How's this for a mission impossible? Hollywood legend Tom Cruise is coming to Dallas to eat barbecue, while on a quick Texas tour to promote the latest chapter of his smash film franchise Mission Impossible.
The Top Gun star revealed on Instagram that, as part of a trip to promote Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, he'd be visiting two Texas cities: San Antonio and Dallas.
"On May 22, I'm coming to the great state of Texas," Cruise said in the Instagram video. "I'll be visiting Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio before stopping by some theaters to see you at some of the first screenings of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning."
After the whirlwind tour through Alamo City, he'll hop on a plane to Dallas.
"We're going to fly to Dallas, where I'm going to get some delicious barbecue before going to more theaters to say hello. And I can't wait," he said.
Unfortunately, for now, he's not saying exactly where.
Which BBQ?
If it's a barbecue joint with buzz he's seeking, that would call for a trip to Fort Worth, whose BBQ scene is currently among the buzziest in Texas — so buzzy, it earned a special category in CultureMap's 2025 Tastemaker Awards, with 12 nominees for Best Barbecue of the year. (It's also what chef Tim Love suggests.)
If he's sticking to Dallas proper and looking for a celebrity-endorsed place, his pick would have to be Slow Bone, the BBQ restaurant recently featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. (Slow Bone is all over it with an offer of a Texas nail, their brisket sandwich; Hurtado chimes in and so does Ten 50 BBQ.)
Otherwise, there are older favorites like Pecan Lodge and Lockhart Smokehouse; or two places with Austin roots: Loro and Terry Black's. If he's using CultureMap Dallas' Best Restaurants of 2025 as inspiration, he'll spy Zavala's Barbecue, the family-owned barbecue spot in Grand Prairie, which made the list.
Which movie theater?
Despite its name, The Final Reckoning is not the concluding chapter of the long-running series. In June 2023, Director Christopher McQuarrie told Fandango that the writing team already has ideas for future installments of Ethan Hunt's saga.
Although Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning had its world premiere in Tokyo on May 5 and will screen at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, its official theatrical release is May 23. Sharp-eyed fans might notice several local theaters have matinee showtimes on May 22.
As for which Dallas movie theater he'll visit, if he's going for the best viewing experience, the IMAX at AMC NorthPark or Cinemark Dallas seem like two good bets.
