Not content with joining Marvel's Avengers as master archer Hawkeye, The Hurt Locker's Jeremy Renner continues his transition into action hero by being chosen as Tom Cruise's co-star in the new Mission: Impossible movie.

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Renner has been selected by Paramount to join the action franchise in its upcoming fourth installment, with an eye to possibly taking it over in future movies. According to the site, he wasn't necessarily the studio's first choice, with Tom Hardy and Chris Pine both having been in the running but too busy to commit. Nonetheless, the studio seems very happy with their choice, with Renner being described as having "a Daniel Craig quality" that production chief Adam Goldman liked.

The movie is currently in pre-production.