Deadline is reporting that Paramount has their eye on writer/director Christopher McQuarrie for the next installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. It makes sense too, seeing as McQuarrie just directed the Tom Cruise-starring Jack Reacher for Paramount, which is hitting theatres on December 21st.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol took in a cool $700 million worldwide, so Paramount wants to get the ball rolling on this one quickly. And, seeing as McQuarrie and Cruise work well together (the writer did some uncredited work on All You Need Is Kill and Ghost Protocol as well as writing Valkyrie), this pairing does seem perfect.
Undoubtedly, this decision to have Christopher McQuarrie potentially helm the next Mission: Impossible film comes off of the studio’s reaction to the upcoming Jack Reacher. That, to me, is a bit surprising as I really don’t have much hope for the upcoming action film. From what I’ve seen through trailers and whatnot, I can’t say I’m impressed. Don’t get me wrong, McQuarrie has talent, as does his muse Tom Cruise, but I’m just not feeling it with Jack Reacher.
If Paramount hopes to top Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, they really need to go all out. Brad Bird’s installment into the franchise was fantastic, one of the best action films I’ve seen in years. Frankly, I don’t know how they are going to give us something bigger and better than that film. And having Christopher McQuarrie in the driver seat doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence in me. Like I said, he’s a talented individual, but I can’t see him helming a big action blockbuster like Mission: Impossible 5, at least not right now.
Who knows, maybe Jack Reacher will surprise me and turn out to be all the proof I need of McQuarrie’s talent as an action blockbuster director. But for now, I remain skeptical.