‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol’ Bowing Abroad Prior to U.S. Release

Holiday schedule shuffle also sees Fox Searchlight’s “The Descendants” moved to a Thanksgiving-friendly date.

Let the holiday games begin.

Studios have begun tweaking their year-end schedules, led by Paramount pushing back the release of Tom Cruise starrer Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol by five days, from Dec. 16 to Dec. 21.

Overseas — where Cruise remains immensely popular — Ghost Protocol still opens in Asia, Russia and two-thirds of Europe, including France and Germany, on Dec. 16.

Hours after Paramount revealed the switch-up, Fox Searchlight said it will now open Alexander Payne’s George Clooney starrer The Descendants in a limited run on Nov. 23, instead of December 16.

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Summary: The IMF is shut down when it’s implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization’s name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this.

Directed by Brad Bird, best-known for his work on films such as The Incredibles, the movie stars Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway and a large cast of other well-known actors.

Trailer: