Production on Mission: Impossible 7 has set its sights on blowing up a real bridge in Poland. The long-running spy thriller franchise has gained a reputation over the years for risk taking pushed to the extreme, thanks in large part to Tom Cruise. Fans still aren’t certain just what to expect from the upcoming seventh installment, which has so far faced one of the most turbulent production schedules that a film could experience, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Still, despite the numerous setbacks that have taken place, production on Mission: Impossible 7 is reportedly back on track, having initially been set to resume in September, but taking place now in London.
It seems director Christopher McQuarrie is once again focused on getting what is sure to be a very ambitious project off the ground, with production on Mission: Impossible 8 to follow directly afterward. For now, however, simply ensuring things run smoothly on M:I7 is a challenging enough task for all involved. As if things haven’t already been extremely difficult, the new film is once again facing problems – this time over a particularly extravagant stunt.
According to The First News (via CBR), plans to blow up a real bridge when Mission: Impossible 7’s production moves to Poland next April have caused controversy, as residents have begun to voice their opposition. The bridge, which was originally built in 1909 in the Polish village of Pilchowice, has been decommissioned since 2016, when its deterioration was deemed too severe for public use. Because it no longer provides a service, Deputy Culture Minister Pawel Lewandowski has argued it lacks the official status required to be legally considered a monument and that “only a small part of it will be destroyed during filming.” Lewandowski also feels the Mission: Impossible production will bring global attention to Poland:
I would not be fixated on the fact that the Pilchowicki Bridge is a monument. It stands in ruins and has no value. Not all old things are monuments. The law clearly states that a monument is only that which has social, artistic or scientific value. In art and culture, that value only emerges when there is a relation between the cultural object and people. So if an object is unused, unavailable, it has no such value. Therefore it is not a monument. And only a small part of it will be destroyed during filming.
If there’s one thing the Mission: Impossible franchise is recognized for globally, it’s stunt work, but this particular stunt seems to be heading for some strong opposition. Lewandowski also stated he believes that potential backing from Mission: Impossible 7 could help to later fully restore the bridge. This could be a more attractive angle to those who want the bridge to become a registered landmark. Without Mission: Impossible 7’s involvement, the bridge will likely just remain a ruin, so if the film production is willing to back its reconstruction, there doesn’t seem to be a solid argument against its partial destruction for the film.
At the same time, however, some film productions have run afoul of their hosts in the past. Should the local residents of Pilchowice agree to allow Mission: Impossible 7 to destroy their bridge, it will likely be on the basis that the bridge is rebuilt afterward. Without the bridge being rebuilt and reopened, it’s hard to imagine how its inclusion in Mission: Impossible 7 could bring global attention to Poland.
Source: The First News (via CBR)
