Tom Cruise Slams MI Crewmembers For Breaking COVID 19 Safety Rules

Hollywoodreporter.com: In audio released from the U.K. set, the star says that anyone who breaks COVID-19 protocols will be fired.

Tom Cruise has lambasted certain crewmembers on the U.K. set of Mission: Impossible 7 for not following proper COVID-19 safety procedures. The Sun, which published audio on Tuesday of the incident, revealed Cruise's blistering attack after some members of the set huddled around a computer monitor without standing more than the six feet apart, as recommended by experts, in order to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus.

"I don’t ever want to see it again, ever. And if you don’t do it you’re fired, if I see you do it again you’re gone," Cruise said in the audio.

The actor and producer has been a champion of both the theatrical experience and of getting productions back on track amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the audio, Cruise notes that he has been speaking with contacts in Hollywood about how Mission: Impossible and its safety protocols can be a model for the rest of the industry.

"They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what we’re doing," Cruise said in the audio. "I’m on the phone with every studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies."

The actor noted that if any crew member saw someone not following safety protocols, their names should be reported to Matt Spooner, who is the COVID-19 supervisor on set.

Mission: Impossible 7 shut down in February due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, making it at the time the highest-profile project to shutter due to the virus. Other productions around the globe followed suit in March. The film resumed production in September, helping pioneer safety procedures on set.

Paramount and Skydance are behind the Mission sequel, which has Fallout filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie back in the director's chair for two more installments. Cruise again stars as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, with the cast also including Rebecca Ferguson, Nicholas Hoult, Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff and Henry Czerny.

The film is slated for release on Nov. 19, 2021.