Mission: Impossible 8 to Film in an All-New Location for the Franchise

Not much is known about Mission: Impossible 8, although a recent report suggests that it will be filming soon in South Africa. While the nation is often host to film and TV productions, the move here is notable because it's a new venue for the Mission: Impossible franchise, suggesting that director Chris McQuarrie may be looking to vary up the look of the film a little bit after seven previous installments. The news comes out of a new report at Variety, looking at a planned production studio investors are hoping to construct in orbit, to allow for zero-gravity filming.

After over a year of production issues and setbacks, Mission: Impossible 7 finally wrapped production back in September. The eighth film was supposed to film back-to-back with that one, allowing a short break for star Tom Cruise to do a press tour in support of Top Gun: Maverick. Now that both Mission: Impossible sequels and Top Gun: Maverick have all been delayed, Cruise reportedly went back to work in London recently to begin training and stunt rehearsals for M:I 8.

Back in December, Cruise was reportedly rehearsing for a stunt that involved dangling from a World War II-style biplane, and then climbing into the cockpit. This tracks with previous reports that Cruise was learning to fly such a plane for the film.

Last week, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions released a statement on Mission: Impossible's latest set of delays, "After thoughtful consideration, Paramount Pictures and Skydance have decided to postpone the release dates for Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 in response to delays due to the ongoing pandemic. The new release dates will be July 14, 2023, and June 28, 2024, respectively. We look forward to providing moviegoers with an unparalleled theatrical experience."

Cruise has starred in every film in the franchise going back to the 1996 original. In total, the movies have earned more than $3.5 billion at the box office.

In addition to Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby are expected to reprise their roles from previous movies. The film will also feature some franchise newcomers, including Cary Elwes (Stranger Things), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) and Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger). Earlier this year, it was announced that Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), Charles Parnell (Top Gun: Maverick), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), and Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), would be joining the cast. Henry Czerny, who played Kittridge in the first Mission: Impossible, will be making his first franchise appearance since 1996.