126 replies to this topic

[marktmurphy]

Interesting stuff: Brad Bird is to direct.

Brad Bird, director of Pixar hit The Incredibles, is to helm the fourth Mission: Impossible film, its star Tom Cruise has confirmed.

"Everything's signed... Brad is doing it," the actor told Empire magazine, calling Bird "enormously talented".

Paramount Pictures confirmed Cruise would star in a fourth Mission - to be co-produced by Mission: Impossible III director JJ Abrams - earlier this year.

Well, that's a surprise. It at least shows a bit of a return to getting interesting directors involved in M:I, after the slightly less stylish Abrams for the last one.
It'll be fascinating to see if his live action stuff will be as good as his animated stuff. And we can be sure that the composer of the last film will return!

He's a more interesting prospect than Abrams was; I'll be curious to see how this goes.

[Safari Suit]

Yep, very interesting choice. Very risky, but also very interesting, which makes it a pleasant surprise.

[Loomis]

Is THE INCREDIBLES worth seeing?

In another bit of interesting news, it seems that MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV will be a December 2011 release, making it the first film of the series not to hit cinemas in the summer.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44972

[sharpshooter]

Is THE INCREDIBLES worth seeing?

Absolutely.

[Diabolik]

Interesting stuff: Brad Bird is to direct.

Brad Bird, director of Pixar hit The Incredibles, is to helm the fourth Mission: Impossible film, its star Tom Cruise has confirmed.

"Everything's signed... Brad is doing it," the actor told Empire magazine, calling Bird "enormously talented".

Paramount Pictures confirmed Cruise would star in a fourth Mission - to be co-produced by Mission: Impossible III director JJ Abrams - earlier this year.

Well, that's a surprise. It at least shows a bit of a return to getting interesting directors involved in M:I, after the slightly less stylish Abrams for the last one.
It'll be fascinating to see if his live action stuff will be as good as his animated stuff. And we can be sure that the composer of the last film will return!

He's a more interesting prospect than Abrams was; I'll be curious to see how this goes.

I'd have to disagree about Abrams. JJ was the only one to get the classic M:I feel right in the movie series. The first one was just a travesty making Jim Phelps a traitor (that would be like making James Bond a traitor). The second one was just another convoluted "mano-a-mano" John Woo film.

I'm glad Abrams is producing, which means this one will have his touch. Hopefully he'll write it, too, or at least plot it. Bird is an odd choice, having never directed live-action (which is a hell of a lot different than animation), but The Incredibles was a well-crafted film, so we'll see....

[marktmurphy]

Is THE INCREDIBLES worth seeing?

More to the point: why haven't you seen it? It's fantastic!

I'd have to disagree about Abrams. JJ was the only one to get the classic M:I feel right in the movie series.

Not really, though: he certainly ditched the setup as quick as he could, just as those before him. And anyway: the TV series was a pretty bland affair. I don't want a film to feel like a cheap TV series: I want it cinematic.

The first one was just a travesty making Jim Phelps a traitor (that would be like making James Bond a traitor). The second one was just another convoluted "mano-a-mano" John Woo film.

Bleh; don't care about the Phelps business- that doesn't make it a bad film; only fanboys get upset about that sort of thing. It's a cracking spy film and feels like a proper boys' thriller.
The second is a slightly less superior action movie (not a spy one, sadly) but at least has a director with a bit of style and flair behind it.

I don't hate Abrams, but I think he found his legs with Star Trek.

I'm glad Abrams is producing, which means this one will have his touch. Hopefully he'll write it, too, or at least plot it. Bird is an odd choice, having never directed live-action (which is a hell of a lot different than animation), but The Incredibles was a well-crafted film, so we'll see....

I'd rather a surprising choice than a dull one, and his work is full of wit and style, and he certainly knows his way around an action sequence (I love the Dash chase in Incrdibles, and the climax to Up is terrific).

[Safari Suit]

The first one was just a travesty making Jim Phelps a traitor (that would be like making James Bond a traitor). The second one was just another convoluted "mano-a-mano" John Woo film.

Bleh; don't care about the Phelps business- that doesn't make it a bad film; only fanboys get upset about that sort of thing. It's a cracking spy film and feels like a proper boys' thriller.
The second is a slightly less superior action movie (not a spy one, sadly) but at least has a director with a bit of style and flair behind it.

QFT. I feel sorry for people who were upset by the plot twist in the first M:I film, and I'm sure there are similar (theoretical) adaptations that would upset me in the same way, but to call the whole film a "travesty" (seemingly) because of that one aspect (as many do) strikes me as taking a depressingly narrow view.

"How dare a film "surprise" me!?! I want it to be exactly what I expect and nothing more!"

[Dekard77]

If the TV series main hero character is Jim Phelps, I guess you can call it a travesty to turn him into a traitor. Least they could have done is give Jim Phelps name to Cruise and Voight to be named Hunt. It was a rather unnecessary blunder done more so to suit the lead stars' high profile status.

If they wanted to start fresh then should have just kept the theme song and given all new names.

[Loomis]

Is THE INCREDIBLES worth seeing?

More to the point: why haven't you seen it? It's fantastic!

Oh yes? Well, I've ordered a copy.

[Turn]

Note to Bird, Abrams, Cruise, etc.: Can we please get away from the traitor in the organization part of the storyline for this one?

Was that the only type of scenario the creative teams of big-budget spy films could think up in the last 15 years?

Otherwise, bring it on. I love the M:I series.

[Dekard77]

Note to Bird, Abrams, Cruise, etc.: Can we please get away from the traitor in the organization part of the storyline for this one?

Was that the only type of scenario the creative teams of big-budget spy films could think up in the last 15 years?

Otherwise, bring it on. I love the M:I series.

YES YES pls the insider ploy no longer working !

[DanMan]

Is THE INCREDIBLES worth seeing?

More to the point: why haven't you seen it? It's fantastic!

Oh yes? Well, I've ordered a copy.

Your going to love it, Loomis. It's a fun little adventure and it's a great homage to the Gilbert Era Bond films with the bombastic Barry-esque score as well as fantastic gadgets, vehicles & and underground lairs. I absolutely can't wait to see was Bird is going to do with MI.

[Loomis]

I thought the score was by Barry himself, but checked the IMDb just now and found that, sadly, it isn't (apparently, Barry hasn't scored a film since 2001's ENIGMA).

Still, I've heard nothing but good things about THE INCREDIBLES and look forward to seeing it.

[marktmurphy]

Note to Bird, Abrams, Cruise, etc.: Can we please get away from the traitor in the organization part of the storyline for this one?

Was that the only type of scenario the creative teams of big-budget spy films could think up in the last 15 years?

Otherwise, bring it on. I love the M:I series.

That is the storyline to all three MI films; can you believe it? And they need to get away from the 'acrobatics to retrieve macguffin from high security location' bit too. Again: all three films.

I thought the score was by Barry himself, but checked the IMDb just now and found that, sadly, it isn't (apparently, Barry hasn't scored a film since 2001's ENIGMA).

Still, I've heard nothing but good things about THE INCREDIBLES and look forward to seeing it.

What a shame we didn't talk about this a few months back: you could have watched it for free on iPlayer!

[Diabolik]

If the TV series main hero character is Jim Phelps, I guess you can call it a travesty to turn him into a traitor. Least they could have done is give Jim Phelps name to Cruise and Voight to be named Hunt. It was a rather unnecessary blunder done more so to suit the lead stars' high profile status.

If they wanted to start fresh then should have just kept the theme song and given all new names.

My "fanboy" hope for M:I4, is to have a M:I twist that the Jim Phelps in M:I1 was an imposter and the real Jim Phelps is being held captive in a foreign country and Cruise & Co. must get him out using their unique abilities. I would have loved to see Peter Graves in the role, but since he died, Voight would do.

Edited by Diabolik, 09 May 2010 - 07:36 PM.

[marktmurphy]

If the TV series main hero character is Jim Phelps, I guess you can call it a travesty to turn him into a traitor. Least they could have done is give Jim Phelps name to Cruise and Voight to be named Hunt. It was a rather unnecessary blunder done more so to suit the lead stars' high profile status.

If they wanted to start fresh then should have just kept the theme song and given all new names.

My "fanboy" hope for M:I4, is to have a M:I twist that the Jim Phelps in M:I1 was an imposter and the real Jim Phelps is being held captive in a foreign country and Cruise & Co. must get him out using their unique abilities. I would have loved to see Peter Graves in the role, but since he died, Voight would do.

As a lot of people seem to have an issue with it, I wouldn't mind a quick mention that 'Jim Phelps' was a codename that they stopped using; something like that, so that people could take from that that Voight wasn't the original Phelps.

[The Richmond Spy]

Oh c'mon, the "Job/Job" scene in the first one was nothing short of brilliant

These are fun films as long as you don't take them seriously and ignore their origins. Just turn off your brain for ~2 hours.

[Loomis]

Just seen THE INCREDIBLES. It is indeed terrific entertainment, and very funny, although it's perhaps a bit overlong and the first half hour or so is by far the wittiest and best. Rather like UP, it settles after an extremely strong start into being more or less just an action romp - but what an action romp!

Disregarding these minor quibbles - as well as the barefaced cheek of its borrowings from WATCHMEN and TRUE LIES (although perhaps we can be more charitable and call it homage instead of ripoff, as with the copious nods to - as marktmurphy points out - the Lewis Gilbert Bonds) - THE INCREDIBLES more than delivers a rollicking good time. I'm pleasantly surprised that there hasn't been a sequel, given that Hollywood tends to do followups to anything that's half-decent or makes a few bucks. That said, though, if INCREDIBLES 2 were to appear, I'd definitely be interested in seeing it.

And I, too, cannot wait to see what Bird does with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV. I like all of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flicks - yes, even the much-maligned John Woo one (but if pushed would have to cite III as the best) - but on the strength of what I've seen of Bird's work I'm ready to declare that IV looks set to be easily the most imaginative, the most visually impressive and the wittiest of the whole bunch, and also seems likely to boast the most exciting action. Not that one should count one's chickens, I suppose (look at Marc Forster's hiring for QUANTUM OF SOLACE or Spielberg's recent return to Indiana Jones), but the omens are very good indeed.

[marktmurphy]

Just seen THE INCREDIBLES. It is indeed terrific entertainment, and very funny, although it's perhaps a bit overlong and the first half hour or so is by far the wittiest and best. Rather like UP, it settles after an extremely strong start into being more or less just an action romp - but what an action romp!

It's true: the action scenes really are some of the best in years. I love the Dash chase: that's just plain exciting. And the climax really works as a climax to the whole thing: terrific.

And I, too, cannot wait to see what Bird does with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV. I like all of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flicks - yes, even the much-maligned John Woo one (but if pushed would have to cite III as the best) - but on the strength of what I've seen of Bird's work I'm ready to declare that IV looks set to be easily the most imaginative, the most visually impressive and the wittiest of the whole bunch, and also seems likely to boast the most exciting action. Not that one should count one's chickens, I suppose (look at Marc Forster's hiring for QUANTUM OF SOLACE or Spielberg's recent return to Indiana Jones), but the omens are very good indeed.

Well, it's hard to say really as it's untested ground. But as he's shown he likes a bit of retro and can easily make action sequences tell character stories as well as be hugely exciting, I think there's enough reason to think it might be a cracker. And he's never actually made a bad film, which can't be bad (more reason to be optimistic than with Abrams: who'd never actually made a film full stop!). As you say; he does like a joke, and that's something M:I could possibly do with now Cruise is a superspy: up until now he's been worryingly incapable of laughing at himself.

Glad you enjoyed Incredibles, though!

[Quantumofsolace007]

what is interesting is I distinctly remember a few wanting Brad bird for bond 23 (try saying that 5 times fast) well if his Mission impossible 4 is good i'll see him do bond 24.

[ChickenStu]

Yeah. I'm curious to take a look at this one, must admit.

[Cody]

Ving Rhames is back as Luther Stickell.
Simon Pegg is returning as Benji Dunn.
The lead female is Paula Patton.
Vladimir Mashkov is a Russian agent.
The villain will be played by Michael Nyqvist.

“They have like a terrific 5 page fight sequence at the end of the film - brutal, brutal stuff”, says our Para-insider. “He’s this very charming, but calculating bad guy. Not your typical spy-film villain”.

Jeremy Renner joined the cast as an IMF agent who may go on to be the lead of the franchise in future sequels.

Apparently the film won't just be called "Mission: Impossible IV", but no word on what the title will be.

Filming in Prague, Vancouver, and Dubai.

[Sharpe]

Didn't they say the title will be "The Mission"?

[Cody]

Someone in Cruise's camp referred to it as The Mission on Twitter/Facebook when reporting the

"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4 UPDATE: Skydance Productions & Paramount Pictures join forces for 'The Mission!'

news of a co-financing deal. Some news sites jumped on that, but I'm not so sure it was meant to be a title announcement as well.

One of the sites I linked above says

(it’s not called The Mission. I’m told it’s more likely going to be called Mission Impossible : Something).

I would prefer the subtitle route, "The Mission" is too bland.

[Ernst Stavro Blofeld Jr.]

Plus there is already a movie called The Mission that is well enough known that I doubt it was anything more than just a play on words.

[Dekard77]

Ving Rhames is back as Luther Stickell.
Simon Pegg is returning as Benji Dunn.
The lead female is Paula Patton.
Vladimir Mashkov is a Russian agent.
The villain will be played by Michael Nyqvist.

“They have like a terrific 5 page fight sequence at the end of the film - brutal, brutal stuff”, says our Para-insider. “He’s this very charming, but calculating bad guy. Not your typical spy-film villain”.

Jeremy Renner joined the cast as an IMF agent who may go on to be the lead of the franchise in future sequels.

Apparently the film won't just be called "Mission: Impossible IV", but no word on what the title will be.

Filming in Prague, Vancouver, and Dubai.

Sounds super duper cool. Dubai is not an interesting location anymore. They always feature the same hotel in Burj etc. I want him to be in a place like Germany or Amsterdam. Some place new and exciting. Either way the love triangle of the movies should also stop and I hope Bird will stick on to the project. Cruise was able to pull of Mission Impossible before as he was a major star at B.O but now he not regarded the same. At least when they made the Oceans movies they stuck to a retro theme and teamwork so almost anyone can take over the film and work on it.

[LtShaw]

Ving Rhames is back as Luther Stickell.
Simon Pegg is returning as Benji Dunn.
The lead female is Paula Patton.
Vladimir Mashkov is a Russian agent.
The villain will be played by Michael Nyqvist.

“They have like a terrific 5 page fight sequence at the end of the film - brutal, brutal stuff”, says our Para-insider. “He’s this very charming, but calculating bad guy. Not your typical spy-film villain”.

Jeremy Renner joined the cast as an IMF agent who may go on to be the lead of the franchise in future sequels.

Apparently the film won't just be called "Mission: Impossible IV", but no word on what the title will be.

Filming in Prague, Vancouver, and Dubai.

Sounds super duper cool. Dubai is not an interesting location anymore. They always feature the same hotel in Burj etc. I want him to be in a place like Germany or Amsterdam. Some place new and exciting. Either way the love triangle of the movies should also stop and I hope Bird will stick on to the project. Cruise was able to pull of Mission Impossible before as he was a major star at B.O but now he not regarded the same. At least when they made the Oceans movies they stuck to a retro theme and teamwork so almost anyone can take over the film and work on it.

I've always enjoyed Renner's performances, esspecially with his (should've won) Oscar nomination for The Hurt Locker. I also enjoyed him as the criminal "Jem" in Ben Affleck's The Town.

[Baccarat]

I was particularly pleased to learn that Josh Holloway has joined the cast as an IMF agent. He was fantastic in LOST and I hope he gets a lot of screen time with Cruise and company. Plenty of links to news articles about his casting and pics from the shoot in Prague on IMDB here.

[Simon]

Apparently, the film will be called Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

Good that they have moved away from numbers. I do believe one of the reasons the Bond films have survived is because they were never called James Bond, which would in turn have encouraged James Bond 2, James Bond 3.

If they do further MI installments, Mission: Impossible with further mission type titles will allow the series to flourish without wags having a crack at sequelitus.

[Binyamin]

The original series is CLASSIC and hasn't been matched yet. The great thing it does -- which the movies do not -- is make the main team seem like true professionals, patriots, and real men, instead of sniveling man-boys like Cruise.

Compare the original Barney character, one of the earliest positive black roles on television, to Luther. Nothing against Ving Rhames, but Luther is a somethat cliched black character, for no reason. "You put a hole in MY Versace?" Whereas, the original show didn't CARE that Barney was black, and didn't write him to "act black." He was a professional who got the job done. The whole team was: You never doubted that Peter Grave's Phelps would take a bullet for his country, or for his team. Professionals. They didn't get upset during tight situations, they got SERIOUS and they figured a way out.

Side note: Anybody here fans of the Fox series "Prison Break" from several years ago? While not a perfect show, Prison Break almost perfectly captured the understated but TENSE drama of an impossible mission. No explosions, but at the end of every episode you said "Holy crap! How are they going to get out of THIS?" Actual tension. Get that director to re-boot Mission Impossible. And let Cruise go jump on a couch.