Brace yourselves, Marvel fans: Peggy Carter, has joined the Mission: Impossible franchise. Following an announcement last week, Hayley Atwell herself later confirmed that she has signed on for both Mission: Impossible 7 and 8. In addition, she also noted that she’d be playing in a leading role opposite Tom Cruise.

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Hayley Atwell confirms Mission: Impossible role via Instagram

Atwell posted the following on her Instagram account:

“I’m thrilled to have joined @tomcruise and @christophermcquarrie for the next TWO Mission Impossible movies. To have gone from a classical play in the west-end to an audio book recording of a great new novel to a Disney/Marvel animation and now the female lead in a huge action franchise is the kind of variety that fuels my curiosity and keeps me learning and striving to be better and do better. I can’t wait to start sharing this adventure with you. Mostly in the form of effusive, sweaty ranting about stunt training while spontaneously vomiting with excitement/exhaustion. Lucky you.”

Hayley Atwell, Instagram post on 9/13/19

Hayley’s Mission, should she choose to accept it…

Hayley Atwell is the first big cast member to actually be confirmed. However, we should expect to see past IMF agents Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, Paula Patton and/or Sean Harris. Paramount will film Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 back-to-back as it will be a two-part story. Given this fact, past cast members could show up in any capacity in either film.

Hayley Atwell

Atwell confirming that she is playing a female lead does not mean that she will be the only female lead.  We highly suspect that Rebecca Ferguson will return to reprise her role as Ilsa Faust in these franchise sequels. Ferguson’s last project Dune is done filming and Mission: Impossible 7 is listed as her next project on IMDb.com.

Mission: Impossible 7 is due out in theaters on July 23, 2021. We expect Mission: Impossible 8 to follow the following year on August 5, 2022.