'Mission: Impossible 3' Kicks Off Principal Photography in Rome - July 12 Continuing in Europe, US and Asia

'Mission: Impossible 3' Kicks Off Principal Photography in Rome - July 12 Continuing in Europe, US and Asia

J.J. Abrams Directs Tom Cruise in Third Installment of Billion-Dollar Franchise

LOS ANGELES, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Principal photography will commence on July 12th on "Mission: Impossible 3," directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Maggie Q, Michelle Monaghan, Keri Russell, and Laurence Fishburne. The action thriller will be shot on location in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Cruise and his partner, Paula Wagner, will produce for Cruise/Wagner Productions. "Mission: Impossible 3" is scheduled for release May 5, 2006.

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In the third installment of the Cruise/Wagner blockbuster "Mission: Impossible" franchise, which has grossed over one billion dollars worldwide to date, Cruise will be reprising his role as Special Agent Ethan Hunt.

Cruise kicks off "Mission: Impossible 3" on the heels of his latest box office smash, "War of the Worlds," which was directed by Steven Spielberg and opened worldwide June 29th to rave reviews. To date, "War of the Worlds" has grossed over $365 million worldwide.

Tom Cruise has achieved unprecedented success as an actor and producer in a career spanning two decades. He is a three-time Academy Award(R) nominee whose films have earned in excess of six billion dollars worldwide.

"Mission: Impossible 3" is directed by J.J. Abrams, produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner and executive produced by Stratton P. Leopold. The screenplay is written by Alex Kurtzman-Counter & Roberto Orci & J.J. Abrams, based on the television series created by Bruce Geller. The film is a Paramount Pictures Presentation. Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc.

About Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIAB), one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies and a leader in the production, promotion, and distribution of entertainment news, sports and music.

Contacts: Amanda Brand Unit Publicist 818.519.2095

Gregg Brilliant Vice President, National Publicity Paramount Pictures 323.956.5872

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CONTACT: Amanda Brand, Unit Publicist, +1-818-519-2095, for Paramount Pictures, or Gregg Brilliant, Vice President, National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, +1-323-956-5872

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