If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Tom Cruise said he passed out multiple times during Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning stuntwork - here's what the director thought of his actor (and boss) telling him to keep going
Never doubt Tom Cruise's intense, worrying devotion to the spectacle of cinema when it comes to stunt work and Mission: Impossible
Popverse's top stories of the day
- DC's Absolute Batman to get even bigger as some surprise "fan-favorite characters" will debut soon that will "feature hugely" in series, according to Scott Snyder
- MEMBERS ONLY: Popverse Jump: Ignore the marketing, Lazarus is not Cowboy Bebop 2.0 - and I'm thankful for that
- WATCH NOW: Watch as Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2 stars Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan) & Rob Weithoff (John Marston) saddle up one more time for a reunion from Chicago's C2E2 2025
Look, we all knew that Tom Cruise was dedicated to dangerous stunts in the name of spectacular filmmaking when it comes to the Mission: Impossible movie series. But it’s only now, as we prepare for the release of the final movie in the series, that we can appreciate just how dangerous — and not just for him.
Mission: Impossible fans will already be very familiar with the sight of Cruise hanging on the wing of a biplane in the upcoming Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning; clips from the scene have been in trailers for the movie, as well as promotional clips all of their own:
Here’s the thing, though; turns out, that stunt was dangerous for reasons beyond the whole “don’t all off the plane” thing.
“When you stick your face out, going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” Cruise told Empire magazine in a recent interview. “So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”
“There was a moment where Tom had pushed himself to the point that he was so physically exhausted, he couldn’t get back up off the wing,” Director Christopher McQuarrie added about the stunt, while speaking on-stage at the Cannes Film Festival. “He was lying on the wing of the plane, his arms were hanging over the front. We could not tell if he was conscious or not.” Making matters more difficult: the pilot only had three minutes’ worth of fuel left, but couldn’t land with Cruise on the wing.
“We watched Tom as he pulled himself up and stuck his head in the cockpit, so that he could replenish the oxygen in his body and then climb up into the cockpit”, McQuarrie continued. “No one on earth can do that but Tom.” (It's worth remembering: Tom Cruise isn't just the movie's star; he also produces the franchise, and as such is McQuarrie's boss. Such compliments should be taken in that context.)
Somehow, that’s not even the most upsetting stunt of the entire production; the finished movie features a stunt that was even more punishing for the star and crew alike, McQuarrie teased to Empire, saying, “I truly want to puke thinking about the stress.”
Well... the series isn’t called Mission: Quite Easy, Really, is it?
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is in theaters May 23.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.