Tom Cruise waved to crowds while shooting the sequel in Rome

Filming was postponed last year after director Joe Carnahan quit over "creative differences".

The project was put off for almost a year to allow Cruise time to find a new director and shoot War of the Worlds.

Cruise brought traffic to a standstill in Rome as he reprised his role as special agent Ethan Hunt in the third instalment of the action series.

Television series

The Hollywood star brought river traffic to a standstill on Tuesday as he piloted a speedboat on the Tiber River.

"We were on our way to visit the Vatican, but St Peter's will still be here tomorrow," said Spanish student Ana Pinon, 21.

"Tom Cruise probably won't be."

Cruise, who will be filming in Rome until Friday, smiled and waved to the crowds between shoots.

Based on the hit TV show from the 1960s and 1970s, Mission: Impossible 3 is directed by Jeffrey Abrams, who created hit television series Alias.

The first movie in the series, directed by Brian de Palma in 1996, grossed $454m (�250m) worldwide.