Throwback: When Tom Cruise Called Out Mission: Impossible Crew Over COVID-19 Breach

Tom Cruise was filming the seventh installment of the 24-year-old film franchise in Britain when he lashed out at the crew for an apparent breach of COVID-19 protocol on the film sets.

Published on Aug 17, 2024  |  03:52 PM IST |  85.1K
 Tom Cruise (YouTube/ Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Trailer)
Tom Cruise (YouTube/ Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Trailer)

Tom Cruise once lost his cool on a Mission: Impossible set amid the pandemic. The Hollywood icon was filming the seventh installment of the 24-year-old film franchise in Britain when he lashed out at the crew for an apparent breach of COVID-19 protocol on the film sets. 

A leaked audio clip of the altercation stormed the internet in December 2020 where Cruise could be heard yelling at the 50 crew members and threatening to fire them if the protocols weren’t followed. Reports claimed his intense reaction was to prevent any more delays in the filming of Mission Impossible 7, whose production halted mid-filming in Italy due to a vigorous coronavirus outbreak in February 2020, The New York Times reported.

The film, which would be released as Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1 in 2023, was set to continue filming at the Warner Bros. film production complex in Leavesden, London. The leaked recording was published by The Sun in late 2020 but did not reveal when it was exactly documented. 

“We are creating thousands of jobs. I don’t ever want to see it again! Ever! And if you don’t do it, you’re fired!” the 62-year-old star could be heard yelling. Sources confirmed to NY Times that Cruise was furious over two crew members standing close to each other, which the actor spotted via a computer screen. This violated the on-set rule of maintaining a six-foot distance from each other to prevent any contamination. 

Cruise was determined to prevent any delays for the filming citing the financial constraints on people after Hollywood shut down for the pandemic. He refused any apologies and said it would not bring food to the struggling people or even pay for their college education. 

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The Jack Reacher actor talked about the “gold standard” of the film industry and said he was negotiating with studios, producers, and insurance companies for the filming amid the pandemic. 

While Cruise’s rage was sparked by sheer concern for the underprivileged, the audio clip was loaded with expletives and swears by the actor. 

It was reported that Mission: Impossible tried to amp up production in October but was once again paused after 12 crew members tested positive on the Italy set, per Variety. 


Nevertheless, the movie materialized and premiered in July 2023, earning $567 million globally. Despite the significant numbers, Dead Reckoning Part 1 was not labeled as a commercial hit as it failed to surpass its $291 million budget by a significant margin, per Box Office Mojo. 

Although, the Tom Cruise starrer was critically acclaimed and currently boasts a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Mission Impossible 7 was directed by Christopher McQuarrie and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It followed the sixth installment, Mission: Impossible– Fallout, released in 2018. 

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Recently, the Palme d’Or recipient wowed the world with his athleticism as he performed a dashing stunt at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games 2024. In true Mission Impossible fashion, Cruise jumped from a plane and carried the Olympic flag from the French capital to its next destination in Los Angeles for the LA Olympics 2028. 

ALSO READ: Throwback: When Pedro Pascal Called Willem Dafoe The 'Greatest American Actor' Of His Lifetime

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