Plans for a sixth film in the immensely popular Mission: Impossible franchise are moving forward today as Variety reports that Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation director and co-writer Christopher McQuarrie is in talks to return for the next franchise installment. According to the trade, McQuarrie is set to write and will potentially direct M:I6 as well. Tom Cruise is already confirmed to reprise his role as Ethan Hunt for the new film, with production set to begin as early as August 2016.
Christopher McQuarrie initially made a name for himself as a screenwriter, winning an Academy Award for his work on Bryan Singer’s 1995 crime thriller The Usual Suspects. In 2000, McQuarrie made his directorial debut with the neo-Western The Way of the Gun, starring Rryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro. In 2008, Christopher McQuarrie reteamed with Singer, scripting the true World War II tale Valkyrie, which starred Tom Cruise. Since then, McQuarrie has written and directed two additional Cruise films, including the Lee Child adaptation Jack Reacher in 2012 and, earlier this year, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.
Christopher McQuarrie scripted Rogue Nation alongside Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3). Released on July 31, the film went on to gross more than $682 million at the worldwide box office. Also starring Jeremy Renner (Marvel’s The Avengers, Kill the Messenger), Alec Baldwin (The Departed, “30 Rock”), Simon Pegg (Star Trek, The World’s End), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction, Dawn of the Dead), Simon McBurney (The Last King of Scotland, The Theory of Everything) and Rebecca Ferguson (Hercules, The Red Tent), Rogue Nation is slated to arrive on DVD and Blu-ray December 15.
If Christopher McQuarrie signs on to direct Mission: Impossible 6, he will become the first director to helm more than one entry in the auteur-driven franchise. Brian De Palma directed the first Mission: Impossible, which was followed by sequels helmed by John Woo, J.J, Abrams and Brad Bird.
