Esai Morales replaces Nicholas Hoult as villain in Tom Cruise's action flick Mission: Impossible 7

Nicholas Hoult has dropped out of Mission: Impossible 7 due to scheduling conflicts, and will be replaced by Esai Morales, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Mission: Impossible 7, which also marks the return of Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, was being shot in Venice when the shutdown directive was issued due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Paramount cited the Venetian government’s halting of public gatherings, and said it was canceling the shoot “out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew.”

While it is unclear when filming will resume, the delay would have Hoult in conflict with a prior commitment to shoot the second season of the comedy web series, The Great. It was because of this overlap that he had to exit the film. Hoult had been set to play the villain in the piece, which will now be essayed by Morales.

Paramount Pictures recently pushed back the release date of the seventh instalment, which will now release on November 19, 2021. The eighth film has also been delayed and will hit the big screen on November 4, 2022.

Christopher McQuarrie is on board to write and direct both the films, which will be shot back-to-back.

Morales is best known for his work on TV series such as NYPD Blue, How to Get Away With Murder and Titans

Other stars of the next installment include Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby and Henry Czerny.

(With inputs from agencies)