“Mission: Impossible 6” preproduction is on hiatus until Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures get their deal straightened out.
At issue are the back-end fees for producers, like Cruise, Bad Robot and Skydance. The studio wants to see those trimmed, one person with knowledge of the negotiations told TheWrap.
Some preliminary prep work had begun on “MI:6”, a second person told us separately. It’s since stalled, and Paramount won’t pick the early development back up until there’s a full script and a deal with their star.
Cruise is currently in London filming “The Mummy,” while Christopher McQuarrie pens the first draft of the “MI:6” screenplay. So there’s plenty of time for all parties to get on the same page here. Cruise is making more money from Universal’s “Mummy,” according to media reports. There-in lies some of his bargaining chips.
Paramount planned to begin actual production in January 2017 for a 2018 release date. That timing still feels possible, deal permitting. The movie is a big priority for Paramount, and it certainly cannot be done without Cruise until another reboot — in other words, don’t fret, fans.
The most recent film in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise — 2015’s “Rogue Nation” — hauled in $682,330,139 worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. “Ghost Protocol” in 2011 ($209 million) and 2000’s “Mission: Impossible 2” ($215 million) have both earned more, while 1996’s original ($181 million) and 2006’s third installment ($134 million) made less.
For the record, a previous version of this story had the incorrect worldwide box office grosses for “Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation.” We apologize for the error.