Traditionally, the Mission: Impossible franchise has been one that continuously changes its directors. In fact, several highly notable directors like Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, and Brad Bird have all gotten the chance to take on a impossible mission, yet not one of them returned to the franchise after.

There are a number of possible reasons for this, although perhaps the most prevalent one could be its lead actor and producer Tom Cruise and his insistence on working with fresh new talent each time around. Indeed, many former Mission: Impossible directors have gone on to have successful careers in the movie industry following their stint with the series, with J.J. Abrams tackling both the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises and Brad Bird getting the chance to direct another live-action film, Tomorrowland, for Disney (which proved to be divisive among audiences).

In keeping with the past Mission: Impossible films, this year's Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation saw Jack Reacher director Christopher McQuarrie come in to helm. While the usual practice for the franchise has been to seek a new director for each installment, it seems that may not be the case anymore. According to a report from VarietyMcQuarrie is in negotiations with Paramount to return for Mission: Impossible 6.

Back when Tom Cruise first confirmed Mission: Impossible 6, he hoped that it would be able to start production sometime next year, and that is expected to be the case. In addition to McQuarrie and Cruise, it looks like both Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg will return for the sixth installment in the franchise as well.

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Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

While nothing is official as of yet, and the deal could still fall through, it's a no-brainer to bring McQuarrie back for another mission. In spite of rumored production issues, McQuarrie prevailed and delivered a standout blockbuster with plenty of action, intrigue, and tension to boot. The film managed to make almost $700 million internationally, which is no small feat in the crowded summer season.

With McQuarrie set to return, the next question, then, becomes what new will he bring to Mission: Impossible 6. One of the elements that has made the franchise keep going over nearly two decades has been the unique vision each director brings to his own film. Since McQuarrie will be the first to direct multiple Mission: Impossible movies, it's going to be a difficult task to keep things fresh with the next one. Given he clearly knows how to handle such a project with Rogue Nation, it shouldn't be too strenuous for McQuarrie to find a new angle for the next installment.

Screen Rant will keep you posted on Mission: Impossible 6‘s development as more information becomes available.

Source: Variety