To join the important news of Britain’s Election result Mission: Impossible IV is on the move for a 2011 release. Pixar director (and Oscar winner) Brad Bird has been hired for this sequel, beating Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) for the gig.
Bird has shown in the past that he is a talented director with the know-how for entertaining action. His filmography includes The Incredibles and Ratatouille, but of course those are both animated features. Misson: Impossible IV would be his first live-action film. But esteemed directors such as Tim Burton and Wes Anderson have proven themselves in both media, so it would be premature to write Bird off. If he can direct live action as good as The Incredibles was animated, the audience is in for a treat.
Tom Cruise is set to return as thesuper-agent Ethan Hunt, hoping to recapture some box-office magic. J.J. Abrams, who directed the previous adventure is staying on as a producer and Josh Appelbaum, a veteran from Alias and other television shows has been recruited to write the script.
The Mission: Impossible film series has proven highly schizophrenic in setting, style and tone. Mission: Impossible was set in realistic black ops division of the CIA and was a more grounded action film. Mission: Impossible II was an over-blown action film with Hunt working for a mysterious organization. Mission: Impossible III was basically an extended episode of Alias, and was the best of the series.
With Abrams staying on in the producer's chair, hopefully the series can develop some consistency. Mission: Impossible IV could fill the void in its scheduled winter 2011 release date that was left when Bond 23 was postponed.
