Tom Cruise meets his match! Polar bears play spoilsport for 'Mission: Impossible 8' makers' flying plans
SVALBARD, NORWAY: Tom Cruise has recently realized some missions are indeed impossible, especially if wildlife is involved. The production house of the latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ offering, ‘Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part II’ which is slated to release in 2024, was recently denied by the local Norwegian authorities to land more than two dozen helicopters in the archipelago of Svalbard in Norway.
On Friday, the makers of the film aborted their mission to obtain permission to land around 30 helicopters on the protected island of Svalbard which has also served as a shooting location for the James Bond movie, 'Die Another day'. Citing the reason that the huge wildlife population will be disturbed, the local authorities denied the proposal for the production house two weeks ago. It has been reported that the makers of the Tom Cruise-led hit franchise makers initially thought of contesting the Svalbard governor’s decision of denying them permission. However, on Friday, a report surfaced that PolarX, the film company specializing in filming in extremely cold weather, has decided to stop trying for permission.
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A spokesperson for the local authorities said, “The production company said they had other solutions. We’re not dealing with the complaint now because they have dropped it. They wanted our agency to overturn the governor’s decision but they have dropped the complaint to us so I don’t know what kind of solutions they have found,” reports The Guardian.
Local newspaper Svalbarposten reported that a letter sent by the production company’s lawyers reads, “While a complaint to the Norwegian environment agency was deemed necessary due to the significant time pressure, the production has continuously worked on alternative solutions to meet the governor’s concerns,” before adding, “This work has been successful, and the parties no longer see a need to maintain the complaint.”
Another local media, VG, which has access to the governor’s initial rejection letter reported, "In his assessment, the Chief of Staff attaches decisive importance to the purpose of the flight, and the precedential effects that this entails seen in the context of the goal of limited motor traffic on Svalbard" and added, "After an overall assessment, the Governor finds that a landing permit cannot be granted for the requested helicopter landings." The decision was taken to protect the huge wildlife population that calls Svalbard it's home.
Wildlife population in Svalbard
According to 'Svalbard Adventures', In the survey of 2004, the population of polar bears was estimated to be around 2900-3600. The Svalbard Reindeer is a subspecies of reindeer and can be found exclusively in the Svalbard area. The archipelago is also home to many other exotic animals like the Arctic Fox. The Walruses, which received protection status in 1952, is estimated to be around 2500 in the 2006 census. Numerous species of seals and whales call Svalbard their home. With a human population of 2700, this makes Svalbard one of the richest wildlife reserves in the Scandinavian region.
Previous helicopter stunt in the MI series
Previously, a helicopter sequence was included in the sixth film of the franchise, ‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’ where a chase sequence involving two helicopters was added in the climax. Cruise’s Ethan Hunt had to chase the movie’s villain August Walker - played by Henry Cavill - to obtain a bomb detonator. According to Henry Cavill, the sequence was difficult to shoot owing to the topography and harsh weather. The scene was shot in New Zealand which doubled as Kashmir.