When the development of the seventh and eighth installments to Mission: Impossible was first announced in 2019, it was understood that Paramount Pictures was planning to shoot the Tom Cruise-led action sequels back-to-back. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, it seems like production plans have changed with Deadline bringing word that the studio has reportedly canceled their previous plan to immediately shoot Mission: Impossible 8 as soon as production for Mission: Impossible 7 has been completed.
According to the outlet’s sources, Paramount came to this decision due to scheduling conflicts with Cruise’s availability as he must soon be needed to do promotional duties for Top Gun: Maverick, which is currently set for its July 2, 2021 release. Instead of the original back-to-back filming plan, the studio now intends to shoot Mission: Impossible 8 once the Top Gun sequel hopefully makes its debut. Despite this setback, Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible 7 is still on track for its November 19, 2022, theatrical release as production nears completion.
Joining Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell are returning Mission: Impossible alums Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep), Simon Pegg (Ready Player One), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), Vanessa Kirby (Hobbs & Shaw) and Henry Czerny (Ready or Not) along with newcomers Shea Whigham (Joker), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Avengers: Infinity War) and Esai Morales (La Bamba, Titans) who will replace Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) for the villain role.
Following the large critical and commercial success of the past two installments, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie signed a new deal with Paramount to return to write and direct the next two installments, turning down other studio offers to continue his long-running partnership with franchise star Tom Cruise. Skydance Media, who joined the franchise with the fourth installment, Ghost Protocol, will be returning to produce the next two entries.
The Mission: Impossible franchise spans almost 25 years and six films, starting off with modest critical and major box office success in the first two films before launching its lead protagonist into grittier and more explosive stories, each film getting progressively better reviews than its predecessor, with the most recent installment, Fallout, earning the highest reviews for both the franchise and the action genre, currently maintaining a 97% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while also acquiring the highest box office gross of the franchise at over $790 million worldwide.
Mission: Impossible 7 is set to premiere on November 19, 2021, followed by Mission: Impossible 8 on November 4, 2022.
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