“Mission: Impossible 7” was one of the most high-profile Hollywood blockbusters to be greatly affected by COVID-19 becoming a pandemic in 2020, and the resultant consequences. Principal photography for the film was the victim of the start of the most heavy-handed measures enforced by countries around the world to lock down on infection. Actual filming would not commence until September last year, concluding in February this year. Plans to shoot “MI7” back-to-back with “MI8” were ultimately shelved because of the pandemic, but now things seem to be set to release the movie this coming November. The production crew even surprised with some new cast additions.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, no less than five more actors and actresses were added to the ever-expanding cast of “Mission: Impossible 7.” The new faces were named by director Christopher McQuarrie this past Thursday, March 11, although they are not “new” in that sense of the word. Hayley Atwell, Carey Elwes, Rob Delaney, Indira Varma and Mark Gatiss are now part of the latest installment of the spy-action film franchise, although their specific roles were left unspoken by McQuarrie.

Of the new cast members, Atwell stands out, having portrayed Agent Peggy Carter on the MCU, in “Captain America: The First Avenger” and her own self-titled series on ABC. Elwes has a massive line of credits in various film genres, even if his recognition still defaults to “The Princess Bride.” Varma was in HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” Gatiss was a BBC regular on “Sherlock” and “Doctor Who,” while Delaney was in the “Fast & Furious” 2019 spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw.” They will join star Tom Cruise and franchise regulars Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson as well as “MI7” newcomers Angela Bassett, Frederick Schmidt and Esai Morales, who is playing the film’s primary antagonist.

Paramount Pictures is moving to somehow release “Mission: Impossible 7” this year, along with several other 2020-slated films such as “Top Gun: Maverick,” which also stars Tom Cruise. “Mission: Impossible 8,” principal photography for which is scheduled for some time after Cruise finishes his promotional tour for “Maverick,” is pegged for premiering on November 2022.

Image: Variety

Advertisement