Mission: Impossible 7 scenes to be filmed at UK studio instead of Italy

Filming for 'Mission: Impossible 7' is to continue in the UK instead of Italy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Paramount Pictures previously announced they stopped the Tom Cruise-led movie's production in Venice as a result of the global outbreak, which has cost the lives of hundreds of Italians.

And now it has been revealed the crew are and cast are now set to film the opening sequence at Longcross Studios in Surrey, England, rather than in Venice and Rome.

The makeshift set will reportedly feature the world famous steps leading up to the Trinita dei Monti church in the country's capital city, which are known as The Spanish Steps.

An insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "The delays have already had massive implications - not just for this film, but for the whole industry.

"There are literally hundreds of crew and some of the world's biggest stars including Tom Cruise on standby waiting to get started, and it's simply infeasible to delay it indefinitely.

"But it goes without saying nobody is going to risk sending a large crew back to Italy at the moment or for the foreseeable, so they've had to come up with a contingency to keep things moving.

"It will cost a fortune, but it's cheaper than having everyone wait around for months and months and it may save the film."

A Paramount spokesperson said in February: "Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three week shoot in Venice, the scheduled first leg of an extensive production for 'Mission: Impossible 7'.

"During this hiatus we want to be mindful of the concerns of the crew and are allowing them to return home until production starts.

"We will continue to monitor this situation, and work alongside health and government officials as it evolves."

Filming on the movie - which also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Nicholas Hoult, and Hayley Atwell, and is to be directed by Christopher McQuarrie - began in Venice last month, and the local government announced a ban on public gatherings as a result of the virus.

Cruise - who plays Ethan Hunt in the film franchise - was not believed to have been in Italy at the time.

The motion picture is due to be release in July next year, but it's not yet known if that will change as a result of the delay.

In 2017, 'Mission: Impossible 6' production had to be halted when Cruise broke his ankle shooting a stunt.

The star snapped his ankle while performing a jump between two high-rise buildings in London.