First look: Tom Cruise accepts his fourth death-defying mission as he returns as spy Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

It's been five years since Ethan Hunt was last seen on our screens chasing down bad guys and saving his skin.
But he's back - stronger and fitter than ever and still swinging from heart-stopping heights with little more than a rope and his wits keeping him company.
And while he may only be a year shy of turning 50, there's no stopping Tom Cruise, as he returns as the spy in the fourth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
Scroll down for the trailer...

Not for the faint-hearted: Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt - precariously gripped to a building 2,000ft up- in the fourth Mission: Impossible film, Ghost Protocol

The first trailer for the new film, which is called Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, was released online today and promises more explosions, more heart-in-the-mouth stunts and even some humour courtesy of Simon Pegg.
And once again, ever the adrenaline junkie, Cruise, who turns 49 on Sunday, insisted on performing his own stunts which will leave fans in awe and with their hearts in their mouths.

The Kremlin crumbles: A huge bomb blows up the Moscow building as Hunt looks on in horror, little knowing this will lead to his fourth mission

Run for your life: Hunt sprints away from the Kremlin bomb but is swept off his feet by the huge explosion

In one scene he is seen precariously gripped to a building 2,000ft up as he clings onto the Burj Kahlifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, which, even by his standards, was Cruise's most dangerous yet,
Cruise is also seen running away from several earth-shattering explosions including in Moscow after The Kremlin is blown up by a huge terrorist bomb.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Tom Wilkinson's character, accompanied by Jeremy Renner's Brandt, gives Hunt an ultimatum

Man on the run: Hunt listens as he is told that he will be branded a terrorist if he is caught

He has filmed many for his character, Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt,and designs them and meticulously calculates and goes through every jump, roll, skid and slide with his co-stars and the director.
Speaking to the Daily Record this summer, he said: 'I want to entertain the audience and part of making these movies is doing my own stunts.

Action man: A suited and booted Cruise runs from yet another explosion...

... and then shows off his agility with some high karate kicks as he takes on a bad guy

The leads to Hunt's first mission after he is told by Tom Wilkinson's character that the bombing has forced the president to initiate 'Ghost Protocol', which means that the entire IMF - Impossible Missions Force, a fictional independent espionage agency employed by the US government - has been disavowed.
Wilkinson, whose character has yet to be revealed, then informs Hunt that he has been ordered to take him back to Washington and him and his team will be blamed for the bombing.

You sure about this? Pegg's character Benji Dunn shows Hunt how to use some special-grip gloves that will help him scale the world's tallest building

Don't look down! Hunt grips on to the mirrored windows of the Burj Kahlifa in Dubai, a stunt Cruise performed himself

No fear: Cruise launches himself off the 2,717 ft high building

He suggests that he escapes after assaulting him and Brandt, one of Hunt's team played by The Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner, but says if any of his team are caught, they will be branded as terrorists, 'out to encite global nuclear war'.
As they hatch a plan to allow them to operate outside their own agency, Wilkinson then utters the immortal words: 'Your mission, should you choose to accept it...'

You're an A-lister now: Pegg has increased his Hollywood profile with this action role

Sex appeal: Paula Patton brings some glamour to the all-action movie

The name's Cruise, Tom Cruise: Hunt scrubs up well in a tuxedo as he goes undercover

Cue a flurry of action scenes as Cruise and his crew - Pegg, Renner, Lost's Josh Holloway, Ving Rhames and Paula Patton-  take on their new mission.
Fans of the movies have been waiting five years for this film, which was filmed in Dubai, Prague, Moscow, Mumbai, and Vancouver.

Hanging around: A fan snapped a picture of Cruise as he took part in the stunt for the new movie

Adrenaline junkie: Cruise runs along the side of the Buri Khalifa

The film, which due out the week before Christmas. also marks the action debut for director Brad Bird, who is best known for writing and directing Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille.
It was produced by Lost creator J.J Abrams, who directed Cruise in the third installment of this movie franchise.