Paula Patton Lands The Female Lead In The Movie Formerly Known As Mission: Impossible 4
There is a lot of movement on the movie formerly known as MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 4 as of late. Jeremy Renner was brought on to co-star and potentially take over the focus from Tom Cruise beyond the next film. Paramount intends to take the series in an entirely new direction, dropping the mission, dropping the impossible, and not even using a number close to 4, by going with a completely different title that is in no way resembles the 3 movies that have come before it. And now comes word that whatever this movie is called has gone ahead and cast their leading lady to star opposite Cruise and Renner.
After testing against Kristin Kreuk and Lauren German, Paula Patton has landed the role as a young operative, according to Deadline Hollywood. I don’t know how young she can play, because Patton is 34 going on 35, which is hardly young anymore. But, if they’re going for sexy operative or truly hot operative, then they definitely nailed their casting.
Patton was last seen as a teacher in PRECIOUS (we’ll just all agree to forget about JUST WRIGHT, okay?), and definitely fits the lesser-known quality that was being looked for to accompany this role. Patton hasn’t yet made an impact in the movies yet, mostly taking smaller supporting roles, but with TMFKAM:I4 (the movie formerly known as MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 4, for short), she really has a chance to break out. As long as she doesn’t suck or ruin the movie in any way, she should be on her way to stardom… something LAW & ORDER: SVU wasn’t really going to accomplish.
In addition, it appears that Cruise and producer J.J. Abrams always intended on this next installment, if we can even call it that, to be a complete reboot of the series. That’s the word making the rounds right now, so this could be less Paramount’s call and more Cruise and Abrams’ to move the series in this direction. That would bury rumors of Paramount’s concern that Cruise isn’t a bankable star, especially since, as an executive producer, he’s getting paid either way. Who’s buying that spin?
