Tom Cruise tears into Mission: Impossible 7 crew for not following COVID-19 safety protocols

Tom Cruise expressed his frustration with crew members on the set of Mission: Impossible 7 after he saw them breaking COVID-19 guidelines, two sources close to the production confirm to Variety.

As first reported by The Sun, after Cruise saw two crew members standing too close to one another in front of a computer screen, he told the crew: "If I see you do it again you're f---ing gone."

In audio obtained by The Sun, Cruise can be heard saying: "We are the gold standard. They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what we're doing. I'm on the phone with every f---ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers and they're looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf---ers. I don't ever want to see it again. Ever!"

Cruise has been strict about enforcing COVID-19 guidelines on the set of the film in Britain, and scolded the crew for taking advantage of the safe environment that the team in place helped create.

"You can tell it to the people who are losing their f---ing homes because our industry is shut down. It's not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education. That's what I sleep with every night — the future of this f---ing industry!" Cruise said. "So I'm sorry, I am beyond your apologies. I have told you, and now I want it, and if you don't do it, you're out. We are not shutting this f---ing movie down! Is it understood? If I see it again, you're f---ing gone."

Cruise pointed out specific members of the crew, telling one "you're going to cost him his job."

"Am I clear? Do you understand what I want? Do you understand the responsibility that I have? Because I will deal with your reason, and if you can't be reasonable and I can't deal with your logic, you're fired," Cruise continued. "That's it. That is it. I trust you guys to be here."

Mission: Impossible 7 was recently hit with delays when 12 people on set in Italy tested positive for COVID-19 in October. Production returned to the UK two weeks ago. Mission: Impossible 7 is set to release in November 2021.

Listen to the full audio here.