Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two Has Stopped Filming Due To The Writers' Strike
"Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two" has stalled production due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, according to the latest issue of Empire Magazine. The outlet, which cites the upcoming sequel as roughly 40% completed, interviewed writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, who spoke about the multiple delays (the rest pandemic-related) that have slowed the "Mission: Impossible" franchise down in recent years.
Empire says the WGA strike has "stopped McQuarrie in his tracks," and while the filmmaker doesn't seem to address the strike directly or express solidarity in the interview, Empire quotes his response to the latest in a series of delays that have been impacting the "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning" movies since 2020. "It's unrelenting," the filmmaker told the outlet with a sigh. "Behind each tsunami is another tsunami. We live in a state of 24-hour tsunami awareness. That's just what we do."
The WGA strike is, of course, not a tsunami meant to ruin a Tom Cruise blockbuster, but an ongoing labor movement meant to give writers — including those who work on major tentpole films like these — necessary fair wages and job security in the midst of a period of economic turmoil and artistic devaluation. McQuarrie is co-writing the upcoming two-parter with "Band of Brothers" co-creator and screenwriter Erik Jendresen. According to Empire, "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two" had already shot some footage in South Africa and the Arctic before the industry shutdown that began in May impacted the production.
McQuarrie says the M:I productions keep facing 'tsunamis'
An earlier strike report shared by Deadline actually indicated that the film was already in post-production, but it's worth noting that Cruise, McQuarrie and the team behind "Mission: Impossible" are famous perfectionists, and reshoots and rewrites are to be expected. Elsewhere in this issue of Empire, McQuarrie admitted to the outlet that at the time of Cruise's already-famous motorcycle cliff jump from the upcoming installment, the context for Ethan Hunt's aerial stunt wasn't remotely clear yet. This is one Hollywood franchise that's up front about how much writing impacts the production even in the midst of its shoot, with McQuarrie calling them "a living, breathing thing."
"Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" is due to hit theaters this summer, while its follow-up initially nabbed a June 2024 release date. The Empire feature doesn't include additional release date information, and no official schedule change for the Paramount film has officially been announced yet. Based on McQuarrie's comments, it sounds like the film could end up delayed in adherence to the writers' strike, though it's unclear as of yet how this "tsunami" of collective bargaining will financially impact the multi-billion-dollar franchise.
"Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" premieres in theaters on July 12, 2023.