Well here’s some good news for this post-election stupor: Mission: Impossible 6 has a release date. The Mission: Impossible franchise has been one of the shining beacons in Paramount’s slate for some time now, with the Brad Bird-helmed Ghost Protocol grossing $694.7 million worldwide and Christopher McQuarrie’s Rogue Nation nearly matching that with $682.3 million total. McQuarrie—who helmed Cruise in Jack Reacher and co-wrote the scripts for Edge of Tomorrow and Valkyrie—will mark the franchise’s first returning director, as he’s set to write and helm Mission: Impossible 6. And now, with the picture poised to start filming in spring 2017, Paramount has set a July 27, 2018 release date.
That’s a plum summer blockbuster date, and Paramount is feeling bullish as that’s also where Warner Bros. currently has its DC film Aquaman set to debut—though one of these films will likely move to avoid that kind of blockbuster logjam.
There was a bit of a dispute regarding Tom Cruise’s contract for Mission: Impossible 6 that held the film up a tad, but it was resolved in short order and now the sequel is gearing up to start production. Plot details are unknown, as is casting information regarding whether Rogue Nation standout Rebecca Ferguson might be back, but McQuarrie’s installment was arguably the best Mission: Impossible movie yet, so hopes (and expectations) are high.
Additionally, Paramount has announced a December 22, 2017 release date for writer/director Alexander Payne’s next film Downsizing. That’s a prime awards season debut for the Sideways and The Descendants filmmaker’s latest effort, which is possibly his most high-concept feature yet. It’s a social satire that stars Matt Damon as a guy who realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself. Damon is joined in the ensemble by Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Christoph Waltz, Neil Patrick Harris, Margo Martindale, and Alec Baldwin. On that Christmas release date, the film will square off directly against Jumanji, Pitch Perfect 3, and The Six Billion Dollar Man. It will also be opening one week after Star Wars: Episode VIII so, you know, good luck.
