Frank Darabont has been tapped to write "Mission: Impossible 3" for Cruise/Wagner Prods. and Paramount Pictures, replacing original scribe Robert Towne.

Towne had begun writing the third installment of the action franchise but is now focusing on his long-gestating pet project "Ask the Dust." In the works for more than a quarter-century, "Dust" is due to go into production next month in South Africa. Towne is adapting the Jan Fante novel of the same name as well as directing. Cruise/Wagner is producing.

Towne also is attached to direct and write a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock classic "The 39 Steps" for Carlton International.

Darabont worked with Cruise/Wagner on the Tom Cruise starrer "Collateral," which Michael Mann is directing. The project falls under a slate of pictures being co-financed by DreamWorks and Paramount that includes "Killing Pablo," which Joe Carnahan is directing after "M:I-3." Carnahan boarded "M:I-3" after David Fincher withdrew this year.

Set for release next year, "M:I-3" will see Cruise reprise his role as secret agent Ethan Hunt. A hugely successful franchise, "Mission: Impossible," directed by Brian De Palma, brought in $453 million worldwide, and the John Woo-helmed "M:I-2" garnered $609 million.

Cruise/Wagner Prods. and Towne have worked on multiple projects together. Cruise/Wagner produced Towne's most recent directorial outing, "Without Limits." Towne wrote the screenplay for both "Mission: Impossible" and "M:I-2" and worked on the Cruise starrer "Days of Thunder."

"Dust" is based on the Depression-era novel by Fante. Salma Hayek is set to play the Mexican waitress who plans to move up in the world by marrying a wealthy American. Along the way, she meets a struggling Italian writer, played by Colin Farrell.

Darabont's other writing credits include "Fahrenheit 451," "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption." He also directed "Mile" and "Shawshank."

Darabont and Towne are both repped by CAA.