J.j. Abrams, Tom Cruise | featured news

Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams successfully restored Ethan Hunt to big-screen glory with "Mission Impossible III," but when "Ghost Protocol" comes our way this December, Abrams will be stepping away from the director's seat in favor of a producer role. But don't worry: the mission is in the very capable hands of Brad Bird, the man ...

Paramount Pictures announced Tuesday that Cruise will be back in front of the camera for "Mission: Impossible IV," due in theaters over Memorial Day weekend in 2011. Cruise and "Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams previously agreed to produce a fourth movie in the action franchise. But it had not been known if Cruise would star again.

MTV recently asked genre-specialist extraordinaire J.J. Abrams about Tom Cruise's involvement in the upcoming "Mission: Impossible 4." Here's what Abrams said:
"The goal would be for that to occur," Abrams said, skirting around actually mentioning anyone or anything by name. So Josh pressed him a little."If I say the words though-- I've seen what you do," the "Star Trek" director said with a smile. "You warp and twist, you make me say things that just break me down." Turning serious again, Abrams acquiesced.

In an interview with MTV News, "Star Trek" rebooter J.J. Abrams said that he would not return to direct the fourth "Mission" Impossible" movie. "I'm producing with Tom," he said recently. "My guess is, given other things, that I will not be directing the movie." Abrams didn't really address rumors claiming that Tom Cruise would not star in this new chapter, but here are a few more things he did say: "I don't want to give anything away yet, but I will say that it's a story that will feel consistent with the world that has been created," he explained.