Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (also known as Mission: Impossible IV) is an upcoming action film, and the fourth film in the Mission: Impossible series. It stars Tom Cruise, who reprises his role of IMF Agent Ethan Hunt, and is director Brad Bird's first live-action film. Ghost Protocol was written by Christopher McQuarrie, André Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, and J.J. Abrams, and produced by Cruise, J.J. Abrams (director of the third film) and Bryan Burk.
The film will have preview runs in IMAX and other select theatres in the United States from December 16, 2011, with general release from December 21, 2011. It is the first Mission: Impossible film not to be produced by Paula Wagner, and the first that was partially filmed using IMAX cameras.
When a terrorist bombing destroys the Kremlin, the United States government initiates a black ops "ghost protocol" and disavows the entire Impossible Mission Force. Ethan Hunt and his team are to be blamed for the attack, but are allowed to escape as part of a plan to enable them to operate in the dark, outside of their agency. However, Hunt is warned that if any member of his team is captured during their mission, they will be charged as terrorists planning to incite global nuclear war. Ethan is then forced to work with ex-IMF agent Brandt, who knows more about Hunt and his past than even Hunt himself.
The film was originally announced with a working name of Mission: Impossible 4, and codenamed "Aries" during early production. Rumors initially mentioned that the film might not even carry the Mission: Impossible name, though this was later discounted.
Principal photography began by September 30, 2010. Filming took place in Dubai, Prague, Moscow, Mumbai, and Vancouver. The film was partially shot with IMAX cameras.