Coronavirus Outbreak In Italy Halts Production Of Mission Impossible 7

The next installment in Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible series is in production in Italy. At least, it was until an outbreak of the coronavirus brought it to a screeching halt.

It was revealed by the New York Times that Italy has 150 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and in turn, at least 10 towns are now locked down, and schools in major cities are closed, along with sporting events--including an early end to the Venice carnival. Additionally, this means that the production of Mission Impossible 7 is put on hold for now.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson from Paromount Pictures explained why production has stopped. "Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and 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 first leg of an extensive production for Mission: Impossible 7. 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."

Mission Impossible 7 was going to hit theaters on July 23, 2021. However, with this delay, it is unknown at this time as to if the film's release will be pushed back. In a surprise, Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny) will return to the series. His only other appearance came from the original 1996 film. Nicholas Hoult has signed on for two films, and it's rumored he will play a villain. Hoult and Czerny will join Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Shea Whigham, Hayley Atwell, and Pom Klementieff for the latest outing. MI7 will be written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie who previously helmed Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Rogue Nation.

The coronavirus has infected 79,000 people worldwide--according to CBS News--killing more than 2,400--nearly all the deaths were in China. There have been 53 cases confirmed in the United States as of February 24. With the spread to Europe, we could see more movie and TV show productions delayed while the virus continues to spread, as it is causing much more than production delays across the world. 007: No Time To Die's premiere has been canceled, iPhone shortages are expected, Sony has dropped its PAX East showcase, PlayStation canceled its GDC plans, Blizzard has canceled Overwatch events in China, and Switch shipments are being delayed in Japan.