Writers Set for ‘Mission Impossible 4’

First off, let’s just get the news out of the way.   Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams, acting as producers, have set the task to Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec to write the screenplay for ‘Mission Impossible 4.’   Now, let’s go back over and look at the writers who have taken us through the adventures of Ethan Hunt.

First off, David Koepp and Robert Towne get screenwriting credits for the first ‘Mission Impossible’ movie.   Steve Zaillian and Koepp developed the script, but it is evident in watching it that the action scenes were put in place before a story was every written around it.   The same, and on a much grander scale, can be said for ‘Mission Impossible II,’ which gives the sole screenwriting credit to Towne.   Once Abrams took over the series for ‘Mission Impossible III,’ he began recruiting his old partners from “Alias” to develop a cohesive and suspenseful storyline.   It is the screenplay by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci that made ‘Mission Impossible III’ the best of the series.

Abrams is doing the same with ‘Mission Impossible 4,’ as Applebaum and Nemec co-wrote seven episodes of “Alias” and served as supervising producers for the bulk of the show.   They will be writing the script from a story idea Abrams had for the fourth entry in the franchise.

“I’ve been looking forward to working with Josh and Andre again for years,” Abrams tells Variety. “Their sense of balance between character and action is wonderful, which I know is hugely important to Tom as well. We’re off to an exciting start, so, as usual, fingers crossed.”

It isn’t clear as to whether Abrams will be directingt he film, as he did with ‘Mission Impossible III.’   While he and Cruise are serving as producers, sources close to the project claim Cruise’s Ethan Hunt will have an onscreen presence of some kind.   The film is aiming for a Summer release in 2011.