Tom Cruise to star in 'Mission: Impossible 5'

[Wang Chung]

The last time audiences saw super spy Ethan Hunt on screen in 2011, Lalo Schifrin’s iconic “Mission: Impossible†score seemed to be playing him toward the exit. Jeremy Renner’s William Brandt character had breathed new life into the franchise’s fourth installment, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,†leading to speculation that the “Hurt Locker†lead would take over the reins from star Tom Cruise.

And in “Ghost Protocol’s†final scene – SPOILER ALERT – Cruise as Hunt is shown wistfully reconnecting with his supposedly dead wife (Michelle Monahan). That's a clear violation of the secret agent playbook if there ever was one.

Then a funny thing happened on Ethan Hunt’s trip out to pasture. “Ghost Protocol†took in more $700 million at the box office – a personal best for Cruise, long one of moviedom’s most bankable stars, as well as a financial high-water mark for the already blockbuster “M:I†franchise.

Now Cruise has signed on to reprise his role as the world-beating IMF agent in a fifth “Mission: Impossible†movie. As reported by Deadline Monday and confirmed by franchise distributor Paramount today, the actor will star in and produce the new sequel, developing the project with “Star Trek: Into Darkness†director-producer J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot.

Although Paramount and Skydance Productions (which co-financed and executive produced “Ghost Protocolâ€) have yet to reveal who will write or direct “M:I 5,†Christopher McQuarrie – who directed last year’s Cruise-starring action adventure “Jack Reacher†and wrote Cruise’s 2008 Nazi thriller “Valkyrie†– is reportedly the leading contender to direct the new sequel.

McQuarrie would follow in an illustrious line of “Mission: Impossible†directors: Brian DePalma (responsible for 1996’s movie adaptation of the ‘60s TV series), John Woo (“M:I 2â€), Abrams (M:I 3â€) and animation ace Brad Bird (“Ghost Protocolâ€).

One message designed not to self-destruct in five seconds: The “Mission: Impossible†franchise has earned over $2 billion globally, to rank among Hollywood’s most successful movie series.

My guess is it will suck like parts 2 and 3.

 

[Castiel]

I've only seen Ghost Protocol but I really liked it so I'm down for another. I'll have to watch the others and check out if 2 & 3 really do suck! Lol

 

[Smart Marx]

My guess is it will suck like parts 2 and 3.

Mission: Impossible III was the dope freshness. [MENTION=39]Castiel[/MENTION]

I don't know if we need a fifth one. Some of these series #FastandLame don't know when you've milked a concept to death.

 

[Wang Chung]

Mission: Impossible III was the dope freshness.

It was very dope and extremely rad.

 

[Fuji Vice]

Mission: Impossible III was the dope freshness.

If "dope freshness" is slang for "pile of steaming garbage" then I agree, otherwise I'm not sure what you're talking about. The only Mission Impossible movie I liked was the first one, since it was the only one that seemed like a bit of a mystery. The rest are action spectacles, and not very good ones at that.