‘Rogue Nation’ and ‘Fallout’ Director Christopher McQuarrie to Make Back-to-Back ‘Mission: Impossible’ Sequels

Get ready for at least two more great action movies with totally forgettable subtitles. I really miss the old numbering system we used to do with sequels. Those days are long gone. Mission: Impossible might be the only modern franchise that has actually gotten better with each subsequent entry in the series.

More importantly in Hollywood, the movies have begun to gross more money with each sequel too, leading Paramount to want to continue making these movies for as long as Tom Cruise is willing to put his life in danger. And we now have some indication as to how much longer that will last as the series' star Cruise is starring in at least two more sequels, due in 2021 and 2022, that will be written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

McQuarrie wrote and directed the two most recent entries in the franchise—2015's Rogue Nation and last year's Fallout—and, according to Variety, will direct the next two flicks back-to-back. Whether they'll be one story split into two films or two proper sequels remains to be seen, but it's not surprising that Paramount wants to capitalize on the series' popularity as they don't have many other franchises to brag about—especially after shelving the latest Star Trek sequel.

The other thing this means is that it takes the popular writer/director off the grid for the next three years, making it more or less (mission) impossible for him to helm any other movies until at least 2022. As indicated by The Hollywood Reporter, neither McQuarrie nor Cruise will be joining the DC Cinematic Universe to do anything, including their rumored involvement with a Green Lantern Corps movie. Whether this is a good or a bad thing, I'll leave to you to decide.

These two are definitely cinematic best buds, though. They're like the more respectable and likable version of Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg.