Tom Cruise paying for 'Mission: Impossible 7' cast, crew to live on cruise ships amid coronavirus pandemic
The actor reportedly paid $700,000 to keep production going
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Cruise is reportedly shelling out some of his own cash to help ensure that the production on the new “Mission: Impossible” can go on amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Production on the seventh installment in the popular spy franchise was about to get underway in February in Italy when restrictions due to the pandemic shut everything down. Fortunately for “Mission: Impossible” fans, Simon Pegg, who plays Benji Dunn in the movies, revealed to Variety in July that the production was poised to get back to work in September. Now it seems that’s actually happening thanks to a generous influx of cash from Cruise.
According to Forbes, Cruise has reportedly shelled out $700,000 of his own money to help production company Truenorth charter two cruise ships from Norway’s Hurtigruten company that will house both the cast and crew of “Mission: Impossible 7” while filming. The hope is to create a bubble that will allow them all to work without running the risk of a widespread outbreak.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We can confirm that Hurtigruten have entered into an agreement with the production company Truenorth for the charter of two ships from the end of August until the end of September. The ships in question are (newly upgraded) MS Vesterålen and (the brand new battery-hybrid powered) MS Fridtjof Nansen," a spokesperson for Hurtigruten told Fox News in a statement.
Tom Cruise has reportedly shelled out his own money to house the 'Mission Impossible 7' cast and crew on cruise ships. (Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
The cruise ships are a brand new 530-passenger MS Fridtjof Nansen as well as a 490-passenger MS Versteralen, which is expected to be more than enough to provide reasonable accommodations to everyone working on the film.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Neither representatives for Cruise nor Hurtigruten immediately responded to Fox News’ requests for comment.
It was revealed in July that Cruise and the production behind the upcoming movie were given the green light to bypass Norway’s coronavirus quarantine restrictions, which would have had each person quarantined for 10 days. Abid Raja, the country's minister of Culture and Equality, confirmed the news in a tweet as well as supplying a clip of a telephone call between himself and the actor discussing his return in the fall.
'MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7' MOVIE PRODUCTION PAUSES OVER CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Tom Cruise in a scene from "Mission: Impossible - Fallout," the sixth film in the Mission Impossible franchise. (AP)
"Under a very strict corona regime estimated at 6 million in cost, MI7 with Tom Cruise will be allowed to film in Norway," Raja tweeted, adding that the filming costs will not be provided by the country.
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The Daily Mail reports that everyone was tested for COVID-19 twice within 48 hours after arriving for work in the country. As a result, the movie that was once among the first to halt production due to the ongoing pandemic remains on track for its planned release in November 2021.