Cruise back for Mission: Impossible IV

Paramount Pictures has confirmed that another action-packed, adrenaline-pumping Mission: Impossible adventure will hit theatres next year, with Tom Cruise to star and J.J. Abrams to produce the fourth instalment of the spy movie franchise.

The studio revealed several details about the forthcoming Mission: Impossible IV on Tuesday, saying that Hollywood heavyweight Cruise will be back to reprise his role as super spy Ethan Hunt. While news of the upcoming film emerged last year, it was unknown if Cruise would choose to move strictly behind the camera and whether Abrams would both direct and produce the venture.

Cruise helped revive the former TV series with the 1996 film Mission: Impossible.

The creative mind behind TV hits Felicity, Alias, Lost, Fringe and the highly successful 2009 film reboot of Star Trek, Abrams came on board to direct and produce the third Mission: Impossible film, released in 2006.

Overall, the over-the-top series has garnered more than $1.4 billion US in worldwide grosses.

The two men have crafted an original story idea that is being transformed into a script by Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec, two writers who previously worked with Abrams on the stylish TV spy series Alias, which starred Jennifer Garner.

The search is now on for a director.

Mission: Impossible IV is slated for release in late May 2011 during the Memorial Day weekend — seen as the unofficial kick off to Hollywood's summer blockbuster season. Other films slated to open in late May include Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and a sequel to the cult hit The Hangover.