The Shaun of the Dead creator discusses working on the upcoming J.J. Abrams directed blockbuster

Recently MovieWeb had a chance to ask actor Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) some questions about his role in J.J. Abrams upcoming sequel, Mission: Impossible III, starring Tom Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Here's what he had to say...

How did you get the part in M:i:III, and what was your reaction when you learned you got the part?

Simon Pegg: I got a call from JJ out of the blue. He said he'd enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and how would I like to be in the movie. It was a no brainer really. I had to have a little sit down after our conversation, just to get the heart rate down.

What was it like going from an indie film like Shaun, to a big budget studio pic like M:i:III?

Simon Pegg: It was amazing. Unlimited smoothies. It blew my mind.

What's coming up after M:i:III and Hot Fuzz? M:I 4? A sequel to Shaun of the Dead"? Any other genres?

Simon Pegg: There's a few things on the horizon but I don't want to say too much about that now. As far as a Shaun sequel is concerned, it might be a little hard, with how things ended up. Sequels can sometimes sully the memory of the original too. Once a sequel is in place, it's virtually impossible to watch the first film and feel any amount of closure at the end. Look at Aliens; once you've seen Alien 3, you know that Ripley's efforts at the end of the former are a complete waste of time. Having said, someone will throw this interview in my face at the premiere of From Dusk Til Shaun.

Are there any directors you really admire and would like to work with?

Simon Pegg: Yes loads. Raimi, Tarrantino, Speilberg, Jackson, Rodriguez, The Coens, Mann, Sodeburgh, Greengrass...I have a list at home. I can go and get it. I'd love to work with JJ again.

What was your most memorable experience on the set of M:i:III? What was it like being on the set for such a short amount of time?

Simon Pegg: I completely went to pieces on my first take. I looked at Tom and Ving and thought, how the hell did I get here!? I had jet lag, the whole experience felt a little dream like. Although, I was only on set for a number if days I was in LA for a few weeks. I love LA it's like a safari park with movie stars. You're driving down the street and suddenly there's a famous person in their natural habitat. Sometimes they even climb on the car and pull off your wipers. I quickly learnt you should never keep an undressed tuna salad on the passenger seat.

Were you ever intimidated to work with the impressive cast of M:i:III? What was it like working with Tom?

Simon Pegg: Apart from my little freak out on my first day, everyone was lovely. I was made to feel very welcome. JJ felt like an old friend as soon as we met and Tom was the epitome of professionalism. Friendly, chatty and not at all starry. It was enormous fun.

Please tell us a bit about Hot Fuzz and the tone of comedy it will use.

Simon Pegg:Hot Fuzz is a police/action/comedy/thriller/comedy. We're doing for the cops what we did for zombies. Taking a well used and traditionally American genre and putting it in a very British context. The cops aren't armed in the UK so it's not an ideal place for an action hero but it's a great place to start, when your destination is complete carnage. Imagine Masterpiece Theatre doing Lethal Weapon.

When will it be coming out in America?

Simon Pegg: It's being distributed by Rogue Pictures who distributed Shaun. I can't wait to work with them again. Our Shaun press tour was a hoot. With any luck it will be released simultaneously in the US and UK next February.

Mission: Impossible III explodes into theaters May 5th and is rated 'PG-13.'