Production for the upcoming Mission: Impossible film has been put on hold due to a worldwide Coronavirus outbreak. A three-week shoot was set to take place in Venice, Italy, but due to a recent surge in Coronavirus cases, centered in northern Italy, Paramount pulled the plug. The number of confirmed cases has reached 229 in Italy alone, CNN reports.
A spokesperson for the studio said: “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.”
Tom Cruise stars as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, but he was not yet reportedly in Italy when the decision was made. The film is scheduled for a July 23, 2021 release.