Nicholas Hoult drops out of Mission: Impossible 7

Nicholas Hoult will no longer appear in Mission: Impossible 7.

According to editors at Variety, the British actor had to depart from the upcoming action spy movie, which is being directed by Christopher McQuarrie, due to a scheduling conflict.

Production on the film was halted abruptly in March due to the onset of the coronavirus crisis, and with social distancing measures still in place, it is yet to be determined when filming will resume.

It is understood Hoult is already bound to prior obligations on the second season of Hulu comedy The Great.

And following the recent announcement that Esai Morales has signed on to appear in the Mission: Impossible flicks, it is now expected he will take up the 30-year-old's part.

Although Paramount producers never disclosed the name of Hoult's intended character, rumours suggested he had been cast as the film's villain.

Morales is known for playing Jorge Castillo on TV show How to Get Away with Murder and for his appearances in Netflix series Ozark and PBS drama American Family.

Mission: Impossible 7 will see Tom Cruise reprise his role as spy Ethan Hunt, with franchise regulars Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby also set to return. Newcomers Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Shea Whigham are fresh to join the cast.

In reaction to the production delay, Paramount bosses have already pushed back the release date of the movie, which is now slated for 19 November 2021. A planned follow up, Mission Impossible: 8, has also been postponed, and will now hit theatres in November 2022.