When J.J. Abrams took on directing duties for "Mission: Impossible III," he tried to get Martin Landau – who played super-spy Rollin Hand in the original '60s TV series – to take on a cameo role in the movie. "[J]ust for fun," the director said recently, "and [I] was told that he had no interest in doing it."
Now we know why. In an interview with MTV News, Landau said he has no interest in appearing in an adaptation of a franchise of which he's fiercely protective and which he feels is not true to the original series. "I'm not interested in doing that," he explained. "Let the young Rollin Hand live on." Read more...
FROM MTV.COM: In 2006, J.J. Abrams was largely known as a TV guy, one of the creative minds behind fare like "Lost" and "Alias." Then came a turn in the directing chair for "Mission: Impossible III," when he popped off explosions galore around Tom Cruise, and Abrams' career was never the same. Rebooted "Star Trek," anyone?
Now, a fourth "Mission" is in the works. Will Abrams step back into the role that brought him from small-screen whiz kid to big-screen guru? That seems unlikely, as Abrams made clear in an interview with MTV News.
Continue reading J.J. Abrams Isn't Planning To Direct 'Mission: Impossible IV'
Last time we checked in on possibility-defying super-agent Ethan Hunt, he had once again saved the world and was headed off on his honeymoon. Three years after "Mission: Impossible III" ended, Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams are gearing up for a fourth go at the franchise. So what's happened to Hunt during this period of "Mission" silence?
Has he given up the life of a secret-keeping secret agent for the pleasures and pains of committed matrimony? Or did Hunt ditch his bride Julia and dive back into a world of insurmountable obstacles, cool gadgets and witty one-liners? And how, if at all, would Hunt's character arc impact the possibility of Michelle Monaghan, who played Julia, returning to the franchise? Read more...
Your mileage may vary, but I myself was a fan of the J.J. Abrams-directed trilogy capper, "Mission: Impossible III." It's a very enjoyable action flick, well-paced with a shocker of an opening and some great twists to keep things interesting. Cool as it was though, fans learned today that it could have been just a little bit cooler.
Speaking to Collider, Abrams revealed that he had a very special appearance in mind for his last dance with the IMF. "I actually tried to get Martin Landau in 'Mission 3,' in a very small little moment just for fun, and was told that he had no interest in doing it," Abrams said. For those who aren't aware, Landau played Rollin Hand, master of disguise, on the original "Mission: Impossible" TV series. Abrams might not have gotten his wish there, but he did get a treat from the seasoned actor some months later. Read more...
In these hard financial times, J.J. Abrams is a guy you want as your friend. The entertainment everyman doesn't just slap his name on a project, he invariably brings some old friends along for the ride. The names you're used to seeing are Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the superhuman writing/producing duo behind nerdfests like "Xena: Warrior Princess" and big budget blockbusters like... well... like Abrams' "Mission: Impossible III."
Since Orci and Kurtzman are busy with about a bajillion other projects these days, Abrams is bringing out a new super-team to deliver a script for "Mission: Impossible 4," which the bespectacled one will at the very least produce. Variety reports that "Alias" writer/producers Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec will trot out of Abrams' bullpen for "M:I 4." Like Kurtzman & Orci before them, I expect a meteoric rise for the duo. After "Mission" just you wait; they'll pick up the rights from George Lucas for a "Phantom Menace" remake and the world will come together in harmony. Hey... a fanboy can dream, right? Read more...
Like MTV Movies Blog editor Adam Rosenberg, I too am a fan of "Mission: Impossible III," and I'm happy to hear that series star Tom Cruise and "III" director J.J. Abrams will reunite for a fourth outing with Ethan Hunt and the IMF gang.
What really catches my interest is the latest news from The Hollywood Reporter, which confirms TV Guide's earlier scoop of Abrams and Cruise's return to the franchise. It's not the confirmation that has my spider-sense tingling but the insinuation that Cruise might no longer be the face of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. Citing an unnamed executive source, the THR story mentions that he might hand the reigns over to a younger actor, or even to an ensemble. Read more...
For the record, I was a fan of J.J. Abrams' "Mission: Impossible III." I liked the first movie too, but Abrams did something special with "III." It was a hoot to watch, even if you tend to shy away from Tom Cruise's work.
It's encouraging to hear then that Abrams will be back to produce the fourth "M:I.," As he told TV Guide [via /Film], "I am incredibly honored that Tom has invited me back as a producer on 'Mission Impossible 4.' Tom and I have come up with a really cool idea [that] we are pursuing." Abrams hasn't committed to direct, and he likely won't given the huge success of his "Star Trek" reboot and the near-immediate demand for a sequel that followed in the wake of the sci-fi adventure's release. Read more...
