Brad Pitt To Replace Cruise In Mission: Impossible?

 

After Tom Cruise and Paramount went their separate ways, Paramount has been looking for a new Hollywood hunk to play the Mission: Impossible lead, Ethan Hunt. The Hollywood rumor mill has claimed that with Tom out, Brad Pitt will take the place of the stealthy agent Hunt.

 

With Cruise's 14 year partnership with Paramount now a thing of the past, Paramount needed a new name for their Mission: Impossible series. As well, after the lackluster success of Mission: Impossible 3, the franchise is seen as needing an overhaul. However, Cruise's character of Ethan Hunt will likely head to "retirement", and Pitt will take the lead as a new agent. MSNBC quoted a source as saying "They're set on Brad taking over as a gutsy new head operative who puts together his own unique team of specialists"

 

Britain's London Light newspaper also weighed in on the Cruise-Pitt swap. An industry insider told the publication "Mission: Impossible IV will not include Tom's character, agent Ethan Hunt. They're considering a brief mention, saying Hunt retired to live a safe life with his new wife."

 

If Angelina Jolie's man were to take over where Katie Holmes' man left off, Paramount would be expected to pay handsomely for Pitt's services. Reports indicate they are willing to do just that, offering Brad Pitt $39 million, a sum that would make Brad the highest paid movie star ever. MSNBC spoke with Access Hollywood's Scott Mantz about Pitt's potential salary, and he dished "If Paramount was going to go forward with reinventing the 'Mission: Impossible' films, I think they could do it. But you're talking about paying out $39 million before you've even shot the film and given how fickle Paramount was in green lighting the third movie, in terms of talking the budget down like they did, it seems highly unlikely the new regime would be willing to pay out $39 million for a star."

 

With Tom Cruise gone, and with Paramount in a deal to produce projects with Pitt's Plan B production company, the rumor seems to have merit. However, the "Pitt to replace Cruise" rumor has met with some vehement denials as of late. Paramount told Access Hollywood the report was a "complete fabrication", and that was backed up by Brad Pitt's publicist, who said the rumors were "not true". One thing is for sure: Tom Cruise will get a producer credit and a salary from any future Mission: Impossible film, as he helped develop the franchise.

 

Brad Pitt is no stranger to action movies, nor does he shy away from big-budget productions. Having performed in an ensemble cast in Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, Brad Pitt has played the role of secret agent/spy in Spy Game and Mr & Mrs. Smith. Other action flicks that buoy Pitt's stock include Twelve Monkeys, Fight Club, Troy and the soon-to-be-released The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Pitt has been the focus of attention of the screen, ever since he and girlfriend Angelina Jolie had their baby, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, in Namibia.

 

[Additional Sources: MSNBC, London Light, Access Hollywood]