Tom Cruise is known for pushing the limits of action filmmaking, and his latest stunt for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is no exception. The actor revealed in an interview with Empire magazine that he faced extreme physical challenges while shooting an intense underwater sequence for the upcoming blockbuster.
A Brutal Underwater Scene
In the film, Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, explores the wreckage of a submarine. The scene was filmed in an 8.5 million-liter water tank mounted on a gimbal, allowing it to rotate on command. To perform the stunt, Cruise wore a specially designed suit and mask. However, he could only use the equipment for 10 minutes at a time before the buildup of carbon dioxide in his body led to hypoxia—a dangerous lack of oxygen in body tissue.
“I’m breathing in my own carbon dioxide,” Cruise explained. “It builds up in the body and affects the muscles. You have to overcome all of that while staying fully present in the scene.”
‘Physically Punishing’ Stuntwork
Director Christopher McQuarrie, who has worked with Cruise on several Mission: Impossible films, described the stunt as “so challenging and so terrifying” that it pushed Cruise to his limits.
“He’s inside a rotating structure filled with debris,” McQuarrie said. “We had to make it look as chaotic as possible while ensuring Tom could navigate and survive each take. It was physically punishing.”
Cruise’s Commitment to Real Action
This isn’t the only extreme stunt Cruise endured for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. The actor previously revealed that he passed out multiple times while filming another sequence, which involved hanging off the side of a flying airplane.
“When you stick your face out of a plane going over 120 to 130 miles per hour, you’re not getting enough oxygen,” Cruise said. “I had to train myself to breathe properly. There were times I physically passed out and couldn’t get back into the cockpit.”
Coming Soon to Theaters
Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see these jaw-dropping stunts on the big screen. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is set to hit theaters on May 23, 2025, from Paramount Pictures.
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