Next Mission: Impossible movies delayed to 2023, 2024

It will be another year before a new Mission: Impossible movie hits theatres.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance announced Friday that the release of Mission: Impossible 7 will be pushed from September 20 to July 14, 2023. Mission: Impossible 8, previously set for release in July 2023, will instead open on June 28, 2024.

It’s the latest setback for a pair of blockbusters that have been much-delayed by the pandemic. Shooting on Mission: Impossible 7 was put on hiatus in early 2020 because of Covid-19. Filming on the action series starring Tom Cruise was delayed four times in Italy, and three times in the United Kingdom between February 2020 and June 2021. Later in August 2021, a lawsuit was filed against film’s insurance company of failing to pay out for all but one of the costly stoppages.

The stoppages were caused by positive coronavirus tests among members of the cast or crew, or quarantine or lockdowns imposed in countries where the thriller was being filmed. After filming resumed, principal photography for the film ultimately concluded by September 2021.

Paramount and Skydance attributed the postponements to pandemic-related delays. “After thoughtful consideration, Paramount Pictures and Skydance have decided to postpone the release dates for Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 in response to delays due to the ongoing pandemic,” said the film companies in a joint statement.