A few days ago it was reported that Paramount had been testing Kevin Zegers, Christopher Egan and Anthony Mackie to join Tom Cruise in Brad Bird’s Mission: Impossible 4. Now Deadline reports they have gone with another Hurt Locker star instead, Jeremy Renner.
Although Cruise is “expected” to return for a fifth film in the franchise, “production chief Adam Goodman wanted a guy who could grow into a leading man in his own right.” After considering up-and-comnig stars like Inception’s Tom Hardy and Star Trek’s Chris Pine, the studio felt like Renner has a “Daniel Craig quality” that will fit perfectly to the role.
I truly don’t think they could have gone with a better pick. Renner would be a fantastic person to carry on the series if need be. He will also star as Hawkeye in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers as well as Ben Affleck’s The Town, which opens Sept. 17th.
Mission: Impossible 4 starts shooting this fall for a December 16th, 2011 release.
Is Renner a good fit to star alongside Tom Cruise?