'Hurt Locker' Star Jeremy Renner May Take Over 'Mission: Impossible' FranchiseWhen Jeremy Renner was cast as Tom Cruise's co-star in 'Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol,' rumors spread that the franchise would continue afterward without Cruise, with Renner taking over as the series' lead.

Renner is best know for his Oscar-nominated performance in 'The Hurt Locker' and stole the show in Ben Affleck's recent hit 'The Town.' When he spoke to MTV News, Renner gave a slight nod to the rumor: "It's a franchise to potentially take over. I can't predict the future and what they want, but that's certainly the idea."

Renner is currently in Dubai filming 'Ghost Protocol.' He declined to say whether a hand-off, if any, is written into the script or if it's something that would become clear in a future sequel. "I can't really go into the details of the script, because that's still evolving," he said. "It's Tom's baby. He's the engine behind the thing. What happens after that, we'll see."