Tom Cruise On His Difficult Stunt For Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

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Summary

  • Cruise performs heart-pounding stunts in Mission: Impossible.
  • Cruise’s childhood dream stunt atop a biplane came true.
  • Cruise’s hands-on work for decades has made him a go-to star for actors who want to master action scenes.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t help but share my exhilarating experience filming “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” This action legend within me couldn’t contain my excitement when I found myself performing the very stunt I had dreamed of as a kid in this upcoming masterpiece.

Tom Cruise initially portrayed secret agent Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible,” directed by Brian De Palma and released back in 1996. Since then, seven more sequels have followed – “Mission: Impossible 2” (2000), “Mission: Impossible III” (2006), “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011), “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015), “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018), “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (2023), and the upcoming “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” Multiple directors have taken charge of these films, but the last four have been directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Over nearly 30 years, Cruise has carried out numerous stunts in this franchise. In a recent interview, he shared some insights about his role in the upcoming film, hinting at what fans might anticipate from the potential final “Mission: Impossible” movie.

In “The Final Reckoning“, Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan, clings to the wings of a 1940s biplane soaring above the Drakensberg mountain range in South Africa and manages to crawl inside. As a child, he had always dreamed of performing that exact stunt himself. “I recall old videos of wing-walking,” Cruise shared with People. “Those planes were only moving at around 40-50 miles an hour. This plane can go over 120 miles an hour. Out there, I was realizing it takes your breath away.” McQuarrie was equally impressed by Cruise, praising him as a “one-man film crew”. It is said that Cruise himself pilots, acts, and operates the camera during the aerial scenes. Wade Eastwood, the stunt coordinator, reassured fans that no green screen was used for the death-defying stunts. Eastwood stated:

“We did not use green screen for those heart-stopping moments.

I guarantee there was not one single shot that was not on a plane flying for real.

Tom Cruise has disclosed details about a daring stunt before, specifically mentioning his experience of sticking one’s head out of an airplane flying at speeds of 120 to 130 miles per hour can lead to oxygen deprivation. In a previous interview with Empire, he revealed that adapting to breathing in such extreme conditions was physically demanding, as there were instances where he fainted and struggled to regain consciousness and return to the cockpit. Interestingly, Cruise confessed that he is always eager to acquire new abilities, regularly honing various skills like dancing, playing the piano, skydiving, or piloting airplanes and helicopters. Regarding his piano proficiency, Cruise prefers to describe himself as someone who enjoys pressing the keys rather than claiming he can play the instrument, finding it a calming activity. Moreover, Cruise hinted that these skills are constantly evolving and could always be refined further.

Tom Cruise is extremely involved in performing his own stunts for his action movies, particularly in the Mission: Impossible series. Some of the daring feats he’s executed include free solo climbing (Mission: Impossible 2), HALO jumping and piloting a helicopter (Fallout), scaling Burj Khalifa (Ghost Protocol), motorcycle cliff jumping (Dead Reckoning – Part One), and an airplane hang-on stunt (Rogue Nation). In addition, he held his breath for over six minutes in Rogue Nation. To prepare for this feat, Cruise worked with Kirk Krack, a freediving record holder and performance trainer, who taught him techniques and helped him condition both his body and mind to endure prolonged breath-holding.

Tom Cruise fearlessly ventures beyond standard filmmaking practices, demonstrating unwavering dedication to his artistry which earns him esteem as a revered action hero. His tireless training and boundless eagerness to acquire new abilities are clear indicators of this. Moreover, he possesses an innate knack for timing, pacing, and escalation in action sequences, lending authenticity and fluidity to these scenes. For many years, Cruise has held the title of leading man, and his projects have consistently proven profitable. It’s no wonder that he is often sought out by those aiming to perfect their action sequences. To illustrate, Glen Powell revealed that he reached out to Cruise when cast as the lead in the reboot of The Running Man, seeking advice from him on “how to run.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 21, 2025.

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2025-05-01 21:23