During an interview on The Daily Show, Cruise revealed that preproduction has already begun on a sixth installment of the blockbuster espionage action franchise.
“We’re starting to work on it now,” Cruise told Jon Stewart. “We’ll probably start shooting it next summer.”
While there’s no reason to doubt Cruise, it would certainly be a break from the usual schedule for a Mission: Impossible movie to go into production that soon. Previous installments of the series have always hit theaters at least four years apart.
Paramount Pictures has yet to confirm Cruise’s announcement, with the studio likely waiting to see how Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation performs at the box office before confirming another sequel. Collectively, the franchise has earned more than $739 million at the U.S. box office from the four previous films, and more than $2 billion worldwide.
If a sixth Mission: Impossible movie does begin shooting next year, the studio will need to get a director attached to the project fairly soon. Rogue Nation director Christopher McQuarrie isn’t expected to return, as each installment of the franchise has had a different director. (Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, and Brad Bird directed the previous four installments.) One filmmaker that could be targeted is Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman, who worked with Cruise previously on that sci-fi action film and will do so again in the upcoming thriller Mena.
Given the high profile of previous Mission: Impossible directors, Joss Whedon is also being mentioned as a possible filmmaker-of-interest for the studio.
Directed by McQuarrie from a script by Drew Pearce, Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation hits theaters July 31.
