Hollywood star Tom Cruise's much-anticipated actioner "Mission: Impossible 7" has shut down the production after a routine test confirmed a positive COVID-19 case on set. A spokesperson for the Paramount and Skydance production said filming on the sequel will put on hold for 14 days while those involved self-isolate.
“We have temporarily halted production on Mission: Impossible 7 until June 14th, due to positive coronavirus test results during routine testing. We are following all safety protocols and will continue to monitor the situation,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Variety.
The news comes almost six months after an audio leaked of Cruise berating members of the crew for apparently not following COVID-19 guidelines. "Mission: Impossible 7" was one of the first major Hollywood projects to be adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year in February , filming on the latest installment had to be stopped in Italy due to the virus outbreak in the country. The movie was scheduled to be shot for three weeks in Venice but the plans were put on hold.
Production resumed in September, with filming taking place in Italy and Norway before moving to London in early December. First assistant director Tommy Gormley had said, "We were days from shooting in Venice, we were right at the epicentre when it all kicked off, so we had to shut down in Venice where we were four or five days from shooting. We hope to visit all the countries we planned to and look to do a big chunk of it back in the UK on the backlot and in the studio, so September through to end April/May is our targets. We are convinced we can do this."
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, "Mission: Impossible 7" also features Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, and Esai Morales.
