Apparently, that’s a a wrap on “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part 1.” The film’s director Christopher McQuarrie confirmed the end of production on Instagram.
‘Dead Reckoning’ started shooting in Italy on February 2020, but it had to stop and start production seven different times since then. Notice the location, Italy, that was the epicentre of COVID during the early months of the pandemic.
There have been constant delays in relation to ‘Dead Reckoning,’ especially due to the pandemic’s effect on global supply-chain, production workers and locations.
The result was that its budget ballooned to $290 million. In contrast, the most recent film in the series, 2018’s “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” cost $190 million to make.
“Part 1,” being released this summer, ends on a cliff-hanger. The plan is to have both films serve as a sendoff for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character. Production on ‘Part Two’ kicked off a few months ago.
Back in February, I posted a positive test-screening reaction for ‘Dead Reckoning’ which was said to be 185 minutes. Another screening occurred earlier this month, also to positive reactions, with the same runtime.
Yes, you heard that right, latest cut they have of this movie is said to be just over 3 hours. I have no idea if they’ll keep it that way, but it’s certainly ambitious.
Earlier in the week, 20 minutes of the film were shown at CinemaCon in Vegas. It was also announced that ‘Dead Reckoning’ would be released two days earlier on July 12, 2023. ‘Part 2’ gets released on June 28, 2024.
Of course, we all know the rule: take these reactions with a grain of salt rather than treating them as gospel. Still, I will say that the film tested like gangbusters earlier this year, and Lionsgate clearly has confidence.