BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The eighth installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, "Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning," has secured a theatrical release in the Chinese mainland, with its official Weibo account confirming a May 30 debut.

The release will bring Tom Cruise back to one of his most reliable overseas markets, where the "Mission: Impossible" series has grossed around 3.29 billion yuan (about 457 million U.S. dollars) to date, according to data from box office tracker Maoyan.

In this chapter, Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt, a covert operative leading a team of specialists as they confront rogue artificial intelligence that poses an existential threat to global security -- a plotline that reflects cinema's growing preoccupation with AI as both a technological marvel and a potential menace.

Promotional materials spotlight the franchise's continued commitment to practical stunt work, with Cruise reportedly performing sequences involving high-altitude aircraft, deep-sea dives, and chases in extreme cold conditions.

The previous entry, "Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning," earned 349 million yuan in the Chinese mainland in 2023 -- a moderate performance that fell short of earlier installments in a market where Hollywood titles increasingly face the rising dominance of domestic films and shifting audience preferences. ■