Tom Cruise Lays Into ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ Crew After Workers Break Coronavirus Protocol

The mounting pressures of filming and producing a blockbuster movie during a pandemic are hitting Tom Cruise hard, as leaked audio from the London set of Mission: Impossible 7 shows him screaming at crew members for breaking coronavirus safety protocols. In audio released by The Sun and confirmed by Variety, Cruise goes off on reportedly 50 staff members at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden after “spotting two crew [members] standing within two meters of each other.” The franchise star can be heard ranting about the risk that poses to the “thousands” of jobs the film has created.

“They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. … I’m on the phone with every f—ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers. They are looking at us and using us to make their movies,” the audio begins. “We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf—ers.”

“If I see you do it again, you’re f—ing gone. And if anyone on this crew does it, that’s it — and you too and you too. And you, don’t you ever f—ing do it again,” he yells. “That’s it. No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their f—ing homes because our industry is shut down.”

“So I am sorry I am beyond your apologies. I have told you and now I want it and if you do it you’re out!” he continues in part. “We are not shutting this f—ing movie down. Is it understood? If I see it again, you’re f—ing gone.”

“Do you understand what I want? Do you understand the responsibility that you have? Because I will deal with your reason. And if you can’t be reasonable and I can’t deal with your logic, you’re fired. That’s it.”

It’s clear that Cruise is attempting to avoid another shutdown after production was put on hold in February amid the start of the coronavirus outbreak out of an “abundance of caution.” Production restarted in September, but Cruise held crisis talks with the film’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, days after 12 people on set in Italy were said to have tested positive in October. Production resumed a week later and returned to the UK two weeks ago. Mission: Impossible 7 is scheduled to be released on Nov. 19, 2021.