Back in February, a report surfaced that the newMission: Impossible sequelwill start filming this spring in Paris, although no details about the story or the returning cast have been confirmed yet. There wasn’t a concrete production start date given either, but over the weekend, writer-directorChristopher McQuarriereveale that filming has in fact started, sharing the first set photo. Unfortunately, this image doesn’t featureTom Cruiseor any of the other cast members, but it does reveal the first slate for the first scene being filmed.
Christopher McQuarrieshared this new image on Twitter, which comes just after we recently found out that one of the beloved cast members will not be back. While no details of his return inAnt-Man 2were given, it was said that the actor is expected to shoot bothAvengers: Infinity WarandAnt-Man and the Waspback-to-back.Avengers: Infinity Warstarted filming in January, with filming slated to take place in Atlanta, the U.K. and New York City. BothAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers 4will be shot back-to-back, with principal photography expected to last well through this fall.
In between that enormous shoot,Ant-Man and the Waspis slated to film in Atlanta starting in June, which leaves no room inJeremy Renner’s schedule to star inMission: Impossible 6, unless the schedule is shifted sometime soon. Long before news of his role inAnt-Man and the Waspsurfaced,Jeremy Rennerhinted during a November interview for his sci-fi movieArrival, that he may not be able to return, due to scheduling complications withAvengers: Infinity War. Our report from earlier this month revealed thatHenry Cavillis playing the right hand man to the head of Ethan Hunt’s IMF unit, although the head of the IMF hasn’t been cast yet, since that role has been played by a different actor in each movie, withAlec Baldwinlast playing the IMF head inRogue Nation. IfJeremy Renner’s Brandt truly isn’t returning, then perhaps the studio will cast another actor as a completely new character to join Ethan’s IMF team.
WhileTom CruiseandHenry Cavillare the only confirmed cast members so far, it is believed thatRebecca Fergusonwill return as Ilsa Faust, along withSimon Pegg’s Benji Dunn andVing Rhames' Luther Stickell, who has appeared in everyMission: Impossiblemovie thus far. No story details have been given at this time, but producerDavid Ellisonrevealed that this movie will featureTom Cruise’s biggest stunt ever, which he has been prepping for a full year, and continues the franchise’s tradition of escalating stunts. 2015’sMission: Impossible Rogue Nationopened with arguably one of the most elaborate and death-defying stunt sequences in recent memory, whereTom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt was hanging on to the door of a cargo plane as it takes off.
Thisaction-packed sequelwill also make history in another way.Christopher McQuarriewill become the first director to take the helm for two movies in this action-packed franchise, after also working withTom Cruiseas a writer onValkyrieandEdge of Tomorrow, and as a director onJack Reacher. The firstMission: Impossiblemovie in 1996 was directed byBrian De Palma, followed by 2000’sMission: Impossible II, directed byJohn Woo, 2006’sMission: Impossibe III, which marked the directorial debut ofJ.J. Abrams, 2011’sMission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, marking the live-action directorial debut ofBrad Birdand 2015’sMission: Impossible Rogue Nation, directed byChristopher McQuarrie. With filming set to begin sometime this spring, hopefully we’ll have more casting and story details forMission: Impossible 6in the near future. In the meantime, take a look at the first set photo from this action sequel, with production now under way.
