Tom Cruise Performs Death-Defying Stunts in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’

LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2025 — Tom Cruise returns to the big screen in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” showcasing a jaw-dropping new trailer that premiered Monday. At 62, the actor once again defies gravity and logic, famously hanging off the wing of a biplane while performing breathtaking stunts that have become a hallmark of the franchise.

The latest film, the eighth installment in the iconic “Mission: Impossible” series, serves as a direct follow-up to 2023’s “Dead Reckoning Part One.” Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who has led the series since “Rogue Nation,” the film sees Cruise reprising his role as Ethan Hunt as he races against time to stop the antagonist Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, and the mysterious Entity.

“Every choice, every mission, has led to this,” Cruise says in the trailer as he jumps from a fighter jet before plunging into the ocean. The cast also features Hayley Atwell, Henry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby, Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, and Tramell Tillman.

While Cruise has hinted at the possibility of continuing in the role, he is noncommittal about whether this will truly be his last outing as Ethan Hunt. “You gotta see the movie,” he told entertainment news outlets. “It’s a hard thing for me to discuss at the moment, because it really is something that you have to experience.”

The previous film garnered a 94 percent freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed over $571 million globally, despite being seen as a somewhat lukewarm response given the film’s production cost.

Set to release in theaters on May 23, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” promises to thrill fans with its high-octane action and elaborate stunts. Director McQuarrie has praised Cruise’s dedication to performing his own stunts, claiming, “There are stunts in this movie that will melt your brain.”

In preparing for a sequence where he hangs from the wing of a 1930s Boeing Stearman biplane, Cruise had to undergo rigorous training to manage his breathing at high speeds. “When you stick your face out, going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” he explained, recounting moments during filming when he passed out due to the extreme conditions.

The anticipation for the film is palpable among fans, many of whom have turned to social media to express their excitement for the return of Hunt. “OH WE READY FOR U TOM,” one fan commented on X, while others highlighted the franchise’s history of real, thrilling action without the dependence on CGI.

Cruise, known for his commitment to high-risk stunts, has sustained injuries throughout his career, including breaking his ankle while filming a jump for “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” Yet, he remains undeterred. “I love performing stunts,” he said. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it’s exhilarating. I have been told a few times during shooting a stunt to stop smiling.”

As fans gear up for the film’s release, there is speculation about its significance, with Cruise suggesting it could potentially serve as a satisfying conclusion to three decades of storytelling.

“I hope it is the satisfying conclusion to a 30-year story arc,” he remarked. “I’m pretty confident that people are going to feel that the title was appropriate.”