Through five very different Mission: Impossible movies the only thing that has remained consistent is Tom Cruise. The actor, and his character Ethan Hunt, have been back in every installment of the franchise while nearly everything around him has changed. Now, it looks like Mission: Impossible 6 has gone and done something entirely unprecedented, as reports say they'll be bringing back the leading lady.
However, through a delicious bit of fortuitous timing, we spoke with Christopher McQuarrie this morning, and he told us that information about Rebecca Ferguson's possible casting in Mission: Impossible 6 are NOT coming from him or his team. He advised every Mission fan who wants to know anything about the movie, particularly casting, to follow him on Twitter, as he'll use social media to confirm everything that is happening.
Earlier, reports started coming in that Rebecca Ferguson, who played Ilsa in this past summer’s Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, has signed on to reprise the role in the next movie in the franchise. Showbiz 411 is reporting that it’s a done deal (but, see above). Cruise has had a different leading lady in every movie thus far, so this makes for something very new in the franchise. This could mean that they’re looking to more of a direct sequel to the latest film, as opposed to simply a new mission, or it could simply mean that they finally found an actresses who was willing and/or able to return.
In the lead up to Rogue Nation, director Christopher McQuarrie said that two women who had starred opposite Cruise in previous Mission: Impossible films, Maggie Q and Paula Patton, had been approached to star in Rogue Nation but neither was available to do so. That opened the door for Ferguson who is now potentially taking the opportunity and running with it.
Rebecca Ferguson may be a star in her own right by the time M:i 6 comes along. She’s starring in the upcoming Girl on the Train, based on the popular novel next year, and also has films coming up that will put her opposite stars like Meryl Streep and Michael Fassbender. She’s also been rumored for the role of Captain Marvel (though, to be fair, so has everybody else) as well as for a part in Ridley Scott’s upcoming sequel to Prometheus.
The stars in front of the camera aren’t the only ones returning to the fold. Christopher McQuarrie, the director of the last installment will also be back for another impossible mission. This is also a first as previously each Mission: Impossible movie has been helmed by a different director, each bringing their own unique style to the franchise. McQuarrie had said previously that the changing styles was one of the highlights of the films, implying that he wasn’t looking to return, but somebody, probably Tom Cruise, changed his mind.
For a franchise on its sixth film the Mission: Impossible series shows no signs of slowing down. The last two films have been the best reviewed of the series as well as some of the most successful at the box office. With the return of both Ferguson and McQuarrie, along with the anticipated returns of Ving Rhames, the only other actor to be in every film, as well as Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner, who both appear to have become series regulars. It’s beginning to look like they’ve finally built a solid IMF team going forward.
