With Tom Cruise completely severed from Paramount, where does that leave their still profitable Mission: Impossible franchise? The guys over at JoBlo have dug up the answer. It's moving on without him.

Paramount is planning to recast the franchise's leading role for their next installment. Page Six claims that it's Brad Pitt that they're looking to as a replacement for Tom. The real shocker is that they're reportedly so eager to stick it to Cruise that they're ready to dole out a record salary to get Brad on board. This is London says his salary may be as much as a whopping $40 million buckaroos.

Right now, this is just a rumor and even if it is true Brad hasn't taken the part, Paramount is simply offering it. Frankly, I think he'd be a fool to bother with it. Brad has done his spy movie and he's really too big a star to mess around with taking over another actor's sloppy seconds. The money might be tempting, but Brad and Angelina are already richer than they want to be and I doubt even a record-breaking salary will have much impact on him.

Still, if he did take the gig he'd be great at it. Mr. & Mrs. Smith proved that. I'm just not sure Mission: Impossible is worth continuing, with or without Tom Cruise.