Mission: Impossible 7 further delayed to 2023 over Covid-related disruptions

The release of Mission: Impossible 7 has been further delayed from September 2022 to July 2023.

On Friday (21 January), Paramount Pictures and Skydance announced that the forthcoming Mission: Impossible films had run into further pandemic-related disruptions.

Their joint statement read: “After thoughtful consideration, Paramount Pictures and Skydance have decided to postpone the release dates for Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 in response to delays due to the ongoing pandemic.”

Mission: Impossible 8, which was previously scheduled for release in July 2023, will instead open 28 June the following year.

Both films previously faced earlier delays due to the pandemic.

In March 2020, shooting on Mission: Impossible 7 was put on hiatus when the first lockdown was enforced.

In December 2020, an audio recording of Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise shouting at crew for breaking Covid-19 protocols was leaked. Cruise later addressed the rant in an interview with Empire magazine, explaining that he was motivated by a desire to prevent any further delays in shooting.

In June 2021, 14 members of the Mission: Impossible 7 crew tested positive for Covid-19.

The positive test results surfaced during routine testing shortly after Cruise shot a scene set in a nightclub. Four dancers initially tested positive, followed by 10 other crew members.

Cruise and Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) director Christopher McQuarrie signed on for these sequels in 2019.

Additional reporting by Associated Press