‘Mission: Impossible’ Sequels Get Pushed Back

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Paramount has delayed the theatrical releases of “Mission: Impossible 7” and “Mission: Impossible 8,” the next two chapters in Tom Cruise’s action franchise.

The seventh installment, originally due in theaters on July 23, 2021, will now debut four months later on Nov. 19, 2021. The eighth entry was set for Aug. 5, 2022, and will instead hit the big screen on Nov. 4, 2022.

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Like nearly all movies currently in production, “Mission: Impossible 7” halted shooting due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cruise had been about to start filming in Venice, Italy — an area hit hard by the virus’ outbreak — when the studio pumped the breaks in late February. With filming indefinitely paused, the latest tentpole in the spy series likely wouldn’t have been completed in time for its original release.

Paramount also announced new release dates for numerous movies, including Chris Pratt’s post-apocalyptic thriller “The Tomorrow World” (July 23, 2021) and animated adventure “Paw Patrol” (Aug. 20, 2021).

As part of the studio’s scheduling changes, “Dungeons and Dragons” has been pushed back from Nov. 19, 2021, to May 27, 2022. Elsewhere, Paramount removed its horror film “Spell,” which was set for Aug. 28, 2020, from the release calendar.

Christopher McQuarrie is directing the next two “Mission: Impossible” follow-ups, having previously helmed 2015’s “Rogue Nation” and 2018’s “Fallout.” Cruise’s most recent outing as the globe-trotting Ethan Hunt, in “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” was also the most commercially successful. Along with rave reviews, it earned over $790 million at the global box office.

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