It appears that fans will have to wait even longer for these upcoming Paramount thrill rides, as Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7 have new release dates.
According to Deadline, amid the surges of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, Paramount has decided to delay the two films yet again, believing that American audiences will not be ready to return to theatres in the upcoming months. The two films, which recently previewed footage or revealed other details at this year's CinemaCon, have been through countless delays due to the pandemic. Top Gun: Maverick was finally set to release on November 19, 2021, but is now slated to release on May 27, 2022, while Mission: Impossible 7 is now moving from May 27, 2022, to September 30, 2022.
Top Gun: Maverick will have been delayed almost two years after initially receiving a June 2020 release date, while Mission: Impossible 7 was originally slated for a July 2021 release date. Paramount made the decision to postpone the films after consulting with experts about the growing number of cases. Deadline reports that Paramount's decision also stems from the global box office's performance as of late and how many countries are shutting down and taking extra precautions due to this resurgence of the Delta variant. Having two films that will surely draw in big-ticket numbers, it's crucial to plan the right time to release them in order to generate the most success at cinemas (especially for MI7, since it's looking to top 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout's franchise high of $791.7M at the worldwide box office).
Like so many other films, the COVID-19 pandemic has really put a halt to theatrical releases. Many films have been given streaming options, like Warner Bros.' plan to stream their theatrical releases simultaneously on HBO MAX in 2021, which allows fans more opportunities to experience a film. While this plan was announced almost a year ago, many filmmakers, like Denis Villeneuve, are still opposed to this strategy, believing that films (like his upcoming film Dune) are meant for a theatre experience and not to be viewed on a small laptop screen.
While he has a point, production companies are still not taking any chances that could potentially jeopardize the success of their films. According to Variety (via Deadline), Sony's upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife has also been pushed back from its November 11, 2021, release date after receiving a positive reception at CinemaCon. Since there is no preventing these delays, not only will the excitement levels continue to build, but fans in the meantime have plenty of time to catch up on previous entries in the Mission: Impossible franchise, while also watching the original 1986 Top Gun.
Cruise will return to action in Mission: Impossible 7, which is now set to release on September 30, 2022, and Top Gun: Maverick, which is now set for a May 27, 2022 release date.
Source: Deadline