Russian Actor Vladimir Mashkov Joins 4th 'Mission: Impossible'

Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov has joined the cast of the next entry in "Mission: Impossible" franchise marking his highest profile Hollywood gig to date.

The actor and occasional director is probably best know to North American audiences for his role as the villain in "Behind Enemy Lines." He's also appeared in the forgettable Robert De Niro thriller "15 Minutes" and in the Sergey Bodruv's "The Quickie" with Jennifer Jason Leigh. Mashkov will play, naturally, a Russian agent in the film.

The fourth installment of the Tom Cruise franchise will be directed by Brad Bird and features newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton, alongside franchise veterans Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg (the latter of whom said this summer his deal wasn't yet in place but whose name is still being linked to the film; maybe he's quietly back in?). The film will begin production this fall with a globe-trotting shoot that will include Vancouver, Prague, Dubai and the U.S. The currently untitled "Mission: Impossible" film will hit theaters on December 16, 2011. [The Wrap]