Actor Rolf Saxon makes a return to the "Mission: Impossible" franchise in "The Final Reckoning," reprising his role as CIA analyst William Donloe nearly three decades after appearing in the original 1996 film.

Saxon's character has been transferred to Alaska after Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt stole classified documents from CIA headquarters that Donloe oversaw in the first movie.

When Saxon first received the call about returning to the franchise, he thought it was a prank.

"My agent got a call that there's a European film company that wants to ask you about a film. I said, 'Great, OK, who are they. Don't know yet," Saxon said. "So then I found out it was Skydance and I thought 'Oh really'. Yeah, Chris McQuarrie wants to talk to you about 'Mission: Impossible'. And I thought, 'Oh right'. I got a buddy of mine."

Saxon was so skeptical that he believed a friend was pulling an elaborate joke on him.

"I thought that's what it is. That's what it is," he said. "Absolutely 100%, 100% and the address came up online and I thought, 'Oh, he's good'. Oh, this is. I am gonna owe him big time for this."

When director Christopher McQuarrie appeared on camera, Saxon realized it was legitimate.

Saxon said his return doesn't feel triumphant.

"It's a wonderful opportunity but, but actually no, it's like a different job. So it's wonderful coming back but it's not like a triumphant return," he said.

Working with McQuarrie, Saxon approached the character as the same person, aged by 30 years.

"Not from scratch. He is who he was. It's 30 years later. It's a very different situation for him," Saxon said.

The film allowed Saxon to participate in action sequences.

"It was fantastic. Not gonna lie that was pretty exciting stuff. As good as it looks on camera, being involved in it, it's even better," he said.

Saxon said the technology has vastly improved since 1996 and praised Cruise's continued commitment to performing his own stunts.

"No kidding. No kidding. I mean, he is an extraordinary human. I've never met anyone like him - 100% focused," Saxon said. "When you see that motorcycle - I saw it without the CGI - I don't know how he does it. I just...I wouldn't train for it let alone do it."

Saxon said the film serves as the culmination of seven previous films, putting it at No. 8.

"It's a lot of fun, it really is. I've seen it twice now and it's epic."

"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" is now playing in theaters nationwide.