Brad Bird to direct Mission: Impossible IV?

Tom Cruise says so. Interviewed by Empire and linked by RopeofSilicon, Cruise confirms it was down to Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille):

I dig Edgar. Very nice guy, very smart, very talented, I‚Äôd really like to do something with him,‚Äù said Cruise, talking to Empire recently in Los Angeles. ‚ÄúI met Edgar on the set of Mission 3. Simon Pegg and those guys are hilarious. I love Shaun Of The Dead. It‚Äôs amazing. But we‚Äôre working with Brad right now. I don‚Äôt know if I‚Äôm allowed to talk about it but everything‚Äôs signed… Brad is doing it.

Earlier this week we learned that MI4 had been pushed back from a Summer 2011 release to next December — presumably leaving its vacated May 28 slot free for J.J. Abrams’ Super 8.