Genre: Action/Adventure.
Studio:
Paramount Pictures.
Production Company:
Cruise-Wagner Productions.
Project Phase: In Development.
Who's In It:
Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt); Ving Rhames (Luther Stickwell);
Dougray Scott; Thandie Newton; Steve Zahn.
Who's Making It:
John Woo (Director); Michael Tolkin, Robert Towne (Screenwriters); Tom Cruise (Producer).
Premise: Unknown.
Release Date: Thanksgiving 1999 (Tentative).
Comments: None.
Developments:
January, 1998... Oliver Stone bows out of the director's job, citing the unavaliability of Tom Cruise's schedule.
August 23, 1996... William Goldman is announced as the screenwriter for the M:I 2 project. Cruise's involvement as the film's star and co-producer is also confirmed. Brian De Palma may be offered to return to the director's chair.
Rumors:
August, 1996... Not truly a rumor, but an interesting 'public' wish made by Tom Cruise. Cruise said that he would 'definately' return to play Ethan Hunt in a sequel should his friend Paul Newman agree to also star in said sequel. This could be a 'bait-and-see' tactic to see if sufficient interest gets generated in seeing the two stars pair-up.
Scoop Feedback:
June 5, 1996... Ving Rhames has signed on for at least one more Mission: Impossible sequel, possibly two. Word is Cruise apparently doesn't want to continue the story as Hunt, so expect a new IMF team to be in the new ones. [Scoop submitted by 'R5D4Red2'.]
June 6, 1996... Another person has heard that Cruise loved the role of Ethan Hunt so much he signed for two more sequels. Brian De Palma will not be back as director. Rumor has it that De Palma's opinions about the production were not valued by the film's two producers. Remember, it's just a rumor kiddies. [Scoop courtesy of 'Sylvester'.]
July 11, 1996... At the London, England premiere of Mission: Impossible, Cruise answered reporters questions about doing a sequel. He said that he would only consider returning to his Ethan Hunt role if the story was solid on its own merits. Cruise also mentioned that his role in a starring capacity was the only factor in question, and that he would remain in a producing capacity for any sequel. [Scoops taken from 'meandmealone'; as well as Entertainment Tonight.]
September 20, 1996... While conducting an interview for Entertainment Tonight with Ving Rhames on the set of
Con Air, Rhames said that his character will be back in the
January 18, 1997... By the way, William Goldman has a no-rewrite clause in his contract; what this means is that no script modifications can occur unless Goldman OKs the changes. [Scoop info sent in by Brent Lynch.]
February 26, 1997... Now there's news that Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner are wooing Oliver Stone to write and direct the next sequel. If that happens, Goldman's script may be put on the shelf. [Scoop sent in by Joe Hanna, Chistian, 'B.O.', 'Bam', Jeff, Andrew T. Forcier, Brent Lynch and anonymously.]
July 6, 1997... According to this source, Oliver Stone will be soon announced as the writer/director for the next Mission: Impossible feature. [Scoop sent in by 'cnlasher'.]
August 9, 1997... We'be been told that if Oliver Stone directs, Paramount is unsure that he will have final cut on the film. [Mailed in by 'Dr. Strangelove'.]
October 18, 1997... Over the past two months, we've been accumulating small pieces of information pertaining to the next M:I film-in-progress. This was partly due to Oliver Stone's recent spate of book signing/lecture appearances taking place around North America.
We were hoping that some of CA's readers would be able to report back on some of the more juicy rumors floating about, such as what this scooper had to say:
"Oliver Stone is also co-writing, William Goldman is definitely out. No word on who the head scribe is, but he's fairly new to the business. [Credited to 'Bobo.']
Without any hard evidence, we had little to go on except tiny news blurbs picked up by the major entertainment magazines (E! television and Premiere magazine both reported Stone had final cut approval of the sequel...even though Paramount hasn't confirmed this publically; and Entertainment Weekly said that Stone wants the film to touch on technology's impact on the coming century.) But slowly, reports from Stone's press junket started trickling in...
" Heard Oliver Stone give a lecture at Harvard 9/25 and he discussed possibility of him directing M.I. 2 if 'script was right'. Said that he's still not satisfied with the script he's read and would be intrigued to direct if script had action, adventure and a character that would go through transformations that would enlighten the 21st century." [Sent in by 'davidy'.]
"I saw Oliver Stone last night. He stopped at my School (Syracuse University) on his book signing tour. Well as he signed my book, I gathered the courage to ask him if it was true he was going to direct the sequal to Mission: Impossible. He looked up at me gave this smile and said 'I might, I might'. Then he asked my opinon of the first one. I babbled something like it could have been better, I mean God I am talking to OLIVER STONE, I couldn't think. Anyway right out of the mouth of the man, he 'might' direct MI2." [Sent in by 'tjandrie'.]
But then we received two emails late last week, suggesting things might have firmed up in the production office. The scooper reported that Stone's script had met with the approval of of both Tom Cruise and Paramount, the latter having OK'd Stone as director. Now it's just a matter of getting schedules lined up: Stone is currently prepping a film entitled NFL, while Cruise is contractually bound not to appear or sign on to any projects until the release of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut picture, which is shaping up for a late summer 1998 release date. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
A few days later we received a second email, this time from apparently a different source. The scooper told us more details about the script; indeed, they claimed to have just read the latest draft of it! They enigmatically told us that artificial intelligence (thinking machines) will play a major part in the storyline; that location shooting will take place around the world; and that Oliver Stone will indeed direct, and Paula Wagner and Tom Cruise will again produce the film. Additionally, Victor Kempster will do the film's production design. As well, the scooper confirms Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames reprising their characters. Shooting will "start around March '98," and the scooper promised to give us the film's running subtitle and additional information in the near future. They left us with these last thoughts:
"...M:I2 looks to be much, much cooler than the first one - good action, good characters, great dialogue, great drama. Oliver stone is NOT writing the screenplay - repeat - Oliver Stone is DEFINITELY NOT writing the screenplay. I can't tell you who the writer is right now, but he's not Goldman or Stone.
"Stone will have creative input because, much like the first M:I, the story will really be a collaboration between Cruise and the director and producers and screenwriter." [Submitted by 'Bobo'.]
October 21, 1997... Variety reports today that Michael Tolkin is now re-writing the sequel's script. Also interesting is the mention that William Goldman did not write the first draft; instead, Variety reports that David Marconi was the original writer on the project. [Information submitted by 'Attila'; originally appeared in Variety.]
January 12, 1998... According to this scooper who was watching today's Regis and Kathie Lee show where Ving Rhames was a guest, Rhames confirmed he's in Mission: Impossible 2 with Tom Cruise, and that filming begins this summer. [Good spy work courtesy of 'Narcolepsy'.]
[Additional information sent in by 'strannix', 'tjandrie'.]
February 3, 1998... Oliver Stone has left the project. Stone gave reason with Cruise's lengthy shoot on Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut -- put simply, the actor's been tied up in EWS for fourteen months, and Stone doesn't want to be forced to wait because of Kubrick. That may have given the opening John Woo needed to get his name on the short list -- according to this scooper, Woo's the new soon-to-be announced director of M:I2. [Wooed by 'Bobo'.]
February 5, 1998... Heard it through the grapevine that Michael Tolkin is off the project, and that a new writing team is climbing on. Still, through it all, the remaining screenwriter, David Marconi, is still with the project. [Scooped by 'Bobo'.]
Another friend of ours has asked around about the John Woo rumor and heard nothing back to confirm that Cruise/Wagner or Paramount camps have crafted any deal. Paramount may have had the director on their short list after his stunning summertime success with Face/Off, but his name isn't the one being batted around these days. Instead, these fellows are: David Fincher (Se7en, The Game); Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, The Mask of Zorro); Mimi Leder (,b>The Peacemaker, Deep Impact); and Stephen Hopkins (The Ghost and the Darkness, Lost in Space.)
At one point, both Woo and Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: First Contact) were on Paramount's wish list, but Frakes' consideration went farther along than Woo's. [Thanks to our fellow 'C' for their cryptography skills.]
April 11, 1998... This scooper tells us Woo met with Cruise in England a few months back while filming Stanley Kubrick new movie, Eyes Wide Shut. As for right now, the script is still being written, but the scooper says Woo is a lock. [Contributed by Joe Gillis.]
April 14, 1998... We have no way to prove this but sometimes that's the fun in reading a scoop -- is it true? This is what 'Rhesus' scooped us about MI:2, who described the new story as "VERY Asian in flavor":
"Michael Tolkin left the project awhile ago. Since his draft had been heavily influenced by Oliver Stone, it was mostly scrapped. Marconi stayed on the project, but he was playing second fiddle when the new writers were hired. The new writers are now collaborating closely with Tom Cruise and John Woo on the story and they will most likely be the final and most significant writers on the project. Oh, they're also working closely with Patrick Stewart as they finalize their latest film - Star Trek IX. That's right, Mission: Impossible 2 is being written by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga."
Could it be true? With both Star Trek and Mission: Impossible being both Paramount franchises... [From 'Rhesus'.]
April 15, 1998... We get confirmation and clarification on yesterday's exclusive screenwriters scoop. Braga is definitely involved with writing a new M:I2 script, but the other half of the team is still Braga's long-time writing partner, Ronald D. Moore. Braga confirmed his and Moore's new job today, which was later confirmed by one of our readers. Details remain tight but Braga did reveal he is working with both Cruise and Woo!
Since yesterday's scooper, 'Rhesus', still got half of the writing team correct, his comment about the new script being "VERY Asian in flavor" takes on more weight, wouldn't you say? [Thanks to Brannon Braga and 'GF2020' for confirming yesterday's scoop, and to 'Sting' for proofreading chores!]
April 16, 1998... 'Rhesus' returns to report that Ving Rhames' character from M:I 1, Luther Stickwell, will definitely be in the second movie. He/she/they also score us this cool tidbit: "Remember Emelio Estevez, John Voight, Kristen Scott Thomas, and Vanessa Redgrave? Look for some evem more hardcore thesps in really meaty roles in #2." Neato. [IMF field work by 'Rhesus'.]
May 5, 1998... We've been told the film will not be titled 'Mission: Impossible 2'. There will be a subtitle, but at the present time none have emerged from the word processor. [Anonymous.]
July 23, 1998... Expect some movement on this previously-plodding property soon. John Woo has apparently signed the deal and Tom Cruise will more than likely get in on the action now, buuuuut...Cruise hasn't completely committed to MI2 as his next project right now. We're told that Paramount CEO Sherry Lansing is going to push hard for this one right now; with word reverberating around Hollywood that Spielberg is taking a year off to slowly assemble Memoirs of a Geisha, plans for an Indy 4 shortly after the turn of the millennium may be nothing more than a pipe dream. Cruise will be tempted by Paramount with the inevitable lure of a huge paycheck for MI2 when he signs on the dotted line... [Dave Leavitt, brave scooper, has accepted the mission.]
August 4, 1998... Variety reports that Dougray Scott (currenly on-screen in Ever After) is in advanced talks to play the new baddie in M:I 2. Word is an official announcement could be arriving soon. [Thanks to Joe Hanna, Todd Dupler and anonymous.]
We've also heard word that Cruise wants to co-star with Halle Berry and the chance exists he may offer her a role in M:I 2. Check out our scooper's email:
"I heard that at the Blockbuster Awards held after the release of the first Mission: Impossible that Tom Cruise was introduced to Halle Berry for the first time and was immdeiately smitten by the actress and told his manager that he would be interested in doing a film with her. And recently Cruise caught an episode of Politically Incorrect where Berry sited an example that she auditioned for a movie opposite Tom Cruise and was turned down because she was black and there was a love scene. Cut to present, the script still being written and re-written, Cruise is still interested in doing a film with Berry. And since Jerry McGuire had already wrapped and Cruise had already commited to doing Eyes Wide Shut with his wife and he has done no other films, then there is a strong possibility that there may be a female lead in M:I 2 for Berry. If not this film, then there is a Spanish movie that Cruise/ Wagner Productions has obtained the rights to about a man obsessed with his ex-girlfriend. Either way, look for Berry to be heavily considered for one of these films." [Furnished by 'phoenixskye'.]
September 24, 1998... Reports from all over indicate that M:I 2 is a go. Shooting should either start early next year or next summer in Australia. Halle Berry is rumored to play a villain. [Scoop provided by Oliver Naujoks, 'MartyDMC12']
September 27, 1998... Forget Halle Berry, now news come that Thandie Newton (Beloved, Jefferson in Paris) is close to signing on for the female lead in this movie. The movie is slated to begin shooting in mid January at Fox's brand new studio in Australia. [First Appeared in Daily Variety]
October 7, 1998... Wesley Strick and Robert Towne are writing this one. Is history repeating itself? Tom Cruise hired 4 different writers on the original Mission. [Scoop provided by 'masque.']
October 19, 1998... Some interesting casting news from this scooper: "Thandie Newton is definitely Tom Cruise's love interest. That is, Thandie of Beloved fame. (Got it from the girl herself.)" Love interest/Villain? or straight-up good girl? We shall see.
Some comments on the hiring of the two new screenwriters: "I'm just a guy outside Hollywood lines like everyone else...but I have to question the idea that Wesley Strick was brought on to write Mission II. Robert Towne makes perfect sense. Tom brings him in to rewrite everything he's in -- including the first Mission. But Wesley Strick? Tom's hired him based on...what? Wesley has written the occasional action film...but nothing that would indicate that someone would hire him for what could be, potentially, a 500 million dollar-grossing sequel.
"You think he was hired because of The Saint? I hope not. Strick rewrote Jonathan Hensleigh's brilliant script. Though Jonathan retained a story credit and a co-writer credit...his script was all but gone (everything but part of the opening and the scene where Shue runs for the American embassy) Here's hoping that they dump Towne and hire Ron Bass. Anyone who's read his Entrapment will know why..." [Both scoops sent in anonymously.]
October 20, 1998... Some news from down under:
"In an interview with Steve Zahn (for Out Of Sight) he said that after filming Hamlet with Ethan Hawke he would be coming down to Sydney to film Mission: Impossible 2 with Tom Cruise at the end of your winter. This backs up rumours flooding the Australian press that Tom Cruise will be filming Mission: Impossible 2 at Sydney's Fox Studios in 1999 with John Woo." Zahn??? With Rhames again?Damn, we gotta know! Is he playing a villain or a member of the IMF team? Could anyone clear this up? [Scoop provided by anonymous.]
October 25, 1998... The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Steve Zahn has climbed onboard the project. [Scoop provided by 'DeadPool' taken from the Hollywood Reporter]
December 7, 1998... Today's Access Hollywood said that M:I 2 would lens in Australia. Whether this is a confirmed announcement by Paramount, or AH picking up on the Aussie rumors from early fall isn't known just yet. [Doug Mueller owns a TV. Do you?]
December 8, 1998... We're told by an anonymous reader that "They WILL be filming in BOTH Australia and possibly Seville, Spain (strange but true)...As of last week the Production Designer and Art Department were given pink slips and replaced by Tom Sanders (Saving Private Ryan, Braveheart) who had ALSO started up on F-451, Mel Gibson's next directorial project which he hopes to get Tom Cruise to star in...guess it's now 6 Degrees of Tom Cruise (apologies to Kevin Bacon)" [Anonymous.]
December 27, 1998... Mission: Impossible 2 is scheduled to begin shooting next month. We've been scooped the lates script's supposed climactic end sequence. Of course we can't confirm it, but we'll share what the scooper had to say with you. For those that wouldn't like to chance having a SPOILER revealed, don't swipe the scooper's blank section that appears below...
" The climax of the film takes place when a member of their team shoots Rhames and then Cruise and the others end up in a huge shootout when a group of twenty spies come in and if you thought Face/Off had a big shootout or two... " [Submitted by someone who would like to remain anonymous.]
January 3, 1999... "The current draft of the film has a huge gaping sequel ridden ending, a la Blade," our anonymous scooper told us. "Paramount asked Woo about a two pic contract. Woo said he wants to film a movie with Chow next so who is Parmount calling...Antoine Fuqua and Mikael Soloman.
"Problem? Well yes. Hard Rain had some cool action set pieces including the church scene which was incredibly well thought out scene. Not intelligent though. The rest of the film was awfully lacking to say the least. So if they want a director for action purposes..grab Fuqua as fast as you can. Replacement Killers was an incredibly entertaining film. Great directing and leads but not that original of a plot. Grab a great script hand it to him and Whoala! Big Hit. Not to be confused with The Big Hit aka The Big $hit." [Name withheld by request.]
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