Despite Tom Cruise’s recent box office struggles in other films, Mission: Impossible 4 is a go at Paramount. To get it done though, NY Mag says Cruise will take a lot less money up front than he usually does, with a way to make money on the back-end if the movie does well.

This should be great news, reason to praise Tom Cruise for being willing to take less money to do something he believes in. Mission: Impossible 3 was good, really good, and it made a ton of money. There’s every reason to think we’re in for more of the same for the next sequel. Had the cast of Anchorman done the same when negotiating a deal for their sequel with the same studio, maybe Anchorman 2 would be happening right now instead of spinning into the deepest, darkest, depths of development hell.

But Tom Cruise is a convenient target and the media’s been trying to pronounce his career dead for at least a decade now, so whenever there’s anything to be said about Tom Cruise it’s always said with a lot of gloating and negativity. The spin on this one is that, ha ha, Tom Cruise had to take less money for Mission: Impossible 4 because he’s no longer a bankable star. Everyone point and laugh. Who cares? With the backend deal he’ll likely end up making as much as he always does, and if he doesn’t, he can cry himself to sleep on his bed made of hundred dollar bills.

The main thing to take away here is that Mission: Impossible 4 is happening, it’ll probably be good, and you have Tom Cruise to thank for it. Look for it in theaters, directed by Brad Bird, on December 16, 2011.