Brad Bird Inching Closer to 'Mission: Impossible 4'

A couple weeks ago, word spread that Brad Bird, who's picked up a couple Oscars for the animated films Ratatouille and The Incredibles, was a candidate to direct Mission: Impossible 4. It appears that he's the guy Paramount and J.J. Abrams want, and that approval almost certainly includes the thumb's up from Tom Cruise, as well. Vulture reports that Bird is the top choice, but adds, "A source close to the deal says that the talks hinge on Bird's mammoth quote." The two Oscars help Bird raise his asking price, even though this would be his live-action feature debut. So it's not a done deal yet, but Bird's a smart enough guy to know the stakes, professionally speaking, as well as the possible benefits of doing this film for less money. One big key is that Bird's 1906, a film about the San Francisco earthquake, has ground to a halt over budgetary concerns. So in order for him to secure the money he needs for that, the director may have to take another project and turn it into a big success. Is that crazy, seeing that his previous two films earned over $1.2 billion combined? Not really. Those were Pixar movies, and Pixar films have the best commercial track record going. Plus, live-action is a different consideration altogether, so if being a hired gun for J.J. Abrams helps him get 1906 back off the ground, it seems like a pretty easy solution. Also, even though M:I 3, directed by Abrams, was considered a disappointment, almost nobody believes it was for any reason other than Tom Cruise's public image. While it will never be what it was before the crazy couch jumping incident and the run-in with Matt Lauer, Cruise has battled back and has done so by poking fun at himself in both Tropic Thunder and this summer's Knight and Day, which takes the mickey out of Ethan Hunt a little bit. By next summer, Cruise could be considered bankable again. That's the other factor: M:I 4 has to start shooting soon because it's opening in May 2011. If Bird plays hard ball and Abrams looks elsewhere for a director, suddenly 1906 not only has the studio sticker shock, it's also being directed by a guy who doesn't negotiate. That wouldn't look good. I fully expect this to happen, however. It's too cool of an idea for either side to let it not work out.