Re: the backpack: the location is marked on the map Ethan retrieves from Evans' boot, and I suspect he looked up instead of around because he figured that's where a trained Secret Service agent would be likely to stash a precious bag of gear.

I wonder if S-K are fans of The Boy Least Likely To. Their yellow background final shot looks an awful lot like the cover of the BLLT's "The Best Party Ever" album.

Just sounds like a way to save money on casting.