Paramount Sues Insurer Over 'Mission: Impossible 7' Policy Payout

Paramount Pictures Corp., a division of ViacomCBS VIAC, has filed a lawsuit against a subsidiary of Chubb Ltd. CB alleging that it failed to provide complete compensation on insurance claims related to the delays in the production of “Mission: Impossible 7” related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Happened: Bloomberg reports Paramount purchased an insurance package from Federal Insurance Co. that was supposedly more than $100 million in losses if delays or interruptions occur when members of the new Tom Cruise adventure film cast members are unable to take part in the production.

“Paramount’s losses are well within the limits of the policy,” the company said in its lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles federal court. “However, when Paramount sought payment for the full amount of its insured losses under the policy, Federal refused.”

The lawsuit didn't state how much money Paramount was seeking as a result of the pandemic-related delays. Paramount said it was paid $5 million by Federal when work on the film halted in February 2020 following a production member’s illness, but added it didn't receive any further payments after pandemic restrictions stopped filming seven times between March 2020 and June 2021.

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What Else Happened: “Mission: Impossible 7” has been beset by problems throughout its creation. Paramount originally planned to simultaneously film a seventh and eighth installment of the franchise, but dropped the plans for the eighth film as the pandemic disrupted its operations. Angela Bassett planned to revive her character in the series, but was forced to drop out after pandemic-based travel restrictions prevented her from joining the film’s European location shooting.

The production also generated ill-will in Poland with plans to destroy a World War I-era bridge that many historic preservationists considered essential to the nation’s heritage.

Cruise’s temper became the center of tabloid attention last December when a leaked audio recording found him yelling at crew members for failing to adhere to pandemic health protocols. Adding insult to injury, the actor’s car was stolen while he was shooting a scene in Birmingham, England; the vehicle was recovered by his luggage stored in the trunk has disappeared.

“Mission: Impossible 7” was originally slated for a July 23 release, but the film wasn't completed in time. The first footage was previewed on Aug. 27 at the CinemaCon film industry trade event in Las Vegas on Aug. 27.

The release date was moved to Nov. 19, but Paramount decided to release another Cruise vehicle, “Top Gun: Maverick” on that date, thus pushing the film further back to a May 27, 2022, premiere.

Photo: Tom Cruise in a scene from the upcoming "Mission: Impossible 7. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.