As the countdown begins for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, there’s no better time to celebrate the franchise that redefined action cinema. With Tom Cruise at the helm—an actor who not only plays the role of Ethan Hunt but quite literally becomes him—each film has pushed the boundaries of what’s physically possible on screen. The newly released trailer has fans buzzing, and with the film releasing in Indian theatres on 23rd May in English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu (IMAX), the hype is real.
Let’s revisit the most jaw-dropping, history-making stunts that made Ethan Hunt a cinematic icon:
1. Climbing the Burj Khalifa – Ghost Protocol (2011)
The gold standard of stunts.
Tom Cruise dangled off the side of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai—2,722 feet in the air, with nothing but suction gloves keeping him from falling. No body double. No green screen. Just Cruise, the desert wind, and our collective anxiety. It’s not just a moment—it’s movie history.
2. Motorcycle Cliff Jump – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
The stunt to end all stunts.
Called “the biggest stunt in cinema history,” Cruise rides a motorcycle off a cliff in Norway and BASE jumps mid-air. It’s insane, it’s real, and it’s 100% Tom Cruise. The sequence blends fear, beauty, and sheer madness, setting a new benchmark for cinematic action.
3. Helicopter Chase – Fallout (2018)
Pilot? Stuntman? Madman? All of the above.
Cruise literally learned to fly a helicopter for this sequence. It’s not just a chase — it’s a heart-in-your-throat, seat-gripping aerial ballet. Sharp turns, death-defying dives, and mid-air acrobatics. This scene screams Mission: Impossible, loud and proud.
4. HALO Jump – Fallout (2018)
25,000 feet of pure cinematic adrenaline.
The High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jump was filmed at dusk in one single take, requiring multiple jumps a day to catch the perfect light. Cruise trained with military experts to perform this with pinpoint accuracy, proving once again: he’s built different.
5. Underwater Heist – Rogue Nation (2015)
No CGI. No cuts. Just Cruise.
For this underwater scene, Cruise held his breath for over six minutes in a single take. This isn’t just technical brilliance—it’s physical endurance at its peak. The realism, the tension, and the execution make it one of the most unforgettable underwater scenes ever filmed.
6. Train Fight Finale – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Classic action with a modern punch.
Reminiscent of Buster Keaton, this sequence sees Cruise running atop a speeding train, dodging collapsing carriages, and hanging on by the edge—literally. It’s gritty, practical, and a glorious nod to old-school cinema with 21st-century flair.
As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning approaches, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: What will Tom Cruise do next?
From skyscrapers to skydives, from train tops to underwater tanks—Tom Cruise has done it all, and then some. Each film has raised the bar, not just for the franchise, but for action cinema as a whole. And now, with one final mission on the horizon, audiences are ready for what promises to be the most thrilling, death-defying chapter yet.
The mission begins on 23rd May – in cinemas across India, in English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu, in stunning IMAX. This summer, prepare for one last impossible stunt.