Mission: Impossible 4 first movie to be released in IMAX before theaters, with added 30 minutes of action

IMAX and Paramount Pictures today announced that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, which was partially shot with IMAX cameras, will begin previews in IMAX beginning Friday, December 16th, 2011, and play through the film’s run at the box office, which begins worldwide on December 21st. This marks the first time a U.S. feature film has been released early in IMAX theaters. Directed by Academy Award-winner Brad Bird, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol stars Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Ving Rhames, Tom Wilkinson, Josh Holloway, Michael Nyqvist, Léa Seydoux, Anil Kapoor, Darren Shahlavi, Samuli Edelmann, Vladimir Mashkov, Miraj Grbic and Ivan Shvedoff.

Coupled with the early window of engagement, the IMAX release of this fourth installment of Mission: Impossible features approximately 30 minutes of scenes shot with IMAX cameras. These specific sequences will expand to fill the entire screen, exclusively in IMAX, and further immerse the audience in the explosive action and vast scope of the film. One featured exclusive sequence includes the dangerous stunt performed by Tom Cruise as he scaled the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, providing an up-close, you-are-there experience.

“Paramount Pictures, Bad Robot and Tom Cruise continue to create innovative, event experiences for moviegoers and we’re ecstatic that IMAX is a featured component of that event strategy by offering fans this IMAX preview of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” said IMAX President Greg Foster. “The sequences shot with IMAX cameras, coupled with the visionary storytelling of Brad Bird and incredible scope of this film will – mark my words – blow audiences away.”

The IMAX release of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

As Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol begins, the IMF has been shut down after being implicated in the bombing of the Russian Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his new team to go rogue in order to clear their organization’s name. They’ll have no help, no contact, and will be totally off the grid. Mission: Impossible 4 is directed by Brad Bird, making his live-action film debut, and written by Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Christopher McQuarrie. Cruise, who produces the Mission: Impossible films, is joined by producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk.

Check out one of the latest movie posters for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol below.