Tom Cruise’s Rant On Mission: Impossible 7 Set Defended By Director

Director Christopher McQuarrie defends Tom Cruise’s rant on the set of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Expected to be the first half of the Mission: Impossible franchise’s two-part conclusion, Dead Reckoning Part One was one of the first major Hollywood productions to shoot during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, a recording of Cruise’s on-set rant leaked online in which he berated crew members for not following proper safety protocols. The highly-publicized rant prompted public reactions from his co-stars and other prominent Hollywood figures.

Talking to Entertainment Weekly for their 2023 summer preview, McQuarrie addressed Cruise’s famous rant from the set of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. The franchise director defended the star’s outburst, saying that it happened during a very difficult time, though he’s “glad people .” Read McQuarrie’s full comments below

Since Cruise’s rant on the set of the seventh Mission: Impossible movie leaked online, many people have come out in support of the star. This even includes other crew members from the set of the movie to his onscreen co-star Vanessa Kirby, who said she agreed with his sentiment. Many of Cruise’s peers in Hollywood have also defended his outburst, including George Clooney, who said, “He didn’t overreact because it is a problem.” Cruise has also had his fair share of critics, including actress Leah Remini who accused him of staging a publicity stunt.

McQuarrie, who’s directed Cruise on four Mission: Impossible movies and also worked with him outside the franchise, is the latest to speak out in defense of the star’s rant. Even though Cruise’s outburst was angry and laced with expletives, McQuarrie points out that everyone was able to look past that and understand the true intention behind it, which was keeping the movie industry alive and everyone employed during a perilous time. Amazingly, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One wrapped filming without any more COVID-19-related incidents.