’s no doubt that it’s one of cinema’s most iconic moments.

5 Ethan Poses As Owen

Mission: Impossible III

In Mission: Impossible III, Ethan Hunt impersonates Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), one of Mission: Impossible‘s best villains. This is the first time in the franchise that the entire process of creating and applying a mask on Ethan has been shown. The scene captures Tom Cruise skillfully donning a rubber mask of Davian. Thanks to visual effects, Cruise’s transformation into Seymour Hoffman is flawless. The scene employs a technique known as the “Texas switch,” where Seymour Hoffman and Cruise seamlessly alternate in and out of frame.

4 Grace Poses as The White Widow

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One

In Dead Reckoning, the mask-making technology crucial to Ethan and his team faces a significant setback when their AI damages it. This proves particularly challenging for Grace (Hayley Atwell), who needs to impersonate the White Widow (Vanessa Kirby). The mask is somewhat effective but fails to alter Grace’s eyes, a noticeable flaw. Ultimately, Grace gets her own dramatic unmasking, a gratifying twist, especially as Ethan has traditionally been the master of disguises. This moment hints at a potential new direction for the franchise, suggesting Grace might become Ethan’s successor.

3 Benji Tricks Walker

Mission: Impossible — Fallout

In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) tries to arrest Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), suspecting him of being the terrorist John Lark. Hunt incapacitates Hunley and devises a plan where Benji (Simon Pegg) disguises himself as Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). CIA assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill), inadvertently reveals their plan to frame Ethan Hunt while guarding Benji, who he believes to be Lane. The twist unfolds when Walker attempts to unmask Lane, only to find Benji underneath, realizing he’s exposed his own plan. It’s a thrilling exposé demonstrating Hunt’s genius.

2 The Surprise Opening

Mission: Impossible 2

Mission: Impossible 2 begins with what appears to be Ethan Hunt escorting scientist Nekhorvich, who possesses a lethal virus central to the film’s plot, on a flight. Suddenly, hijackers seize control of the plane, and to the audience’s shock, Ethan helps them, killing Nekhorvich and seizing the virus. That’s when the big reveal happens: it’s not actually Ethan, but Ambrose masquerading as him. This surprising twist is a thrilling start to the movie, introducing new dynamics and technology to the franchise. The stick-on voice-changer adds another layer of surprise to the film’s clever use of disguises.

1 Ethan and Ambrose Wear Masks At The Same Time

Mission: Impossible 2

Mission: Impossible 2 breaks the norm by featuring both Ethan and his adversary Ambrose donning masks simultaneously, deceiving the audience. Ethan impersonates scientist Nekhorvich (Rade Šerbedžija) to extract information from McCloy (Brendan Gleeson), while Ambrose disguises himself as Ethan to gain insights into his plans with Nyah (Thandiwe Newton). The brilliance of this sequence lies in the viewers’ unawareness of the switch until the masks are removed. The scenes are skillfully intercut, leading audiences to believe they are witnessing the actual characters, making it the best mask reveal in the Mission: Impossible movies.