Following yesterday’s news that Jeremy Renner had landed the coveted co-starring role opposite Tom Cruise in the forthcoming fourth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” series, Variety did some digging and have found that far from just another entry in Paramount’s lucrative property, the film will likely be a complete a complete reboot.
According to insiders, the upcoming film will not be “Mission: Impossible 4” nor will the story pick up where “Mission: Impossible 3” ends. While details on the script by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec is being kept tight, unlike previous films where Ethan Hunt worked with a team of agents, in the forthcoming film he will work with only one: Jeremy Renner’s currently unnamed character. Moreover, the title of the film may drop the words “Mission: Impossible” altogether, opting for something a bit more evocative along the lines of “Batman Begins” or “The Dark Knight.”
It’s an interesting, and we think smart, change for the franchise. With Tom Cruise facing fatigue from his North American audience, it’s a clever shift to get him back into a popular franchise while giving it a facelift at the same time. And if you think this will be Cruise’s last appearance as Ethan Hunt, think again. Paramount plans to bring Ethan Hunt for future installments, though Renner is also likely to prominently feature in those films as well.
The Brad Bird directed film will begin production this fall with a globe-trotting shoot that will include Vancouver, Prague, Dubai and the U.S. The currently untitled “Mission: Impossible” film will hit theaters on December 16, 2011.
