What happens when Tom Cruise jumps off a cliff in Norway. No, that’s not a setup for a joke, it’s one of the notoriously dedicated action star’s most dangerous stunts in the long-awaited upcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Paramount Pictures has just released a new behind-the-scenes featurette taking a look at the making of one of Cruise’s most daring stunts to date. The new stunt was created for the long-awaited film, which is set to be released to theaters on July 14, 2023.
The featurette starts with an ominous overhead shot rolling over a cliff in Hellesylt, Norway. A long ramp curls up over the rocky edge, looking over a deep plummet. “This is far and away the most dangerous thing we have ever attempted,” Cruise says in voice-over. Cruise then goes on to detail the exact set-up of the stunt, and that this particular scenario has been in the works for several years. The stunt is complex, involving a motorcycle chase over a cliff, which then terminates in a jump. All of this is to happen over some of the most dangerous and beautiful terrain on earth.
The featurette then rolls into the signature Mission: Impossible theme and the process of bringing about this dangerous but thrilling new stunt is revealed. And it looks like Cruise has taken the driver’s seat when it comes to stunt coordination. The film’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, noted that Cruise was responsible for bringing together the experts needed to pull off such a high-risk act.
The featurette does not shy away from Cruise’s dedication to his stunt work. From gauging his motorcycle’s speed by ear to flying over quarries filled with cardboard with nothing but a wire to keep him aloft, it’s clear that Cruise’s dedication is more than just talk. “It all comes down to one thing,” Cruise says, “the audience.” And the audience will soon be able to see the fruit of the film crew’s labor, as the new film will finally be coming to theaters four years after it was originally announced.
Cruise, of course, stars in the new film. And he is again joined by costars Simon Pegg and Vanessa Kirby among others. Filming for the movie was complicated not just by elaborate stunt work, but also by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it looks like even with all of those extenuating circumstances, Cruise and his crew have managed to do the (mission) impossible.
Check out the featurette below:
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