Brad Bird to Direct M:I4

Paramount has announced that Mission: Impossible 4 has been pushed back from an original release date of May 27th 2011 to December 16th 2011 and confirmed that Brad Bird will be directing. Bird has previously directed a number of animated films including Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Iron Giant. The film will be produced by JJ Abrams and Tom Cruise returns in the starring role as Ethan Hunt though the character may be in a transitional period of sorts as M:I4 is being talked about as being along the lines of a reboot for the series. Details of what that may mean exactly are not being divulged.