Norway tells Tom Cruise, ‘Mission Possible’

The Norwegian government will make an exception for Tom Cruise and his crew to shoot parts of his latest “Mission: Impossible” movie in Norway this autumn without imposing quarantine requirements, says a Reuters report.

Production of the seventh and eighth instalments of Paramount Pictures’ lucrative action movie franchise was halted in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The seventh movie is currently scheduled for release in November 2021 and the eighth in November 2022.

Cruise will reprise his role as secret agent Ethan Hunt in both movies with Christopher McQuarrie returning as director.

“It (the filming) will be carried out under a comprehensive infection (prevention) regime,” Minister of Agriculture and Food Olaug Bollestad told a news conference. “The participants will be separated from others during their stay in Norway, and that means that not everyone will get to see these heart throbs,” she added.

The production crew must have COVID-19 tests before and after arrival in Norway, and have medical personnel and a mobile test lab on hand, Reuters says in its report.

Norwegian media said Cruise personally appealed to Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Culture Minister Abid Raja to allow filming, which has been interrupted by the virus outbreak in Italy.

In a video call with Cruise confirmed by Raja’s office, the minister said: “We are so much looking forward to having you back.”

Cruise replied: “Oh man, me too. I cannot wait. I love the people, the culture, the views, your fjords, mountains, every part of Norway. It’s a gorgeous country.”