Jeremy Renner Confirms Taking Over Mission: Impossible Franchise From Tom Cruise

After almost a year of speculation that Hurt Locker's Jeremy Renner was Tom Cruise's successor in the Mission: Impossible franchise, the sexy 39-year-old actor has finally confirmed it!

While on set in Dubai filming Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Renner tells MTV News:

"It's a franchise to potentially take over. I can't predict the future and what they want, but that's certainly the idea."

Renner, who is also set to star as a superhero in the upcoming The Avengers, admits to being inspired by Cruise during the filming of stunt-heavy scenes:

"I haven't gotten to work too much in terms of acting stuff, but the stunts have been insane. Tom has been doing loads. He's crazy, that guy. It's unbelievable. He's fearless. He's great to watch. He inspires me to want to be better. I'm training in the gym and working out and fighting and doing everything I can to try and keep up. I'm doing hand-to-hand combat, Muay Thai and kung fu and learning how to take someone out quickly. I need to look like I know what I'm doing!"

As for his craziest stunt, Renner jokingly says, "Everything." We can't wait to see his hot body in action.