The makers of Tom Cruise’s upcoming and much delayed action films are said to be on edge over the fact costs are spiralling in the tens of millions with films releasing months after originally planned.
Over the past few years, 59-year-old Tom has been diligently working throughout the pandemic to finish making Mission Impossible 7 and 8 – as well as Top Gun sequel Maverick.
Mission Impossible 7 had originally been due for release on 23 July 2021, but now won’t be out until July 2023 – while the subsequent sequel had originally been due out on 5 August 2022 but has been pushed back to June 2024.
While Top Gun: Maverick was originally planned to be unleashed on 12 July 2019 – but is now due out on 27 May this year after it’s cinematic release was delayed by the pandemic.
All three films are made by Paramount Pictures – but a report by The Sun has suggested execs are concerned about how expensive all the films have become due to reshoots, delays and shifting release dates.
A source told the outlet: “People are starting to sweat on the costs now” – while it is suggested that Mission Impossible 7 alone has gone over budget by £50 million.
A movie source added: “Nobody could have predicted what has happened but the fact is those delays and extra costs are stacking up now and it’s starting to get noticed.
“Even with someone as big as Tom and these films, it’s the sort of money that has leveraged the studio heavily and bosses are desperate to start seeing things hit the screen.
“Top Gun 2 is the first in the pipeline for release now, two years after it was first supposed to be in cinemas, yet production is carrying on with the latest move to South Africa and those bills are just going up and up by the day.”
The Mission Impossible film series has, however, made over £2.6 billion at the global box office so far following the first six instalments.
The films – which see Tom playing agent Ethan Hunt and cracking complexed crimes all over the world – are something of a box office goldmine.
Paramount Pictures chief Jim Gianopulos previously described the films as “exhilarating” while the LA Times said the studio is banking on the espionage thriller films to boost the entire company.
While the sequel to Top Gun is being released 36 years after the original – with Tom back as Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell and Val Kilmer also dusting off his jumpsuit to reappear in the film as Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky.
The latest two Mission Impossible films have been filming all over the world – with some scenes shot in England, much to the confusion of a herd of cows.
Reports last September revealed a number of animals fell over while looking skywards as Tom parachuted from a plane in the Lake District during a stunt.
