Reuters reports that Germany has turned down a request by Tom Cruise to shoot scenes for Mission: Impossible 3 in the famous Reichstag parliament building’s giant glass and steel dome. Cruise was in the capital last month to scout locations for the second sequel, which starts shooting later this year.

One of his favorite locations was the 130-feet diameter dome on the top of the parliament building, said a spokesman for the Studio Babelsberg production firm near Berlin, which is working with Cruise to find locations.

But the German parliament turned down the request to film there. “The building is not available as a film location and we refuse point blank every request to use it as such,” said a spokesman for Parliament President Wolfgang Thierse. “It is about maintaining the dignity of the parliament.”
Source: ComingSoon.net

As a German citizen I just like to throw in how stupid Germans are. Thank God, I always have considered myself as being an American although I don’t have any roots back there. But that’s enough from me – I’m just mad now. Germany can be lucky to say that Tom was interested in filming here but oh well.

Empire Online on the casting of Scarlet:

Scarlett Johansson has joined the cast of Mission: Impossible 3, with the Cruiser, Carrie-Anne Moss, Ving Rhames and Kenneth Branagh. Apparently she is going to play an “ally” of Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character, which puts her at high risk of being bumped off in the first five minutes of the film if past form is anything to go by. Johansson won the part after beating off every other young actress in Hollywood, virtually all of whom asked to be considered for it.

Scarlett Johansson Takes on Mission: Impossible 3 Source: Variety Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Narc director Joe Carnahan is helming “M:I 3,” produced by Cruise and Paula Wagner via their Paramount-based C/W Productions with filming starting this summer for a May 2005 release.

For those who know, know how much I love Scarlett. This is the BEST casting news ever.