Tom Cruise ensured questions at a recent press event for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning were focused on the film itself.
On Thursday, Cruise and his Mission: Impossible co-stars and director Christopher McQuarrie, were promoting the upcoming final movie in the action franchise. However, when a reporter asked about President Donald Trump‘s proposed tariffs on movies shot outside of the U.S. and the extent to which the Paramount film, which was shot around the world, would be affected by it, Cruise wanted to move past that.
“I’d like to ask this question to anybody who’s up for it. I watched this film and I saw that it was filmed in many different locations around the world, including Africa,” the reporter said, according to an onstage translator. “Of course, we all are aware of the tariffs that President Trump has been imposing on overseas productions and films. So, is this particular movie under that tariff? And how much of the film was shot overseas?”
Cruise quickly responded, telling the moderator, off-mic, “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.” The moderator said she thought that was a “fair response” and suggested moving on to a different question.
Neither Mission: Impossible distributor Paramount or Cruise’s rep have responded to The Hollywood Reporter‘s request for additional comment.
The Mission: Impossible films, which have grossed more than $3 billion at the global box office, are famously shot across the world. The most recent one, releasing in the United States later this month, was filmed in the U.K., Norway and South Africa.
Trump announced his tariffs plan on Sunday, though the White House followed up Monday morning to note that nothing had been finalized.
“The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
Other films that are currently filming outside of the U.S include Avengers: Doomsday and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Last year’s Wicked, Dune: Part Two and Deadpool & Wolverine were also made outside the country.
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning hits theaters May 23.