‘Mission: Impossible 6’ Gets Summer 2018 Release Date

Paramount Pictures has scheduled Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible 6” for July, 27, 2018.

Cruise had announced in July, 2015, that he planned to go ahead with “Mission: Impossible 6” just as “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” was opening. That notion that was strongly endorsed by the studio following a $121 million global opening weekend for “Rogue Nation” with $56 million in the U.S. and another $65 million from 40% of international markets.

Cruise then promised in April at Cinemacon that the sixth Mission Impossible movie would have “…more incredible set pieces, stunts…and what I think is a very entertaining and compelling story.”

He closed his deal in September for “Mission: Impossible 6,” which is being produced and financed by Paramount and partner Skydance Productions, headed by David Ellison. Cruise is also a producer.

“Rogue Nation” took in $195 million domestically and $682 million worldwide. Paramount has opted to open “Mission: Impossible 6” using the same late July slot that it used for “Rogue Nation.”

Paramount also announced Tuesday that it has set Alexander Payne’s comedy-drama “Downsizing,” starring Matt Damon, for Dec. 22, 2017. “Downsizing” also stars Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Alec Baldwin and Neil Patrick Harris.

“Downsizing” centers on an Omaha man who joins the throngs of people undergoing a new process that reduces people to a tiny fraction of their size before moving to one of the many communities of small people that are sprouting up around the world. Payne co-wrote the script with Jim Taylor. The duo won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “Sideways.”

Paramount also said it would release an untitled “event horror film” in Imax on April 28, 2017, and an untitled event film on Nov. 2, 2018.

The five “Mission: Impossible” films — all starring Cruise as agent Ethan Hunt — grossed a combined $2.8 billion at the worldwide box office. “Rogue Nation,” which carried a $150 million pricetag, was produced by Cruise along with J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger.

Christopher McQuarrie directed “Rogue Nation” from a screenplay he wrote with Drew Pearce. Each “Mission: Impossible” has employed a different director, starting with Brian De Palma for the franchise launch in 1996, followed by John Woo, Abrams, Brad Bird and McQuarrie.

However, McQuarrie has signed on to direct “Mission: Impossible 6” and has been developing the script with Cruise. “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” brought back Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg from the previous films and introduced Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust undercover agent character. It’s been reported in recent months that Ferguson will return for the sixth film.

Warner Bros. has an untitled DC Entertainment movie slotted for the same opening date of July 27, 2018.

Cruise’s action sequel “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” which carries a $60 million budget, has generated decent business since opening three weeks ago for Paramount with $113 million worldwide so far.