Production Halted: Mission: Impossible 8 Writers Demand Fair Pay in Strike

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two has hit a roadblock as the Writers Guild of America's strike has caused production to come to a halt. This installment is set to be the final chapter of the series and mark the end of Tom Cruise's time as IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Fans eagerly anticipating the first part of his farewell, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, can catch it in theaters on July 12, 2023. Despite being 40% complete, the release date for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two on June 28, 2024 may be subject to change as the writers continue to demand fair compensation from studios.

How The Writers Strike Has Impacted Film & TV Productions

The writers strike has put a halt on several major productions including Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, Yellowjackets, Abbott Elementary, The Last of Us, Billions, and Severance, alongside Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two. This delay is just one of the many challenges faced by the final two films in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which have already experienced setbacks since the filming of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One began in February 2020.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is currently advocating for job security, higher pay, and regulation of AI in scriptwriting. One of the major points of contention is the lack of residuals for writers who work on TV series or movies for streaming services. With WGA writers on strike, no one is available to make necessary adjustments to scripts for ongoing productions, leading to numerous shutdowns.

Reports suggest that Cruise is evidently displeased with Oppenheimer and Barbie for removing important screens, including IMAX screens, from Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One during its later weeks of release. In addition to the writers' strike, this is another factor that has affected the Mission: Impossible franchise lately. While the shutdown of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two's production may be a frustrating setback, it is an essential outcome of writers fighting for their rights and fair treatment in the industry. The impact of the writers' strike on upcoming TV and film productions is still unclear.