http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56202 I wonder if Star Trek XI being a hit had anything to do with this? Looks interesting. I liked the third movie the most from the trilogy.
In the movie, Ethan Hunt will use the Rambaldi Box to investigate The Pattern which will lead him to The Island where Nero awaits. I don't think Abrams should direct. If anything, this franchise has been aided by having a different director/composer for each movie.
Aside from the pretty excellent first film, and the bit of the third set in the Vatican, the MI films have quite obviously not been remotely what I'd want from a Mission Impossible film. Rather than a film about a team of experts using guile and technology to do something impossible they're about Tom Cruise trying (and failing) to be James Bond. That said the 3rd one was a lot better than the second...
From what I've read, this will be a "pass the baton" film, opening it up for another two films after this one. Although I can't see Cruise letting go of anything, I always imagine him at home cradled in the fetal position because he doesn't want to give a pot of yougurt to his children. "No, it's mine! The delicious taste of Munch Bunch is all mine!"
I thought the third one was by far the best, the first one I could really say was a really good movie. The first was okay, the second was a pretty good action movie, but derivative and generic. The third one really had me hooked. So I'm glad to see JJ back. I can see the point of having different directors for each and the different tone that each brings. OTOH, that's led to a somewhat disjointed series, with little continuity or consistency between the movies. De Palma's pseudo Hitchcock spy mystery, followed by Woo's typical bullet-ballet fest, followed by Abrams' grittier revenge story. I'd be happy for something that was like part III. Though I understand that Abrams will merely write and produce, not direct.
Mission Impossible 3 was quite good my favourite one to date and great choice to keep J.J onboard though they be wise to dump Cruise who is damaged goods. J.J Most Wanted Man In Hollywood
This is good news. I enjoyed the third movie (I liked the first better, but both were better than the second). Hopefully it's a solid movie.
I've enjoyed all the MI movies, I just wish they where more like the series. The MI movie series is more like a generic spy action movie. At the end of most MI tv episodes the villain was alive but totally screwed and didn't really know what the hell had just happened. But trying to make a movie like that would probably get bashed for being too cerebral, with people saying why didn't they just shoot the bad guy.
The first film is the only one that is any good. The second is a flashy James Bond knock-off with a convoluted plot. The third is too similar to the first film, with Abram's Alias influence. Really, what I'd like to see is an entire movie that replicates the team mission aspect of the first 20 minutes of the first film. The sequels have been all too much of Hunt on his own for my taste.
The real problem is that the best Mission Impossible movie is the Soderbergh version of Ocean's 11...
I really liked M:I:3, much more than the first two films. I can't deny that the third film invoked a similarity to "Alias" in more ways than one, but I think it went the furthest in terms of an ensemble cast. The first two films were really all about Ethan Hunt, while the third acknowledged a team working together (and that Ethan actually needs to rely on them to save the day; sometimes he can't do it alone). I'm not sure that we need another Mission: Impossible film. In fact, I would prefer not to make another sequel. However, I'm happy that Abrams will be involved in some capacity. I don't think he'll direct it, though.
I wonder what the unused Oliver Stone Mission: Impossible 2 idea was. The unused Joe Carnahan Mission: Impossible 3 idea probably doesn't fit with this franchise.
I recall hearing something about organ traders (the Carnaghan version). Doesn't sound like summer blockbuster material but that's what I remember the talk being at the time. I can't remember what the Stone MI2 would have been about. I think it may have been the same plot as the Woo movie.
Here's a description of what Stone's script was reported to be about: And here's Joe Carnahan talking about his version of Mission: Impossible III:
I'd be surprised if he directed. I'd imagine JJ will try to use his Star Trek clout to do something more original (in which he'd have a bigger stake).