Shooting Mission Impossible In Norway, Tom Cruise Does Not Need Quarantine Obligation

Tom Cruis (Photo: Twitter @TomCruise)

JAKARTA - The Norwegian government made an exception for actor Tom Cruise and his crew for filming the new film Mission Impossible in Norway this fall without following mandatory quarantine.

Production of the seventh and eighth films was postponed in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The seventh film is scheduled to air in November 2021 and thereafter in November 2022.

In this film, Tom Cruise returns to being the secret agent of Ethan Hunt in a film directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

"It (filming) is carried out under the government which prevents infection in a comprehensive manner," said Minister of Agriculture and Food Olaug Bollestad as quoted by Antara, Saturday, July 25.

"Participants will be separated from the rest while staying in Norway, and that means not everyone can see these charming people," he added.

Film crews must be tested for COVID-19 before and after arriving in Norway, accompanied by medical personnel and a mobile test lab.

Media in Norway said Cruise personally asked Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Culture Minister Abid Raja to allow filming which was disrupted by the virus outbreak in Italy.

In a videoconference with Cruise which was confirmed by the King's office, the minister said, "We are looking forward to seeing you back."

Cruise replied, "Geez, me too. I can't wait."

The Ministry of Culture said the exemption from quarantine was made because the film had received a 50 million Norwegian crown grant from the Norwegian Film Institute to shoot there.

Mission: Impossible is one of Hollywood's big films. The film Mission: Impossible-Fallout, also shot in Norway, earned more than $ 791 million at the global box office.

With the exception of people from 20 European countries where infection rates are low, visitors must be quarantined for 10 days when arriving in Norway.