Tom Cruise Goes on a Pandemic Rave‑rant in London
On the London sets of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Tom Cruise kept crew members on their toes. According to the Sun, the star and producer fired up a grumpy tirade over lax Covid‑19 rules, threatening a firing for anyone who didn’t play by the script.
The Audio Tape That Sounded like a Cold‑War Protest
- A tape recorded on a voice‑note device showed Cruise screaming about social‑distancing lapses and other safety protocols that keep films on track amid the pandemic.
- He told the crew: “I’m on the phone with every f*ing studio at night—insurance companies, producers—all of them using us to make their movies. You understand your responsibility? I’ll deal with your reason. If you can’t be reasonable, I’m firing you.”
The faintly sinister tone made it clear that the film’s production was no joke—even when you’re trying to stay 6 ft apart from your stunt double.
When Did This All Go Down?
The footage, though anonymous about the exact day, dates to the early December crew arrival in London. Mission: Impossible – Seventh was one of the first blockbusters to pause when the pandemic hit, spinning the lights off in Venice in February.
Production found its way back in September, flying from Italy to Norway to the actual city where the story was shot.
Flash‑backs to Production Nap‑Takes
In July, Cruise did something almost as audacious: he personally nudged Norway’s prime minister, convinced them to ensure the film could shoot there under revised quarantine rules.
Why the Stress? Creator’s Crusade to Keep Hollywood Alive
“Hollywood relies on movies like Mission: Impossible to keep the beleaguered industry going,” Cruise told the crew. “We want the gold standard. They’re back in Hollywood making movies right now because of us!”
Box‑Office Anthem
- Mission: Impossible is a heavyweight: 2018’s “Fallout” pulled in >$800 m worldwide.
- By November 2021, the next instalment was slated to hit theaters.
So, while the world jostled to keep production afloat, Tom kept it all in a fury‑filled, “no excuses” voice—a laughable reminder that even the biggest stars can feel the pressure of pandemic‑era filmmaking.
