While some studios are moving release dates of their big blockbusters up this year as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to show progress towards a New Normal, Paramount Pictures is moving in the opposite direction.Top Gun: Maverick, which had been poised to have a big Fourth of July weekend this summer, is being pushed back to November 19th whileTom Cruise’s other big franchise play for Paramount,Mission: Impossible 7, is being delayed all the way to 2022.
A specific reason was not given for the change, and it comes as Paramount Pictures is shifting the release dates for a number of its films. But one reason could be that, while the COVID-19 situation is improving in the United States, the vaccine rollout has been rockier in other countries where films likeTop Gun 2andMission: Impossiblestand to recoup big box office receipts. As France heads into another lockdown, Paramount is hedging its bets and waiting until the entire world is ready to surge the box office of Tom Cruise’s two highly anticipated sequels. And unlike Warner Bros. or Disney which have Marvel and DC franchises on the horizon, Paramount really can’t afford to leave money on the table.
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Top Gun: Maverickis directed byJoseph Kosinskiand sees Cruise reprising his iconic role as Maverick. The film takes over the release date originally set forMission: Impossible 7, as theMissionsequel will now hit theaters on June 16, 2025. That’s a significant delay for the sequel, but writer/directorChristopher McQuarrieis not likely complaining. He’s hard at work still filming theMissionfollow-up, which he’s shooting back-to-back withMission: Impossible 8.
Speaking of, Paramount has also pushedMission: Impossible 8from June 22, 2025 to June 18, 2025 — a pretty huge summer weekend.
There had been questions over whether Cruise’s press commitments forTop Gun: Maverickwould impact the shooting schedule of theMissionsequels this summer, and with the release date delays on both movies, that’s likely no longer an issue. While I’m bummed we have to wait even longer (especially forMission), I’ll be thrilled to see both of these movies in a theater.
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