JJ Abrams raves about Brad Bird’s Ghost Protocol

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

There’s no denying that animation icon Brad Bird is a great director, with classics like RATATOUILLE, THE INCREDIBLES and today I just learned THE IRON GIANT under his belt, but it seemed strange that he was tapped to helm the newest installment of the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE franchise, GHOST PROTOCOL.

But never fear, producer JJ Abrams recently spoke to MTV about the project, and he couldn’t stop gushing about how impressed he’s been with Bird’s work, and how well his style shines through in the film.

I couldn’t be more excited about [Ghost Protocol]. Not only is the movie coming along, but what I’ve seen is kind of unbelievable.

It’s so weird to watch scenes for a movie by a director that feels so of that director’s style, and yet you realize you’ve never ever seen a live-action film by that director. You watch moments where you go, ‘That’s so Brad Bird!’ And then you realize, ‘Oh, it’s so weird to have seen a Brad Bird moment with actual flesh and blood actors.’

And what is Brad Bird’s style specifically?

He’s a filmmaker who has happened to use animation as a medium, but it’s his filmmaking and his characters and his rhythm and his comedy, the action he can do, it’s just the humanity that he’s done that comes through in movies that have happened to be animated. Seeing that kind of nuance in a movie with people is just, I’m just so thrilled to be a part of it all. I haven’t seen the whole thing, but what I have seen is sort of mind-blowing.

I’ve been a fan of all MISSION IMPOSSIBLE installments to date, and despite it seeming rather late to the party, I am excited for GHOST PROTOCOL and the hopefully return of Tom Cruise: action hero.