By the time Mission: Impossible 7 hits theaters in July 2023, the latest sequel to the Tom Cruise-led franchise will have been delayed almost two years since it was first slated to open. Between pandemic related-shooting delays and shutdowns, as well as the search for the right theatrical release window for both Mission: Impossible sequels to come, it has not been easy to get Ethan Hunt back into movie theaters. But new reports have given us more details on the inner workings of these next two movies, with a wild budget on the books and an explanation from Cruise on why that came to pass.
According to a new report from THR, Mission: Impossible 7 has yet again been reported to have the previously reported budget of $290 million. That’s apparently with tax incentives factored in, as well as a portion of Mission: Impossible 8 already in the can from writer/director Christopher McQuarrie. What’s even more interesting is that Tom Cruise himself stumped for his studio to show him the money; which may be the true story behind the alleged "crisis talks" over the Mission: Impossible budget.
Further in the report, it’s noted that Cruise asked Paramount Pictures CEO/President Brian Robbins for an unspecified amount of money that makes up part of that sum. The rationale behind this ask was apparently inflation-related price increases, but also a last minute addition of a submarine sequence in the sixth sequel. Though it should be noted that this recent budget ask is supposedly to finish Mission: Impossible 7, as well as to complete Mission: Impossible 8.
What probably helped Tom Cruise’s case for more money are the rumors that Ethan Hunt might be out of action after Mission: Impossible 8. As the franchise’s functional lead, despite the ensemble-driven nature of the series from its 1996 origin story, the potential departure of Cruise would be a mammoth event. Link that notion to the fact that Christopher McQuarrie sees the next two sequels as “one big movie,” and that’s all you need to know about why $290 million may not seem so bad when listed as Mission: Impossible 7’s protracted budget.
Even with the evidence that part of the budget spent on the next film will carry over into investments made on Mission: Impossible 8, the pressure is still on for both movies to perform. Much like MGM was eyeing the rising budget that came from No Time To Die’s numerous theatrical delays, there could be a hefty figure that’s earmarked as the break-even point for the Mission: Impossible sequels to come.
For a point of reference, the 25th entry in the line of James Bond movies was rumored to have required a $900 million worldwide gross to be considered profitable. MGM would later refute that claim, maintaining that the $774.2 million result rendered No Time To Die as profitable. Should that be accurate, and if Mission: Impossible - Fallout’s final worldwide gross of $791.1 million can be exceeded, things might just work out for Tom Cruise’s big two-part bonanza, anyway.
Of course, this is all speculation and budgets are complicated, as the specific ins and outs of Hollywood accounting are more complicated than one would like to admit. The true benchmark of success for Mission: Impossible 7 and its follow-up are yet to be seen. And we can't even begin to properly guess where the situation could be headed. That's a subject best tackled when we're closer to the goal line of Ethan Hunt's latest adventures.
Fans of the Mission: Impossible series will have to wait for quite a while to dive into these back-to-back adventures. Mission: Impossible 7 is currently slated for its debut on July 14, 2024, which will see Mission: Impossible 8 dropping on June 28, 2024. For those of you looking for something a little closer to home on the calendar, feel free to scan the 2022 movie releases for your next mission at the movies.
