Mission: Impossible – Fallout not only proved the venerable action property is still viable, it ignited completely renewed interest in where the franchise will go next while giving star Tom Cruise’s career as an action hero a much needed boost.
Not surprisingly, the long-lived Christopher McQuarrie as director. Unfortunately, production on the highly anticipated new movie was recently delayed, like so many other productions, due to the coronavirus outbreak. Uncertainty over how long the outbreak will continue has obviously cast a huge cloud over Hollywood, leading to difficult decisions like postponing major releases and dropping movies early on digital.
As reported by Variety, Mission: Impossible 7 may be facing a particularly steep uphill battle as it seeks to restart production. It’s revealed that much of the movie takes place in Venice and other areas of Italy, a country that has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus. Because the Italian locations are so integral to the film’s story, moving the production would be an especially difficult endeavor.
Details about the film are hard to come by so it’s a bit of a revelation to learn that most of the movie takes place in Italy. Exotic locales are of course important to the Mission: Impossible series and Venice sounds like a perfect place for Ethan Hunt to get involved in some crazy chases and action (which require Cruise to put his life on the line performing outlandish stunts). But now it seems like there's a least a chance the film may be forced to leave Italy behind, a move that sounds like it would lead to some major revamping of the script.
As previously stated, Mission: Impossible 7 is not the only movie facing long delays as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc with the world at large and the entertainment industry in particular. Recently, The Matrix 4, which has itself been delayed.
Obviously, the fates of these movies are a minor concern compared to the very real life and death stakes being faced by people all around the world, not to mention the economic hardship that has begun setting in for folks who are no longer able to work. Hopefully, the most dire predictions about coronavirus death tolls and economic impact will not come to and soon the entire pandemic will be in the past, and people will be able to fully return to their normal frivolous pastimes like obsessing over pop culture and enjoying the amusements offered by films like Mission: Impossible 7.
Source: Variety
