HOLLYWOOD, June 16 (UPI) -- Former "Felicity" star Keri Russell has signed on to portray a junior agent mentored by Tom Cruise's character in "Mission: Impossible 3."
The part reunites Russell with director J.J. Abrams in the movie that won a green light just last week from Paramount Pictures.
Paramount reached a deal with Cruise and co-executive producer Paula Wagner to cut the movie's budget and revise Cruise's profit-sharing deal, E! Online reported Thursday.
Actress Lindsay Lohan also was interested in the junior agent part that Scarlett Johansson dropped last month because of scheduling delays.
With Russell joining the cast that includes Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michelle Monaghan and Philip Seymour Hoffman, filming on "Mission: Impossible 3" is to begin next month in Italy.
The movie is set for release next May.
