Mission: Impossible 4 in 2011?

Variety is reporting that the fourth Mission: Impossible film is moving a little bit faster than first suspected. Earlier this week, we reported that Tom Cruise had drafted JJ Abrams - who directed the third film - in to help with the fourth. And Abrams will be producing the next adventure for Cruise's Ethan Hunt.

Furthermore, the film is now scheduled for release in 2011, which means it's likely to be the next project that Cruise turns his attention to once he's shot his next, thus far unnamed film, under the eye of Walk The Line director James Mangold.

There's no word on a director, and JJ Abrams' schedule - he is set to work on Star Trek 12, after all - could mean that Mission: Impossible IV gets bumped to 2012.

But right now, it's definitely full steam ahead...

Variety