Five 'Mission: Impossible' staffers reportedly quit movie after second Tom Cruise meltdown

In the wake of iconic actor Tom Cruise's expletive-laden rant on the set of "Mission: Impossible 7" over crew members' failure to follow social distancing protocols, five movie staffers quit after a second Cruise meltdown, the Sun reported.

What are the details?

The paper said Cruise erupted yet again Tuesday night after news of his first rant grabbed headlines around the world.

"The first outburst was big, but things haven't calmed since," a source told the Sun. "Tension has been building for months, and this was the final straw. Since it became public there has been more anger and several staff have walked. But Tom just can't take any more after all the lengths they have gone to just to keep filming at all. He's upset others aren't taking it as seriously as him. In the end, he's the one who carries the can."

What's the background?

In Cruise's initial rant, the 58-year-old hollered that "we're the gold standard! They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! Because they believe in us and what we're doing! And I'm on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and they're looking at us and using us to make their movies!"

He added that "we are creating thousands of jobs you motherf***ers!" and warned, "I don't ever want to see it again! Ever! And if you don't do it, you're fired, and I see you do it again, you're f***ing gone!"

Cruise also yelled that he's trying to protect people's jobs: "No apologies! You can tell it to the people that are losing their f***ing homes because our industry is shut down! It's not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education! That's what I sleep with every night! The future of this f***ing industry!"

Tom Cruise warns Mission Impossible crew they're 'f***ing gone' if they break Covid rules on setyoutu.be

More from the Sun:

Cruise, 58, who plays Ethan Hunt and is a producer, has pumped a fortune into Covid measures including hiring a cruise ship so staff can isolate.

In October, he held crisis talks with director Christopher McQuarrie days after 12 people on set in Italy were said to have tested positive.

Since returning to the UK two weeks ago, Cruise has been pictured wearing a mask on set.

"Mission: Impossible 7" is set to release Nov. 19, 2021, the paper said.

Anything else?

Fellow actor George Clooney defended Cruise during a Wednesday interview with Howard Stern:

"He didn't overreact because it is a problem," Clooney said. "I have a friend who's an AD on another TV show who just had the almost exact same thing happen with not quite as far out a response. ... I wouldn't have done it that big. I wouldn't have, you know, pulled people out. You're in a position of power, and it's tricky, right? You do have a responsibility for everybody else, and he's absolutely right about that. And, you know, if the production goes down, a lot of people lose their jobs. People have to understand that they have to be responsible. It's just not my style to, you know, to take everybody to task that way."