Mission: Impossible fans speculate over Tom Cruise ‘freakout’ after filming delayed by positive Covid tests

Hollywood star has previously unleashed his wrath on crewmembers spotted breaking Covid safety protocols

Mission: Impossible fans are wondering how Tom Cruise is taking the news that production on the latest sequel has been forced to temporarily shut down.

Paramount Pictures has temporarily halted the UK-based shoot until 14 June after 14 members of the Mission: Impossible 7 crew tested positive for Covid-19.

“We have temporarily halted production on Mission: Impossible 7 until 14 June, due to positive coronavirus test results during routine testing,” a Paramount spokesperson said on 3 June. “We are following all safety protocols and will continue to monitor the situation.”

No further comment was given.

The news will come as a blow to Cruise, who has been praised by fellow actors for his commitment to finishing the movie, as Hollywood continues to struggle amid the pandemic.

Fans are now wondering how he will have reacted to the news.

“I know Tom Cruise is [angry face emoji] right now,” one person joked.

“Someone please send me any Tom Cruise freakout videos,” another said.

In December last year, Cruise notoriously unleashed his wrath on two crew members spotted standing two close together in front of a computer screen.

The actor was heard lecturing the crew, saying: “If I see you do it again, you’re f***ing gone.”

“We are the gold standard,” he said. “They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what we’re doing. I’m on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers... and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers. I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!”

His rant came two months after the film was delayed when 12 people on location in Italy tested positive for coronavirus.

Tom Cruise stands on a boat during the shooting of ‘Mission Impossible 7’ in Venice in October 2020. (Photo by Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images)

While fans were divided over whether Cruise had reacted too strongly, fellow actor George Clooney said at the time that he understood why he did.

“You’re in a position of power and it’s tricky, right? You do have a responsibility for everybody else and he’s absolutely right about that,” he told radio host Howard Stern.

“And, you know, if the production goes down, a lot of people lose their jobs,” he continued.

“People have to understand that and have to be responsible. It’s just not my style to, you know, to take everybody to task that way.”

He added that, while he wouldn’t have done it “quite that personally”, he wondered whether the situation had happened before.

“I don’t know all the circumstances so maybe he had it 10 or 15 times before,” he said.

The latest positive test results apparently surfaced shortly after Cruise shot a scene set in a nightclub. All 60 members of the production crew are now self-isolating in line with Covid-19 safety protocols.

The Independent has contacted a representative for Cruise for comment.