'Mission: Impossible 6' may feature Rebecca Ferguson alongside Tom Cruise as she reprises her role as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust. Director Christopher McQuarrie also hinted that Sean Harris may return as the new film's main villain.

According to Oceanside Post, Rebecca Ferguson has signed on to reprise her role as Ilsa Faust in the next installment in the Mission Impossible series. She will co-star with lead actor Tom Cruise who plays lead protagonist IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Ferguson portrayed Ilsa, an MI6 agent who went undercover in the Syndicate, in the 2015 release 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation'.

Another article from Just Jared reported that Ferguson's return will mark the first time a leading lady appears for another film in the series. The 32-year old Swedish actress is best known for her role as Elizabeth Woodville in 2013's release 'The White Queen' where she earned a Golden Globe nomination. She is currently filming a live-action adaptation of 'The Girl on the Train' with Emily Blunt, which is scheduled for release next year.

Meanwhile, Ferguson and Cruise's director Christopher McQuarrie is all set to return for 'Mission: Impossible 6', also becoming the first repeat director in the series' history. He will be penning the screenplay as well as co-producing alongside Cruise, J.J. Abrams, Don Granger, David Ellison and Dana Goldberg.

McQuarrie admitted that he kept the preceding film's main antagonist alive for a reason, according to Cinema Blend. The filmmaker confirmed that Sean Harris' Solomon Lane was supposed to die in the end at the actor's request but that all changed eventually.

He said, "[Sean Harris] made me promise that I would kill him off. [Laughs] And I told him, 'Look, it's Mission: Impossible. The villain rarely survives. But if the audience loves you, you're coming back. It might be that you are playing a twin, or it's a clone, or even a prequel. But you're coming back.'"

'Mission: Impossible 6' is an upcoming action spy film to be directed, written and produced by Christopher McQuarrie. It will feature the return of main actors Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson, who plays agents Ethan Hunt and Ilsa Faust respectively. The new film is scheduled to be released 2017.