French actress Léa Seydoux (Ridley Scott's Robin Hood) is set to play the lead female villain in the fourth Mission: Impossible.  Seydoux joins a cast that includes returning players Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg plus newcomers Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Vladimir Mashkov, and Josh HollowayMichael Nyqvist (the Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is set to play the film's lead male villain.  It's good to know that the fourth M:I outing will be equal-opportunity in its villainy. [Update: Deadline reports that Slumdog Millionaire's Anil Kapoor will also play a bad guy in the film]

Not much is known about the fourth Mission: Impossible.  We know it probably won't be titled "Mission: Impossible IV" and it's a reboot-of-sorts with Cruise's Ethan Hunt working alongside Jeremy Renner's character.  Renner's character is being set up to lead the franchise after this installment.  Filming is currently underway in Europe.  Directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), the film is slated to open on December 16, 2011. [Risky Business]