Tom Cruise: Mission Impossible 5As he begins making the promotional rounds for his upcoming film called Jack Reacher, Tom Cruise is also taking the time to get chatty about some other projects in the works, specifically another installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

TotalFilm Magazine caught up with Cruise recently and their Icon of Our Lifetime actor talked briefly about his role as Abraham van Helsing in the new adventure Van Helsing as well the long-rumored return to the Top Gun franchise which was initially slated to be directed by the late Tony Scott. But the topic that proved most interesting came up when the actor was pressed on the possibility of another Mission: Impossible film.

Say what you will about the first three films in the MI ouvre but the franchise's financial success, that totals more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, can't be denied. And last years' fourth installment, Ghost Protocol is not only widely considered the best of the bunch, but was actually a quite solid action film. So, it's only natural the studio keep the Ethan Hunt train rolling. After all, that's what they do.

Said Cruise wan asked about the success of Ghost Protocol, "Seeing an audience respond… to have that experience is really wonderful.

"I started Mission: Impossible hoping I could make many of them. It’s a character that I can grow with. At that time it was the most expensive film in the history of Paramount Pictures, and the first film I was producing.

"It's been pretty exciting. I'll make a bunch of those. I'll make as many as people want to see... because they're very challenging, and so much fun to make."

Paramount has confirmed it is moving forward with a fifth Mission: Impossible film, but has yet to attach a director or screenwriters. However we do know from previous commentary that Ghost Protocol director Brad Bird won't return, but that's been the MO for the franchise as a director has yet to return for a subsequent installment.

When asked about a plot or setting for MI5, Cruise responded, "We're already working on different images. Talking conceptually. I love traveling around promoting different movies because I'm always looking at different places, and I always walk around to see the city. I look at architecture, subways… coming up with different sequences."