Los Angeles, Apr 25 (IANS): "Mission: Impossible 7" and "Mission: Impossible 8", the next two much-awaited chapters in Tom Cruises action spy adventure franchise, have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seventh part, which was originally slated to release on July 23, 2021, will now open four months later on November 19, 2021. The eighth instalment was set for August 5, 2022, and will instead release on November 4, 2022, reports variety.com.

The shoot of "Mission: Impossible 7" was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cruise was about to start filming in Venice, Italy when Paramount studio decided to halt the shoot in late February.

Christopher McQuarrie is directing the next two "Mission: Impossible" follow-ups, having previously helmed 2015's "Rogue Nation" and 2018's "Fallout". Cruise's most recent outing as Ethan Hunt, in "Mission: Impossible – Fallout", was also the most commercially successful.

Paramount also announced new release dates for several movies, including Chris Pratt's post-apocalyptic thriller "The Tomorrow World" (July 23, 2021) and animated adventure "Paw Patrol" (August 20, 2021).

As part of the scheduling changes, "Dungeons And Dragons" has been pushed back from November 19, 2021, to May 27, 2022. Paramount also removed its horror film "Spell", which was slated to release on August 28, 2020, from the release calendar.