With Tom Cruise’s latest movie Knight and Day having received a rather lukewarm and indifferent reception over in the United States, and set to receive it’s U.K. release on August 6th, rumours and speculation about the future of the next Mission Impossible movie have already started flying; including an unconfirmed report that Tom would be replaced by a younger lead, and possibly only receive a cameo role.
J.J. Abrams (Lost) worked on the story with October Road’s Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum (with the latter two writing the script), and while there have been no official plot details leaked as of yet, all signs still point to Cruise returning as secret agent Ethan Hunt, and receiving the full leading role; something that he’s in a position to angle for as not only has he led the franchise’s first three films, but he’s produced the planned sequel, along with Abrams and Paula Wagner (The Last Samurai).
Paramount has yet to officially greenlight the picture, although Brad Bird (Ratatouille) is currently attached to direct, and has already begun meeting with potential cast members; including Shaun of the Dead himself (Simon Pegg), who will be returning to the series and reprising his role from the third film as lab-tech Benji Dunn (provided that negotiations go well).
Jami Gertz (Still Standing) is also attached to the film, and due to play a character known as Kacey Samson, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers (star of TV’s The Tudors, and Shelter) also rumoured to be returning as Declan Gormley (another member of Ethan’s team), in the movie that’s likely to begin filming this September, and slated for a release date next year.
