Though Skydance Pictures and Christopher McQuarrie are busy with the sixth “Mission: Impossible” at Paramount Pictures, another project the pair are moving forward with is the long-awaited live-action “Star Blazers” film.

Also known as “Space Battleship Yamato,” the original cartoon’s story is set in a time when Earth’s atmosphere has been obliterated by a distant alien race. The survivors have one year before radiation will reach their underground refuge and wipe out what’s left of humanity.

Using a form of alien technology, a small crew is sent across the universe to secure a means to stave off extinction and restore the planet. The series was the first popular English-translated anime that had an overarching plot and storyline that required the episodes to be shown in order.

Skydance’s David Ellison spoke with LRM Online the other day and confirmed that Zach Dean has been brought onboard to write a new draft of the script which would be shaped as a potential directing vehicle for McQuarrie once he wraps M:I-6.

At last report Ellison, Josh C. Kline, and Dana Goldberg are producing.