Mission Impossible 5 Ving Rhames Returns, To Be Released A Week After J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars Episode 7

While some of the team members have appeared in the last 2 missions (Simon Pegg has appeared in Mission Impossible 3 and Ghost Protocol), the lone character that has appeared in all the M:I films is Ethan Hunt's computer expert Luther Stickell (played by Rhames). Stickell has played main roles in the first three installments and only made a surprise cameo at the very end of Ghost Protocol. The nature of the scene implied that Stickell's days as an agent are over.

Apparently not, as Director Christopher McQuarrie has just confirmed actor Ving Rhames will reprise his role for Mission Impossible 5.

Mquarrie Tweeted "Welcome back, Mr. Rhames." mentioning co-stars Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner

A family reunion of sorts, Simon Peg and Jeremy Renner will also reprise their characters of Benjie Dunn and William Brandt, respectively.

Renner also confirmed his role in an interview with Yahoo! TV:

"I'm kind of strapped time-wise doing 'Avengers 2,' and 'Mission: Impossible 5′ is rearing its head, and then they want to do another 'Bourne' movie. It's unlikely I can find the time right now. And that's all right. It's just really high-class problems - pretty awesome to have. Even if I really wanted to do it, which I don't, I couldn't," he said.

(Replying to a question if he would consider playing a role in the second season of "True Detective")

No word yet if Paula Patton will join the team in Mission Impossible 5.

Meanwhile, Tom Cruise was will head to Morocco this September to shoot for the fifth movie of the highly successful espionage/spy series. It is reported that the Mission Impossible production teams have already arrived to prepare shooting beforehand in Casablanca, Morocco's economic capital, the district chosen for the shoot is the Jewish ghetto, or "mellah," in the Old Medina quarter.

Mission Impossible 5 will hit theaters in December 25, a week after Star Wars: Episode VII (Dec. 18)