Production on Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two has reportedly shut down amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two is expected to end the series and Tom Cruise's missions as IMF agent Ethan Hunt. The first part of Ethan's swan song, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, is coming to theaters in July 2023 after several production delays had pushed the theatrical release.

According to Empire Magazine (via Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two has been shut down due to the writers' strike. The film, which is 40 percent completed, is expected to arrive in theaters in June 2024. However, the summer 2024 release window may be adjusted in the future as writers fight for fair pay from studios.

UPDATE: 2023/06/13 19:56 EST BY RACHEL LABONTE

Mission: Impossible 8 Filming Has Not Been Delayed

A new report from Deadline states Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two has not been delayed due to the writers strike. Instead, director Christopher McQuarrie and star Tom Cruise are focusing on promoting Dead Reckoning Part One, and filming will resume after its release. The original article continues below.

How The Writers Strike Has Impacted Film & TV Productions

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two isn't the only major production affected by the writers' strike. The strike also halted production on Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, Yellowjackets, Abbott Elementary, The Last of Us, Billions, and Severance, to name a few. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning entry is one of many delays the final two films in the series have faced since Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One began filming in February 2020. Part One faced similar hurdles when the COVID pandemic paused production, forcing the film to reschedule its release three times.

As for the writers' strike, the WGA is currently fighting for the job security of writers alongside increased pay and regulation of AI being used to write scripts. One key contention is residuals, which writers don't get when writing a TV series or movie for a streaming service. Because WGA writers are on strike, there is no personnel who can make necessary adjustments to scripts for ongoing productions, which has resulted in many shutdowns.

The writers' strike isn't the only factor that has impacted the Mission: Impossible franchise over the past week. Cruise is reportedly angry at Oppenheimer and Barbie for taking key screens, such as IMAX screens, away from Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One in its later weeks of release. While the production shutdown of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two may be another frustrating setback, it's also a necessary result of writers fighting for fairness in their jobs. It remains to be seen if any more TV or film productions shut down amid the writers' strike.

Source: Empire Magazine (via Slash Film)