Tom Cruise Making Mission Impossible 4

February 9, 2010 by Liam
Filed under: Movie News

Paramount announced today that Tom Cruise will return to the big screen as Special Agent Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible IV to be released Memorial Day 2011. In addition to starring, Cruise will produce along with with J.J. Abrams.

“Tom and J.J. are great talents and we are excited to be working with them to re-launch this legendary franchise,” said Paramount Pictures Chairman & CEO Brad Grey.

Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec will write the script, from an original idea by Cruise and Abrams. Next up is choosing a director. Brian De Palma directed the original in 1996. John Woo directed the first sequel in 2000. David Fincher and Joe Carnahan had been attached to direct the third movie, but dropped out for various reasons. Abrams ended up directing the movie which was released in 2006.

There had been doubts whether the movie would ever get made after the public blowout between Cruise and Paramount owner Sumner Redstone. However, the two patched things up a couple of years ago, Cruise made a cameo in Paramount’s Tropic Thunder and things seem to have gone back to normal. Aside from the fact that Cruise hasn’t had a hit movie since the release of MI 3. Although that could change with the release of Knight and Day in which Cruise stars with Cameron Diaz later this year.

Abrams, meanwhile, directed last year’s Star Trek at Paramount which has earned more than $385 million worldwide.