Mission: Impossible 5 Casting News

Mission: Impossible 5 casts its female lead; Alec Baldwin also in talks.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol was one of the top money makers of 2011 and made the top five on SJF's 'Best Of.' Sporting great action, a solid story, and the introduction of Actor Jeremy Renner to the mix created an impressive climb along the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and a fitting epilogue MI: III. But unlike the flashy tone of the series, production on Mission: Impossible 5 has been rather under-the-radar. Rather than sporting the big news of Star Wars: Episode VII and Avengers: Age of Ultron, the creative team behind Actor Tom Cruise's baby have quietly - but effectively - put together a very good team for masterspy Ethan Hunt. And while its name has yet to solidified, we know of two bits of very interesting casting news that we recently announced.

Along with Renner reprising his role as Hunt’s fellow IMF agent William Brandt, Simon Pegg will also return as techie Benji Dunn, but the movie needed a new female star - a role which was repeatedly offered to Zero Dark Thirty star Jessica Chastain, who turned it down - and now an interesting newcomer has stepped up to join Cruise's team. Deadline is reporting that Rebecca Ferguson, best known for playing Queen Elizabeth in the historical drama miniseries The White Queen, is set to star in Mission: Impossible 5. While the announcement didn't include specific details of Ferguson's character, we do know that Chastain was being courted to play what was described as “Tom Cruise’s right hand woman.” Based on Ferguson's announcement, we're betting that she will play the role turned down by Chastain.

But the most interesting piece of news to come out of pre-production is this: Actor Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October) is apparently in talks to play the head of none other than the CIA. Should Deadline be correct, this news would certainly strengthen an already impressive cast by placing the absolute right man in this role. Baldwin's portrayal of CIA analyst Jack Ryan did nothing short of establish the modern spy genre, filling it with a charismatic lead that would provide Cruise and Renner with an excellent general to bark orders and clash with the IMF team. While he's also in talks for several other projects, we're hoping he signs on to Mission: Impossible 5.

With this news and early selection of Jack Reacher helmer Christopher McQuarrie to direct the film, all we need now is a story. That will come from Iron Man 3 writer Drew Pearce and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 writer Will Staples. Stay tuned as news of the script and Baldwin's situation become more clear.

Mission: Impossible 5 opens in theaters on December 25, 2015.

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