DUBAI, (Reuters Life!) – The fourth sequel of action blockbuster “Mission Impossible” starring Oscar-nominated actor Tom Cruise will be partly filmed in Dubai, the Gulf Arab emirate’s media office said.

Dubai, a regional tourism and trading centre, is slowly emerging from a debt crisis following a crash of its property market after a global financial downturn. The slowdown led to billions of dollars in project cancellations and thousands of job losses.

“Preparations for filming in Dubai have been agreed with the production company, Paramount, following two months of meetings and location scouting,” the media office said in a statement.

“Actual filming of the project, that will attract more than 400 industry professionals, is expected to commence within a few weeks,” it added.

Dubai has been on a mission to become a Singapore-style global business and leisure centre with fast living and no income tax.

As part of its ambitions, it has strived to become a movie hub in the region, launching a film festival to much fanfare in 2004, and marketing itself as a one-stop-shop for international movie production with projects such as Dubai Studio City (DSC).

Government-run Dubai Media Incorporated will provide technical and staff support for the production of the movie, while DSC will assist with technical and logistic support. The film will be directed by Brad Bird, known for pictures such as “The Incredibles” which grossed more than $261 million in box office takings in 2004, and “Ratatouille”, which won the Oscar for best animated film in 2007.

Cosmopolitan Dubai has become a magnet for celebrities and movie stars with its luxury hotels, overlooking soft sandy beaches, palm-shaped man-made islands, and a skyline boasting the world’s tallest tower.