Coronavirus: 'Mission: Impossible 7' Filming Suspended In Italy Over Deadly Outbreak

Left to right: Director Christopher McQuarrie, B Camera/Steadicam Operator Marcus Pohlus and Tom Cruise (right) on the set of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
 

Premium Times reports that the three-week shoot of Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ has been halted in Italy due to Coronavirus risk.

The Italian civil protection agency said Tuesday that 54 new cases were detected in the country’s north overnight, bringing the total to 283.

Italy now has the highest number of coronavirus infections outside Asia.

Filming of ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ which began on February 20, 2020, in Venice was to last for 3 weeks before moving to Rome in mid-March for 40 days.

Paramount Pictures issued an announcement Monday that cited the Venetian government’s missive to halt public gatherings.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and the well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three-week shoot in Venice, the scheduled the first leg of an extensive production for ‘Mission: Impossible 7,” Paramount said.

“During this hiatus, we want to be mindful of the concerns of the crew and are allowing them to return home until production starts. We will continue to monitor this situation, and work alongside health and government officials as it evolves.”

Similarly, Paramount also announced Monday that it would delay the release of its “Sonic the Hedgehog” in China due to the coronavirus.

“Sonic will only be slowing down his pace temporarily, and we look forward to bringing him zooming onto the big screen in China once it is appropriate to do so,” it said in a statement.

‘Mission: Impossible 7’ is an upcoming action spy film written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, and starring Tom Cruise, who reprises his role as Ethan Hunt. It is due to be the seventh instalment of the Mission Impossible film series.