Is Brad Pitt the New Ethan Hunt?
Filed under: Action, Paramount, RumorMonger, Seattle, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Remakes and Sequels
Even though Paramount and Tom Cruise are no longer best friends forever (or BF4Evah), that's not stopping the studio from moving ahead with potential plans to extend the Mission Impossible franchise. And, since Cruise will no longer star, they're looking to entice none other than Brad Pitt into the lead role.
What will they entice him with? How about throwing the man a cool $40 million, making Pitt the highest-paid movie star in history. Of course, this info comes via one of those super secret "studio insiders" -- and we all know how reliable they are. Also, according to the "insider," if a Mission Impossible 4 were to happen, the character of Ethan Hunt will be replaced with "a gutsy new head operative who puts together his own unique team of specialists." More than likely, they will explain Hunt's departure by saying he retired to spend a normal life with his wife.
So, if he's willing to accept it, Brad Pitt could be in charge of taking the Mission Impossible franchise in a whole new direction. However, I assume Paramount would want to sign him to at least two films -- something I can't see Pitt doing. What do you think?
Note: This post will self destruct as soon as Vin Diesel's name gets mentioned.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-19-2006 @ 2:30PM
Ajay Shroff said...
Quote: (Note: This post will self destruct as soon as Vin Diesel's name gets mentioned.)
LOL Good One Erik.
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9-19-2006 @ 2:56PM
Benjamin said...
And the hope of seeing a Fincher mission surfaces again.
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9-19-2006 @ 4:37PM
dragonfly said...
What hypocrites - they replace Tom Cruise for speaking about his religion and his commitment to betterment causes, with someone who cheats on his wife and impregnates his co-star and with no plans to marry her. Nice going Sumner! You're a real quality guy!! (sarcasm intended)
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9-19-2006 @ 6:02PM
Dan said...
Hmmm... Let's say I'm the head of a studio rethinking one of my major properties (the "Mission: Impossible" franchise). I just saw disappointing returns from a third installment that were brought about largely by a high-priced, high-powered mega-star who spent too much time in the tabloids and was at least somewhat responsible for a budget that spun out of control. Incidentally, it's a franchise that many critics have complained has become too star-driven, in direct opposition to the ensemble TV series on which it was based.
I have the chance to eliminate said mega-star and give the franchise a total reboot (assuming that's something I want to do). Under what conceivable circumstances am I going to go out and offer to turn the franchise over to another tabloid favorite star whose box office track record is far more erratic than the star I had before? Under what conceivable circumstances am I going to be so desperate to get that star that I'm going pay that star a figure that's more than $10 million more in above-the-line salary than any star has ever made before (Keeping in mind that "MI:3" cost what it cost despite the fact that Cruise took the majority of his salary on the back end)?
This Brad Pitt story, at least as reported on whatever British gossip site generated it, isn't even vaguely logical or plausible...
Dan
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9-20-2006 @ 11:31AM
Mary said...
$40 million for Brad Pitt to continue the Mi franchise, eh? How can Paramount justify that number after Redstone griped over how much Cruise got for making Mi:3?
The studio "bean counters" have beans for brains.
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9-20-2006 @ 8:41PM
dragonfly said...
This just proves that Sumner clearly axed Cruise at the urging of the pharmaceutical reps on the board of Viacom. Cruise hurt their pharmacuetical stock prices by exposing the dangers of anti-depressants. It was never about the meager money for Paramount. It was about the BILLIONS made on legal drug sales. Also just recently learned Anna Nicole Smith's son probably died of anti-depressant toxicity.
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