'Mission: Impossible 7', an "Undeniable Risk": The hollywood blockbuster that battled COVID-19 and Insurers

In an industry that thrives on drama, the production of "Mission: Impossible 7" has been a real-life blockbuster. From pandemic shutdowns to insurance disputes, the high-octane action franchise, starring none other than Tom Cruise, faced more than its fair share of off-screen action. As reported by Reuters, the production had to halt seven times due to COVID-19, with Paramount Pictures alleging that the film's insurance company failed to deliver on its obligations.

A Mission Truly Impossible

The path to bringing "Mission: Impossible 7" to screens was as thrilling and fraught as any scene from the franchise. Filming delays occurred four times in Italy, and thrice in the UK between February 2020 and June 2021, due to positive coronavirus tests among cast and crew or imposed lockdowns.

The Indiana-based Federal Insurance Company found itself in the crosshairs of a Paramount Pictures lawsuit, accused of breach of contract. The insurance firm had only agreed to pay out $5 million for the first stoppage, despite repeated halts in production. The final losses to Paramount, while unspecified, "far exceeded" this initial payment.

“Threatening to Fire”: Cruise Takes Command

Never one to shy away from controversy, Tom Cruise, who doubles as a producer on the film, made headlines when he lost his temper on the set over a breach in COVID protocols. He sternly warned cast and crew members of the consequences of not taking protocols seriously, even threatening termination.

“We couldn’t continue their duties, despite being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and posing an undeniable risk to other individuals involved with the production,” the lawsuit claimed, as the franchise juggled between keeping cast and crew safe and staying on production schedule.

It's worth noting that "Mission: Impossible" isn't just any franchise - it's one of Hollywood's biggest, with the previous installment, "Mission: Impossible-Fallout", grossing over $791 million worldwide. But this titan of Tinseltown found itself battling not only a global pandemic but also legal battles, in a mission that seemed, for once, truly impossible.

The much-anticipated "Mission: Impossible 7" is set for a May 2022 release, promising audiences an action-packed thriller that mirrors the challenges overcome during its production.

Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.