After Mission: Impossible – Fallout, writer-director Christopher McQuarrie gave the impression that he was going to take a break from the franchise for a while. That didn’t last, though, because it was soon announced McQuarrie reunite with Tom Cruise yet again, and helm both Mission: Impossible 7 and Mission: Impossible 8 back-to-back. This will no doubt be a daunting feat, and McQuarrie isn’t afraid to admit that.

In a new interview, the filmmaker talks about how he’s feeling the pressure to make sure the franchise earns these back-to-back sequels, and his believe that the new films need to “swallow the last three movies whole.”

Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise make a great team. They’ve worked together on several wonderful movies (and also The Mummy), the most notable being the last several Mission: Impossible adventures. Since everyone on the planet knows that the team-up of McQuarrie and Cruise is what makes Mission so memorable, Paramount recruited McQuarrie to make the next two films in the franchise back-to-back.

Now, McQuarrie has to figure out how to top himself. That will be no small feat, since Mission: Impossible – Fallout was thrilling-as-hell. Speaking with Empire, McQuarrie says: “I pitched the idea of making two movies, and now I have to justify why it’s two movies.” While McQuarrie doesn’t give ay specifics on how he’s going to justify this, he does talk about what he hopes the two new sequels achieve:

“You’ve got to earn that. You’ve got to make something that swallows the last three movies whole. I’m freaked out now. We’ve talked ourselves into something. Holy shit.”

Just don’t expect Mission: Impossible 7 or 8 to end up in space. “Here’s the problem with going to the moon: how do you fall from the moon?” McQuarrie says, referring to Tom Cruise’s propensity to jump off really high places and risk his life.

Whatever McQuarrie and Cruise come up with for these films, I’m game. I honestly believe Mission: Impossible is the best film franchise around right now, with each new movie kicking things up a notch. Fallout was a total blast, and I can’t see myself ever growing tired of this franchise as long as Cruise and McQuarrie are working together. Just please bring Rebecca Ferguson back, and give her even more to do. That’s all I ask.

Mission: Impossible 7 will blast into theaters July 23, 2021, and Mission: Impossible 8 will follow on August 5, 2022. Hopefully our boy Tommy Cruise survives making them both.