‘Mission: Impossible 7’ filming halted

Production on “Mission: Impossible 7” has shut down after a positive coronavirus test.

The latest movie in the Tom Cruise-starring action franchise was filming in the U.K. when the positive test occurred. A spokesperson for the Paramount and Skydance production confirmed work on the project will be stalled until June 14.

“We have temporarily halted production on ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ until June 14th, due to positive coronavirus test results during routine testing,” reads the statement. “We are following all safety protocols and will continue to monitor the situation.”

Like most major Hollywood productions, “Mission: Impossible” has faced a complicated road to the big screen, first impacted by the industry-wide shutdown in February 2020 (days before the film’s planned shoot in Venice), and with a number of subsequent stops and starts due to the pandemic. Filming on the globe-trotting sequel resumed in the fall, but production was also delayed for a week in October when 12 people on set in Italy tested positive for COVID-19. In December, audio leaked of Cruise yelling at his crew for breaking COVID-19 guidelines.

When Cruise saw two crew members standing too close to one another in front of a computer screen, he told them: “If I see you do it again you’re fucking gone.”

The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who previously helmed “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” and “Fallout,” and is set to return for a planned eighth film. Joining Cruise’s Ethan Hunt for the latest mission are franchise stalwarts Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson. Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Cary Elwes, Indira Varma, Rob Delaney, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss and Greg Tarzan Davis round out the star-studded ensemble.

The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news of the shutdown.

Source: Variety