September 2, 2010 15:05

'Precious' star joins cast of 'Mission: Impossible' reboot

But it won’t be called 'Mission: Impossible 4'

Paula Patton has landed the female lead in the fourth Mission Impossible film. The US star, who won accolades for her role in Precious, was screen-tested for the role of Tom Cruise's sidekick alongside actresses
Kristin Kreuk and Lauren German, reports Deadline.com.

The actress will play an up-and-coming agent who gets to work alongside Cruise's long-standing character Ethan Hunt in the next installment of the spy franchise.

Patton, who is married to R&B crooner Robin Thicke, joins The Hurt Locker's Jeremy Renner who has recently been added to the cast.

However, the film will not be called Mission: Impossible 4 and, according to Cruise and the writer, Lost's JJ Abrams, it will be a franchise reboot.

Production will kick off in the autumn, with a December 2011 release date expected.