Gladiator II is already one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and its upcoming release is even more exciting now thanks to Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible 8. The Ridley Scott sequel is two decades in the making, shifting the franchise’s focus from Maximus to his son Lucius, with Paul Mescal stepping into the lead role. Gladiator 2‘s cast is star-studded with Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and others set to appear, and their involvement mixed with Scott’s direction of the action epic has left many counting down the days until its release on November 22, 2024.

As one of the last major tentpole releases of the year, Gladiator 2 is positioned to be a major theatrical event for Paramount. It’s the studio’s last significant release of the year, outside of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and nothing that came before or after will be as big. The interest in seeing Gladiator 2 on the big screen is high enough that there is not much else that can happen that can make the film’s impending arrival any sweeter. However, that now appears to have happened thanks to Tom Cruise and Paramount’s plan to begin marketing Mission: Impossible 8.

Mission: Impossible 8’s First Trailer Is Likely Debuting With Gladiator 2’s Release

Simon Pegg Teased Its Release With A Major New Release

Paramount has not officially confirmed that plans for the first Mission: Impossible 8 trailer drop, but Simon Pegg has suggested that it will be paired with Gladiator II‘s release. During an Instagram live Q&A, he talked briefly about the film’s upcoming marketing campaign. Without confirming exactly what he knows, he said the trailer should be coming “quite soon” and that it is “probably attached to a large release coming up.” Pegg didn’t dive into any other specifics, but Gladiator 2 is the clear title he’s alluding to based on the context.

Mission: Impossible 8 is a Paramount release just as Gladiator 2 is, and it is common practice in Hollywood for studios to release trailers for their next major tentpoles alongside other major new releases. Paramount is likely to be doing that with Mission: Impossible 8‘s trailer release. If that is the case, then the first teaser and title reveal should come before Gladiator 2‘s release right before Thanksgiving. As two of the studio’s biggest action franchises, it makes sense to tie the two films together with a coordinated trailer and theatrical release plan.

Gladiator 2 Will Be The First Chance To See Mission: Impossible 8’s Trailer On The Big Screen

The Trailer Can Be Seen As Mission: Impossible Movies Are Meant To Be

Although the Mission: Impossible 8 trailer is sure to debut online ahead of Gladiator 2‘s theatrical showtimes, the likelihood of the teaser playing in front of the film only adds to the excitement. Audiences can now expect to see Tom Cruise attempting new, dangerous stunts right before returning to ancient Rome and watching Lucius’ story unfold. Given how action heavy Gladiator 2 is expected to be, the adrenaline should already be pumping for audiences after watching the Mission: Impossible 8 trailer, which is likely to be the last one shown before the movie begins.

The Mission: Impossible movies are known for having great, thrilling trailers that are even better on the big screen. The first trailer for Mission: Impossible 8 should be no exception, especially as Paramount attempts to rebuild interest after Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning‘s box office underperformance. Tom Cruise’s sequel will want to dazzle audiences and make Mission: Impossible 8 look like the theatrical event of 2025. Getting a glimpse of it on the big screen for the first time with Gladiator 2 can help accomplish that.

When Exactly Will The Mission: Impossible 8 Trailer Be Released?

The Trailer Should Arrive Online Before Gladiator 2’s Release

With Pegg’s tease that the Mission: Impossible 8 trailer is coming soon and surely before Gladiator 2, that leaves Paramount with about a five-week window to share the footage. Predicting trailer release dates is always tricky, as studios can change plans at a whim, but the marketing campaign for possibly the final Mission: Impossible movie could follow the playbook Tom Cruise used before. For reference, the first Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning trailer was released on May 23, 2022, and was in theaters a few days later on May 27, 2022, when Top Gun: Maverick debuted.

It’s possible then that Mission: Impossible 8‘s trailer might be released on November 18, 2024, ahead of Gladiator II‘s release on November 22, 2024. Paramount could move the timing up a bit if a longer gap is wanted, but it is unlikely that the window will be shortened or the trailer will debut in theaters exclusively first before being released online. In any case, Mission: Impossible 8 is poised for a shorter marketing campaign than its predecessor, with the trailer seemingly coming six months before its theatrical release instead of over a year in advance.