Tom Cruising to Manhattan

Tom Cruise's next mission, should he choose to accept it: Crisscross New York via helicopter, motorcycle, speedboat, subway and motorized couch (okay, we made that last one up) for a six-hour whirlwind promotion of Mission: Impossible III. And, to kill the suspense, he already has.

Dubbed, yes, "Mission: NYC," the hypefest is set to take place May 3 with TV appearances and borough-wide screenings all leading up to the premiere of the sequel at the Tribeca Film Festival that night.

"We're thrilled that Tom Cruise is bringing Mission: Impossible III to the Tribeca Film Festival and New York City," said festival cofounder Robert De Niro.

Paula Wagner, Cruise's longtime producing partner, shared De Niro's enthusiasm, not to mention word choice, in seconding her support of the film's decision to unveil the would-be blockbuster at the fest.

"We're thrilled to be bringing Mission: Impossible III to the Tribeca Film Festival as a part of 'Mission: NYC,' " she said. "Tom has always enjoyed finding new ways to connect with the fans and we're both excited to be sharing the movie with them on this incredible stage."

Cruise begins his assault on Manhattan with an appearance on MTV's TRL at 3:30 p.m. From there, the high-energy actor heads to screenings of the film in TriBeCa and Harlem before making his way to official film festival-hosted U.S. premiere at the famed Ziegfield Theatre.

"Having the support of Tom Cruise and Paramount is a gift to us and the community," said fest cofounder Jane Rosenthal. "We are delighted to host director J.J. Abrams, Tom and the cast as we celebrate our own mission impossible--the fifth Tribeca Film Festival in only four years."

We assume that Cruise will make the trip solo, but with him you never really know. The expectant father will probably leave fiancee Katie Holmes at home. Presumably, she'll have given birth by his New York trip.

Two weeks ago, while in Germany promoting the spy sequel, Cruise told a TV show that Holmes could go into labor any minute.

Speculation has been centering on Holmes embarking on a seemingly impossible mission of her own--to comply with Scientology's practice of silent birth. The church claims a quiet delivery room makes the birthing process calmer and more healthful for both mother and child, but how exactly the silence is enforced is a little less clear.

"It's really about respecting the woman," Cruise told GQ in an issue out later this week. "It's not about her not screaming."

Cruise's GQ sitdown, like his recent interview with Parade magazine in which he alleged he was abused by his father, are all part of his massive publicity push for Mission: Impossible III, which, in case you've been under a rock, hits theaters nationwide on May 5.