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Did Tom Cruise Sit Atop the Burj Khalifa Without a Harness?

The skyscraper is more than a half-mile tall., published june 10, 2021.

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This is a genuine photograph of Tom Cruise sitting on top of the Burj Khalifa, but he is almost certainly wearing a harness.

A practically unbelievable photograph of actor Tom Cruise sitting on top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at a height of more than a half mile, is frequently shared online along with the claim that the actor wasn't wearing a harness during the stunt:

This photograph was taken in 2011, during the filming of the fourth installment in the "Mission Impossible" series. Cruise did a number of stunts in that movie that took place inside (and outside) the building. Here's a behind-the-scenes clip showing some of these stunts:

At one point during filming, Cruise and the stunt team decided to take a helicopter to the top of the building to get a few photographs. Cruise talked about this experience during an appearance on "The Graham Norton Show."

While the picture is real, there's plenty of reasons to doubt the claim that Cruise was without a harness during this stunt. For one, when Cruise filmed these stunts (as seen in the behind-the-scenes clip above) he is wearing a harness. In fact, Tom Peitzman, the visual effects producer for the movie, said in 2011 that everyone involved in filming these stunts (even those who were inside while Cruise was hanging on the outside of the building) were also wearing a harnesses.

"Special mounts had to be made for the 65-millmeter Imax cameras, special safety had to be put in place, because in a building that's 800 meteres tall [it's 2,723 feet] you couldn't run the risk of anything falling. Even all of us who are working inside the building, we all had to harness ourselves because the window was open." 

With all of the safety precautions that went into filming these stunts, it seems highly improbable that Cruise would be allowed to sit on the top of this building without a harness. 

It should also be noted that while there are pictures of Cruise sitting on the Burj Khalifa and of the helicopter near the Burj Khalifa, there are no photographs of Cruise getting in or out of the helicopter. While it seems likely Cruise simply hopped out of the helicopter for a quick pic, there was likely a little more involved (such as hooking up some sort of security cable.)

It's also worth noting that helicopter is not the only way to access the top of this spire. This column is actually hollow and can be accessed via an internal ladder. This is how maintenance crews would access this area. In 2013, photographer Joe McNally was allowed to access this area to take some images.

It seems likely that someone was waiting for Cruise as he transitioned from the helicopter to the spire, and then helped him attach a safety harness. 

Correction [June 14, 2021]: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to photographer Joe McNally as John McNally.

By Dan Evon

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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Screen Rant

Mission impossible 4: how tom cruise did the burj khalifa stunt.

The Burj Khalifa sequence in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is Tom Cruise's craziest and most famous stunt. This is how he achieved it.

• Cruise's Burj Khalifa stunt in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a defining, heart-stopping moment for the franchise.
• With dangerous stunts like the HALO jump in Fallout, the Burj Khalifa climb remains Cruise's most famous feat.
• From carefully fixing harnesses to rigorous training, the Burj Khalifa stunt was a logistical nightmare that paid off well.

The Burj Khalifa stunt in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a defining moment for the franchise, but audiences wonder if Tom Cruise climbs the Burj Khalifa in real life. With a growing list of extremely dangerous stunts on his resume, scaling Burj Khalifa's exterior in the fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise is one of Cruise's most famous feats of courage. Since then, Cruise has continued to defy death in multiple movies with stunts like Mission Impossible: Fallout 's HALO jump. Still, the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt has become a cinema landmark.

Ghost Protocol takes Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt to Dubai in search of nuclear launch codes after Kurt Hendricks, a.k.a. Cobalt (Michael Nyquist), steals a devastating weapon. It's obvious by now that Hunt never takes the easy route. Ethan must reach the 130th floor of the 2,722 ft skyscraper and ditch the elevator in favor of a pair of questionable suction gloves. Starting the climb 123 floors up is the easy part as he then rappels down the building and makes a jump of faith. The Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt is one of the most intense and thrilling scenes ever.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+

Tom Cruise's 14 Mission: Impossible Stunts Ranked By Most Dangerous

Tom cruise's burj khalifa stunt explained, the actor was equipped with a harness that was fixed to strategic points on the building.

For the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt, the actor had to be equipped with a harness that was carefully fixed to strategic points in the building , which required that the studio get special permits to drill on the floors and walls, and the Mission: Impossible 4 crew broke 35 windows . Director Brad Bird ( The Incredible s) consulted with multiple professionals from different areas like engineers, pro climbers, and stuntmen to ensure the safety of the shoot. He even considered using a dedicated stuntman, but, as he's done for the majority of his career, Cruise did his own Mission: Impossible 4 stunts.

Tom Cruise didn't know that the tight harness would cut off his circulation, so the shoot had to be completed as efficiently and quickly as possible. Otherwise, his lower body would start feeling numb. The helicopters that were shooting had a flight limit of 30 minutes at a time too, so the crew had to make every take count. The sequence was also shot in IMAX, which meant that the cameras would run out of film fast. The footage had to be flown back to Los Angeles, and Bird couldn't check if everything was perfect until the film was developed.

The training for the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt was also extremely thorough and calculated. The crew built a wall of glass to simulate the exterior of the real building and had Tom Cruise climb up and down several times to get him familiarized with the discomfort of the harness and the physical toll of the climb. They went so far as to heat up the wall with artificial lights to simulate the temperature of the windows of the Burj Khalifa. The stunt was a logistical nightmare, but the planning all paid off.

Mission Impossible Movies Ranked - From The 1996 Original to Dead Reckoning Part 1

Why tom cruise on burj khalifa is the best mission impossible stunt, the stunt is like a live-action incredibles scene.

Tom Cruise always does his own Mission: Impossible stunts , including hanging off a plane, holding his breath for six minutes to perform an underwater heist, and conducting 109 HALO jumps to get the perfect shot. But of all these movie stunts, the iconic Burj Khalifa sequence is the best proof of the actor's dedication to his craft. The Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol scene is the most nail-biting sequence for audiences, and it was extremely dangerous, exhausting, and probably terrifying for Cruise himself.

Nevertheless, the results are impressive, to say the least; Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol has one of the best stunt scenes caught on camera. Having scaled the side of the world's tallest building – for real – grants eternal franchise bragging rights for any self-respecting action series. The stunt plays out like a live-action Incredibles scene too, as the sequence is layered with clever action comedy, such as the suction gloves having a mind of their own. The Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt has an equal balance of edge-of-your-seat thrills and laugh-out-loud comedy, which few other Mission: Impossible stunts have.

Mission: Impossible 8 - Release Date, Story & Everything We Know About Dead Reckoning Part 2

Was the tom cruise burj khalifa stunt his most dangerous, the motorcycle jump in mission: impossible - dead reckoning as arguably more dangerous.

Following the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt, the actor performed more stunts that were just as dangerous. In Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation , Cruise hung onto the side of a plane as it took off. The actor also held his breath underwater for a record-breaking 6 minutes (that's until the record was broken by Kate Winslet in Avatar: The Way of Water ). Following that, Cruise committed to a HALO jump for Mission: Impossible - Fallout . The HALO jump was so dangerous that Henry Cavill wasn't allowed to take part because it would have put Cruise's life at risk (via AutoEvolution ).

However, the motorcycle jump in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 was the actor's most dangerous stunt yet . It would have been impossible to foresee where the bike would land when Cruise let go, and so many other things that the production couldn't properly plan for. Accurately conducting a risk assessment of the scene must have been the most frustrating part of the movie's development. The impossible-to-determine physics, along with controlling a vehicle in mid-air and being dangerously close to rocks on a cliff edge, makes Cruise's motorcycle jump the most dangerous stunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Tom Cruise has injured himself a number of times due to his commitment to performing his own stunts (via MovieWeb ).

However, it's comical to compare the Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol stunt and the motorcycle-parachute stunt, as neither are things that anybody should ever attempt. Nevertheless, Cruise competes with himself, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 2 could feature his two most dangerous stunts yet. Mission: Impossible 8 features a water stunt in which Cruise could claim back his breath-holding record from Winslet. The upcoming movie also features another airplane stunt, only this time it isn't taking off but is sky-high. Either way, Mission: Impossible's stunts are almost equally dangerous, and Cruise is happily risking his life for the audience's entertainment.

Sources: AutoEvolution , MovieWeb

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

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The fourth film in the franchise, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, is an action-thriller film set years after the events of Mission: Impossible 3. It sees Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) see themselves falsely accused of a crime. Following a terrorist attack on the Kremlin, the IMF is implicated in the attack, forcing the government to disavow knowledge of them. To clear their names and find the true culprit, the United States initiates the "Ghost Protocol," forcing them all to go off the grid with no support to solve the case.

Paula Patton

Paula Patton is all smiles at the Dubai premiere. Patton plays female lead Jane, an operative who works for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, in Mission: Impossible.

Star Tom Cruise gets out of a sleek silver car at the Dubai premiere of his latest Mission: Impossible actioner. While promoting the film, Cruise said that if he was ever asked to do a Bollywood film, he "would never say no."

Tom Cruise with fans

Tom Cruise takes a moment to pose with fans. Over the weekend, Cruise and co-star Anil Kapoor visited the Taj Mahal, fulfilling a dream of Cruise's. "I wanted to come to India my whole life, so I am very excited," he said .

Simon Pegg posing for picture

Simon Pegg poses for a picture with a fan. Pegg has a slew of movies coming out in December, including Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin.

Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor waves to onlookers on Wednesday. Kapoor plays Brij Nath, whom he told THR has "an element of fun and innocence in his character."

Tom Cruise with Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Tom Cruise and Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum attend the premiere of Mission: Impossible. A report surfaced that around 200 extras were given approximately 150 rupees a piece (or about $3) and lunch to look excited outside the premiere, but Paramount called the rumor silly.

Paula Patton meets a group of young girls on the carpet at the premiere. Paramount released a fight scene between Patton and Lea Seydoux showcasing their physical prowess.

Tom Cruise walks the carpet with some new friends on the first day of the Dubai International Film Festival at teh Madinat Jumeriah Complex on Wednesday.

Anil Kapoor, director Brad Bird, Tom Cruise, Paula Patton and Simon Pegg take a group shot on the carpet for Ghost Protocol.

British actor Simon Pegg , mingling with the fans, returns to the franchise as techie Benji. Ghost Protol was directed by Brad Bird ( The Incredibles, Ratatouille ) and was written by Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum.

Tom Cruise greeting fans

Tom Cruise greets a crowd of fans as he gets ready to promote the followup to Mission: Impossible III, released in 2006.

Paula Patton signs some autogrpahs for awaiting fans. The actress next stars in 2012's Disconnect with Alexander Skarsgard and Jason Bateman.

Fans at the Premiere

Excited fans hold up photos of Tom Cruise at the premiere of the fourth film in the Mission: Impossible franchise in Dubai. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is set to open in U.S. theaters Dec. 16.V

VIDEO: Scenes From Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Photos Of Tom Cruise's Spectacular Skyscraper Stunt From 'Mission: Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol'

At a Dubai press conference not too long ago for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol , Tom Cruise mentioned that some filming would take place at Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. "I'll be spending many days, many hours on the side of this building, I can't give you details, but I will be up there," Cruise said. Now, photos have surfaced online that show exactly what he was referring to. Hit the jump to check them out.

The below photos come from the Daily Mail , who report that the shooting the scene was incredibly tense, both for film crew and for onlookers watching below. This was understandable, as Burj Khalifa took over 5 years to construct and is over 2,700 feet tall. Cruise hung from the building's observation deck, 124 floors above the ground. Apparently, the stunt involved running across the building and jumping over another actor, also dangling precariously high up. A helicopter was just 10 feet away to capture the scene from the outside.

Cruise has often expressed a preference for doing his own stunts. He told the Daily Record this past summer:

I want to entertain the audience and part of making these movies is doing my own stunts. I love having the camera right there in front of me, where you can see me holding a shot all the way through. I think it adds to the excitement for an audience. It's something that is challenging to do and fun for me.

It might sound a bit narcissistic to some but I actually appreciate Cruise's work ethic. As jaded moviegoers, we've been trained to look for the cut where the stunt double replaces the actor. It's nice to know there are still some actors out there willing to put their asses on the line for the sake of entertainment.

Tom Cruise Hugs Co-Star Hayley Atwell At Abu Dhabi Premiere Of ‘Mission: Impossible 7’: Photos

While on the red carpet for the premiere of 'Mission: Impossible 7' in Dubai, Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell had a smile-filled reunion as they posed for photos.

Tom Cruise and  Hayley Atwell reunited while they continued to promote  Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One in Dubai on June 26. The two had a friendly reunion on the red carpet, as they shared a hug, and Tom leaned in to kiss his co-star on the cheek. Hayley was all smiles as she leaned into Tom’s embrace, proving they’ve stayed friendly since filming the latest installment of the franchise.

Hayley looked absolutely stunning at the premiere, wearing a green satin dress with high neckline. She had her hair pulled back into a sleek, low bun, with bronzed glowing makeup across her face. Tom was dapper in his black suit, with his longer hair on display. The two also posed with some of their other co-stars as they promoted the upcoming film, which is due out on July 10.

It’s been five years since the last Mission: Impossible came out in 2018 ( Mission: Impossible — Fallout ). Meanwhile, the cast is already gearing up for the eighth Mission: Impossible installment, which is set to premiere on June 28, 2024.  Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two is the direct sequel to this year’s film.

Hayley will make her debut in the Mission: Impossible movies with  Dead Reckoning Part One . When she and Tom were filming the movie in 2020, it was rumored that they were dating , but they never confirmed the relationship themselves. In June 2022, news of their split was reported and Hayley started dating  Ned Wolfgang Kelly . She got engaged to the actor in April 2023.

Ned confirmed the news in an Instagram post on April 20. “Arrived in Venice at 10am. Around midday the love of my life and I got engaged in the kitchen of this strange apartment full of porcelain ducks with a bloke outside the window murdering “My Way” on the accordion,” he wrote. “A perfect start to the rest of our lives together. I never had any interest in getting married…until I met this extraordinary woman.”

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Tom Cruise on a mission in Dubai

Dec 10, 2011.

© John Doe

Hollywood star Tom Cruise walked the red carpet of the 8th Dubai International Film Festival ( DIFF ) for the world premiere of “Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol”, along with director Brad Bird and co-stars Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Lea Seydoux and the Indian acting legend Anil Kapoor.

The highly anticipated film was partly shot in Dubai. In one scene, the 49 year old American actor is seen climbing the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Fans lined up at the Madinat Jumeirah for hours to catch a glimpse of the glamorous cast.

When Tom Cruise finally arrived, he interacted with his loyal fans for around two hours, chatting and signing autographs. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Prime Minister, joined him later creating a wave of excitement and typically Dubai style glamour.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and actor Tom Cruise attend the 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Premiere during day one of the 8th DIFF. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for DIFF)

But it wasn’t all Hollywood stars and photo opportunities. DIFF’s organising committee also honored the Egyptian actor Gameel Ratib, who turned 83 this year. As the year draws to a close, the star paid homage to more serious events of 2011, dedicating his prize to the January 25th martyrs.

The festival, which closes on December 14, includes 171 films compared to last year’s 157, coming from 56 countries and in 32 languages.

The Emirate’s annual, week-long, celebration of film features a variety of big-budget blockbusters to indie shorts and probing documentaries. When the event debuted in 2004, there was just one world premiere. This year, there are 46 world firsts, 78 premieres from the Middle East and North African region and seven GCC premieres.

“The Descendants” starring George Clooney, family-friendly “The Muppets” and the Egyptian film “Wahed Sahih” (A Whole One) starring Hani Salama will be screened as well as part of the red carpet galas.

Music and film are showcasing together at the free-to-attend open-air theatre under the festival’s “Rhythm and Reels” programme. Music themed pictures are screened, such as a restored version of the 1929 silent film “Pandora’s Box” accompanied by the 60-piece UAE Philharmonic Orchestra.

Industry professionals are attending a variety of panels and master classes, as the people at DIFF continue to provide a platform to encourage filmmakers in the region. Daily networking sessions, usually in the form of informal gatherings, are designed to facilitate new business relationships.

Among many activities and efforts towards encouraging Arab cinema, DIFF hosted the Cinemoz team who are launching their premium online Video On Demand service for the Arab region. It goes live on December 12 and is available to the public.

Founded in June 2011, Cinemoz was created by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs, film industry experts, web and mobile specialists and advertising professionals.

The application showcases entertainment from and for the Arab World, where audiences are able to stream high definition content, anytime, anywhere and for free. It’s a cutting edge, interactive experience custom tailored for each Arab country.

Cinemoz founder Karim Safieddine and his team.(Courtesy of Cinemoz)

For the first time, viewers are going to be able to access entertainment from the region which will enable the promotion of better Arab content worldwide.

A red carpet gala and screening of “My Week With Marylin” is due to close the festival on Wednesday. It’s directed by Simon Curtis and stars Michelle Williams in the role of Marilyn Monroe, Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier and Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh. Undoubtedly, the lights will shine again on Dubai’s red carpet, as the GCC waves in celebration to the final festival of the year.

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Tom Cruise: 'Mission: Impossible' Premiere in Dubai!

About Photo # 2607552 : Tom Cruise hits the red carpet at the Dubai premiere of his new movie, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, at the Madinat Jumeriah Complex on Wednesday (December… Read More Here

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How Tom Cruise pulled off that 'Mission: Impossible 4' skyscraper climb and canceled his retirement from the blockbuster franchise

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As the star of the Mission: Impossible movie series, Tom Cruise has been pulling off impossible missions — and improbable stunts — for a quarter century and counting. From the 1996 franchise-starter to the currently filming seventh and eight installments, the first of which will hit theaters in 2022 , the actor's alter ego, super-agent Ethan Hunt, has traveled the globe and saved the world many times over.

But Cruise's license to thrill almost got revoked a decade ago in the fourth installment, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol . Directed by Brad Bird and released in theaters on Dec. 15, 2011, the movie was widely assumed at the time to be the star's final outing. In a new interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Ghost Protocol stunt coordinator Gregg Smrz confirms that's how things went down in the original script, which features an extended climax where Ethan chases rogue nuclear strategist Kurt Hendricks (played by Michael Nyqvist) around a towering carpark.

"There was a point in the script when he's fighting Michael Nyqvist where he was supposed to get his leg broken," Smrz remembers now. "They wanted it hyper-extended at the knee, just shredded — end of career, you know? The studio was going to write him out, and Tom did not want it. He was strapping in his harness, looked at me and said, 'I ain't going nowhere.' Then he walked out on set and did his thing. We had [the leg break] all set and ready to go, and it disappeared."

Turns out that Cruise called his shot correctly. Far from becoming his last Mission: Impossible movie, Ghost Protocol relit the franchise's fuse with a mighty $210 million domestic box-office gross and a wave of ecstatic reviews. The movie also boasts a sequence that consistently ranks on or near the top of any list of the very best Mission: Impossible stunts : Ethan's nail-biting climb up the side of Dubai's world-famous Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

As stunt coordinator, Smrz — who first collaborated with Cruise on Mission: Impossible 2 — oversaw that scene and agrees that it's one for the record books. "I said to Brad, 'Do you have any idea what we're doing?'" he recalls. "'We're climbing 1,700 feet in the air, 200 feet up a building. This has never been done before, and it'll never be done again, because they're never going to allow it.' It's a work of art, and I don't think it can ever be beat as far as a climbing sequence on a building."

And as Smrz reveals, it's a stunt that very nearly didn't happen. Early on in pre-production, Paramount seemed poised to cancel Ghost Protocol outright before shooting started. "We had started prepping the building climb immediately on a studio lot, and were on the payroll for about before weeks when we heard that they were going to pull the plug. Tom went to have a meeting with [the studio] and we would know the outcome at the end of it."

Fortunately, Cruise emerged from that meeting with a greenlight, and Smrz and his team restarted preparations for pulling off the Burj Khalifa climb — a sequence that was always designed to serve as the movie's spectacular centerpiece. Initially skeptical that the building's owner would let them turn the 2,722-foot skyscraper into a movie set, the crew recreated three floors of the Burj on a soundstage in Prague. "We built an adjustable wall, slowly raised it until it was vertical and practiced for 200 hours on it with a crew of seven or eight guys. But Tom kept saying, 'I really want to climb that building.'"

Eventually, a compromise was reached: the production could shoot for one day on the exterior of the building, and the rest of the sequence would be shot on another 60-foot adjustable wall that has been constructed in the desert outside of Dubai. Once again, though, Cruise changed the course of production with a single sentence. "The first day [on the Burj] went so well that Tom said, 'We're filming the whole thing here on the real building.' We ended up doing one day of shooting over on the set, and the rest of it was on the real building."

With Cruise leading the charge, the Ghost Protocol crew worked out a deal with the building's owners that gave them full access to several floors that weren't yet in use. Smrz and his team then knocked out roughly 17 glass panels to make room for the stunt and camera cables and other rigging.

"I told them, 'We won't scratch your building; we're not going to damage anything.' As they saw that we were not destructive and really cared about their building, they started to work with us. There was this one guy I called Dr. No, because every time I'd ask if we could do something, he'd go, 'No!' at first. But towards the end, if I said, 'Hey, we need to drill another hole,' he'd say, 'Just tell me where.'"

As designed by Cruise, Bird and Smrz, the eight-minute Burj sequence has two distinct movements: Ethan's slow, deliberate climb up the side of the Burj in order to recover all-important nuclear launch codes and then his rapid descent. The upwards journey includes a gasp-inducing plunge where Hunt falls from an unsteady perch outside his target floor. Cruise performed the fall himself, dropping roughly forty feet from a height of 1,700 feet off the ground.

"That was probably the most nail-biting day of the show," Smrz says, adding that they only did a single take of Cruise's fall. "Somebody said, 'What if the cable breaks?' And I said, 'That's not an option.' We actually did the math, and there was enough time of free fall for him to text me on the way down, and for me to receive it!"

But Smrz also makes it clear that he would have overruled Cruise if he truly felt the star would be in danger. "If he wasn't an actor, Tom could have been a stuntman, and I would put anybody in anything if I didn't think it was safe for a stunt guy. I've got to be 99.9 percent sure it's going to be successful before we do it, whether it's a stunt person or an actor. So putting Tom into the harness was no different than a stunt guy. I expect the stunt to work, because we've already proven it over and over. "

Ethan's journey down the Burj starts with him running down the side of the building until he literally reaches the end of his rope. But he's the opposite of home free: He's still one floor above the rest of his team — William (Jeremy Renner), Benji (Simon Pegg) and Jane (Paula Patton) — and has to make a daring leap into the void to reach them. In order to gain the necessary momentum, Ethan runs in the opposite direction alongside the building and then power jumps into the air, swinging on the cable in a wide arc as he heads for the open window where William and Jane stand.

"When Tom swung on that rope around the building, Brad wanted him to go out farther," Smrz remembers. "I said, 'We'd have a problem: He has to come back, and I can't soften the impact on the glass. So the farther he goes out, the harder he's going to hit the glass, and he's already hitting it really hard.' Brad came from the world of animation where anything he wanted to do was possible, but I have a reputation for trying to keep everything real. I like to see when they hit the ground, that it hurts. But Brad was great to work with, because we'd always just sit down and talk and make sure we both were happy."

Ethan's cable swing also includes some shots that were filmed on the recreation of the Burj, including the moment where he unclips in mid-air and the moment where he flies at the window, hitting his head. But the scene where Renner clutches Cruise's leg high above Dubai was filmed on location. "We had Tom suspended on the real building, and then we dropped him," Smrz explains. "Jeremy and Paula were on cables, and they actually did dive out the window and caught Tom by his ankle. The actors did a fantastic job, especially because it was hot. We were working on glass, and it got up to 125 degrees."

The Burj Khalifa climb wasn't just a franchise-best stunt: It was also a personal best for Cruise, one that the actor has been trying to top ever since. "He wants to beat it," says Smrz, who hasn't worked on a Mission: Impossible movie since 2015's Rogue Nation , where Cruise awarded him the opportunity to choreograph the wild motorcycle chase of his dreams . "We took it to a whole other level, but it wasn't beating the building, you know what I mean? It was just a motorcycle chase. So they came up with that plane stunt . Tom's going to try to step it up to the next level in every movie, but he's also getting older: I used to tell him, 'Tom, you're going to end up walking like I do if you keep this up!'"

In that case, it's just as well that Cruise is better known for his running anyway. Asked about the actor's famously meme-friendly fleet feet , Smrz confirms he's the last person you want to be in a race with. "He can run 17-and-a-half miles an hour," he marvels. "In the scene where he's running away from the Burj, I had my stunt guys chasing him, and he was killing them. I said, 'Can you slow down a little?' And he started laughing and said, 'I'm not slowing down — tell them to speed up!' He's really fast and he has this odd style where he really lifts his legs high, and he's got the arms and legs pumping. Maybe that's his secret."

Reflecting on the Burj Khalifa climb a decade later, Smrz feels that it's increasingly rare for a studio to allow a movie star, and a stunt crew, the time and resources necessary to pull off a major setpiece on that level. "The big thing was that we really could have done that entire sequence on a stage and with visual effects. But Tom refuses to do that, because he wants climbing the Burj to be part of the thing that he does. He likes to do his own stuff, it's great for publicity and he enjoys it. It's always funny when somebody tells me, 'Tom's not going to do that — the studio's not going to allow it.' And I just say, 'He'll be doing it.'"

At the same time, with the tragedy on the set of Rust still fresh in everyone's minds , Smrz acknowledges that the industry is potentially facing widespread change in terms of how major action sequences are handled, especially when guns are involved. For his part, he believes that safety is always paramount even if it comes with a price tag. "I've been told [by studios], 'You and your guys are too expensive,'" Smrz says. "But at the end of every film, I always ask, 'Still think I'm too expensive?' and they go, 'No, we got what we paid for.' It's so busy out there right now ... and it has a lot to do with the experience of the person they hire. And right now, they're kind of hiring anybody, so it's a little scary.

"I don't think squibs and gunfire are going to go away," Smrz continues. "It's part of the job, and you have to be extra safe and unafraid to stand your ground. You have to be willing to get fired if you know that you're right and they want to push on anyway. On five occasions, I've started to walk off the set and never made it off because they realize how serious you are. You're willing to leave the movie, and that's what it takes if they expect us to keep it safe. I don't think it can get any safer: I mean, if they're going to make it so problematic that they'll just stop doing stuff, it'll all be cartoons."

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is currently streaming on Paramount+.

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Uae: catch tom cruise in abu dhabi at premiere of new mission impossible movie, paramount pictures film was shot at the breathtaking landscape of liwa desert and the iconic abu dhabi midfield terminal.

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Abu Dhabi will host the Middle East premiere of the eagerly-awaited ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ at a red-carpet event at Emirates Palace on June 26, attended by the movie’s cast and crew, including star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie.

The breathtaking landscape of the Liwa desert and the iconic Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal were used as locations for Paramount Pictures’ movie thanks to the support of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission (ADFC), part of the Creative Media Authority.

The complexity of the shoot, which included building an Arabian village in the desert and multiple sets at the terminal required a collaborative effort from multiple businesses and entities across Abu Dhabi, including twofour54 Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Airways, the official airline partner of the film.

It is the second time the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise has filmed in Abu Dhabi, following the jaw-dropping Halo jump sequence that was shot in Abu Dhabi for 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout’, again with the support of ADFC, twofour54 and the UAE military. It is also the seventh instalment in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ film series.

Along with Cruise and McQuarrie, the other stars of the film due to attend the Middle East Premiere later this month are Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff and Simon Pegg.

Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of Creative Media Authority, noted that hosting the premiere is an honour for Abu Dhabi and is also a reflection of the position the emirate holds as one of Mena’s top film and TV locations.

“We are proud to have worked with such a genre-defining franchise once again and it demonstrates how Abu Dhabi has everything filmmakers need to successfully complete such large, complex productions.”

It was the success of shooting ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout’ in Abu Dhabi that convinced Paramount Pictures to turn to ADFC again to help them complete another ‘Impossible Mission’ – this time sourcing an airport terminal and a desert landscape that would truly elevate the production.

The commission supported the team by securing approvals and permits for the shoot at both the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal and in Liwa, liaising closely with multiple stakeholders and Abu Dhabi government entities.

After more than a year of planning, filming took place in Abu Dhabi in 2021 over 15 days at the height of the pandemic, yet there was no disruption caused by Covid-19 thanks to the ADFC protocols put in place in Abu Dhabi.

As well as building the sets in Liwa and at the Midfield Terminal, the production team also shot on the roof of the 742,000sqm terminal, the longest single standing arch in the world at 180m.

The shoot also benefitted from ADFC’s 30 per cent cashback rebate and was supported by numerous other Abu Dhabi-based companies, specialist suppliers, 125 local freelance crew and 250 local extras.

Meanwhile, twofour54 supported the Mission Impossible team with full production services, and, through its Tawasol team, also secured shooting permits and managed applications for the other government services needed to ensure a smooth and seamless production.

'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is among the 140 major productions to have shot in Abu Dhabi in the past 10 years, from companies including Disney, Netflix, Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures. Films include Dune and Dune 2, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 6 Underground and Furious 7, as well as Bollywood hits such as Vikram Vedha, Tiger Zinda Hai and Bharat.

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Watch: UAE gets a starring role in trailer of Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One’

Entertainment hollywood.

Tom Cruise’s film franchise shot extensively in Abu Dhabi during the COVID-19 pandemic

The barren desert vista of Abu Dhabi’s Rub Al Khali or the Empty Quarter is an unmissable sight in the opening scene of Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One’ trailer that packs in plenty of action in its 2.16-minute runtime.

No mission was impossible for Cruise and his film crew as they famously shot the seventh instalment in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise during the COVID-19 pandemic — being one of the first Hollywood projects to do so — bringing their production to Abu Dhabi, all while setting a benchmark for the film industry to reopen for business in January 2021.

Now a year and a few months later, director Christopher McQuarrie’s efforts have come to pass with the trailer presenting a slick return to the juggernaut franchise with Cruise spearheading a seventh IMF (Impossible Missions Force) adventure as agent Ethan Hunt, only this time, it’s not to his choosing but an order by Henry Czerny’s Eugene Kittridge for him to finally pick a side. “Your days of fighting for the greater good are over,” we hear him tell Hunt. “You’ve been fighting to save an ideal that doesn’t exist, [that] never did. You need to pick a side.”

Like all Cruise tentpoles, there’s plenty of running, car chases and explosions galore even as Hunt gallops into the Arabian desert before smashing up cars on the city streets of Rome, while his team mate Simon Pegg can be seen running through what possibly could be Abu Dhabi Airport.

The trailer keeps the adrenaline pumping up until its final moments, when we see Cruise performing the now infamous motorcycle stunt from a high cliff-edge in Norway. In a 2021 interview with Deadline, the actor spoke at length about the stunt, saying: “This is far and away the most dangerous thing I’ve attempted,” adding that the sequence is something he’s “wanted to do since [he] was a little kid.”

Fans first got a hint of Cruise and his crew heading to Abu Dhabi in January last year when McQuarrie posted a series of images from the film’s set on his Instagram. Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson, who starred as former MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in ‘Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation’, also sharing images of the Abu Dhabi desert, along with a picture of her lounging by a hotel pool in the city.

McQuarrie later revealed in February 2021 that he filmed ‘MI7’ and ‘MI8’ in the UAE, while thanking Abu Dhabi for facilitating the project. “Of the many challenges we’ve faced on our journey, none will be greater than outshining the gifts Abu Dhabi has given us,” McQuarrie wrote on Instagram.

The UAE has previously featured in two separate instalments of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ film series. The multibillion dollar franchise shot ‘Mission: Impossible — Fallout’ in Abu Dhabi back in 2018, which involved Cruise working with the UAE Armed Forces to film the infamous and risky HALO or high altitude, low open stunt for the film.

Back in 2011, the actor also made headlines around the world when he shot for ‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol’ at Burj Khalifa. The famous stunt saw Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, hang off the world’s tallest building, with the stunt taking 23 days and requiring some 400 crew members.

The ‘MI7’ shoot is the first such Hollywood project being filmed amidst the pandemic and the stress levels were high with Cruise even caught on audio in a clip obtained by The Sun where he was heard scolding staff on the set who for breaking coronavirus safety protocols.

Last May, Cruise told Empire Magazine how daunting the experience had been with seven-day shoots and setting protocols in place for others to follow.

“I’ve produced 30 to 40 movies. I am responsible for thousands, if not tens of thousands, of jobs,” Cruise told Empire. “All my friends in the industry, people that are in distribution, and my crew were like, ‘What are we going to do? I could lose my house!’ So I told the studio and I told the industry, ‘We’re going back. We’re going to get everyone back to work. We’re going to start shooting in the summer. And we’re going to figure out how to do it safely’.”

“We had to create protocols with studios and insurance companies, and work on laws in each country,” Cruise said, talking about how his team worked on convincing places including Abu Dhabi, Norway and Italy to let filming go ahead while travel was restricted. “Assuring them how we were going to film in the country. There were times when people said, ‘It’s not going to happen.’ And I just kept saying, ‘It’s happening.’”

‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One’ is scheduled to hit theatres on July 14, 2023. The film also marks the return of Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson and Vanessa Kirby. New additions to the cast include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham and Esai Morales.

Meanwhile, those of you who want to get their fill of Cruise can catch him at UAE cinemas this weekend as ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ releases on May 26.

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Did Tom Cruise Really Climb the Building in Dubai?

By Michael Ferguson

Tom Cruise is known for his daring stunts in action movies, but did he actually climb the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in Dubai? Let’s explore this question and separate fact from fiction.

There has been a persistent myth circulating that Tom Cruise climbed the Burj Khalifa for a scene in the movie Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol . This claim has captured the imagination of fans and has become a popular topic of discussion.

The Reality

The truth is that while Tom Cruise performed many of his own stunts in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol , climbing the Burj Khalifa was not one of them. The production team employed a combination of practical effects and visual effects to create the illusion of Cruise scaling the massive structure.

Visual Effects:

• The filmmakers utilized cutting-edge CGI technology to digitally recreate Tom Cruise’s likeness and seamlessly blend it with footage of professional climbers ascending the Burj Khalifa.
• This technique allowed them to capture realistic shots without putting Cruise or anyone else at risk.

Practical Effects:

• To create an authentic experience for viewers, portions of the film were shot on a purpose-built set that mimicked the exterior of the Burj Khalifa. These scenes were carefully crafted by skilled set designers and cinematographers.
• Cruise himself performed numerous stunts on this set, including some intense climbing sequences. While not as high as the actual building, these scenes still required skill and bravery from the actor.

The Importance of Stunt Doubles

It’s worth noting that even though Tom Cruise is famous for doing many of his own stunts, the use of stunt doubles is a common practice in the film industry. Stunt performers undergo extensive training and have the necessary skills to execute dangerous actions safely.

While it’s exciting to imagine our favorite actors performing jaw-dropping feats, it’s important to remember that their safety is paramount. The use of stunt doubles allows filmmakers to deliver thrilling action sequences while minimizing the risk to the actors involved.

The Legacy of Tom Cruise’s Stunts

Regardless of whether or not Tom Cruise actually climbed the Burj Khalifa, his dedication to performing daring stunts has become legendary. His willingness to push boundaries and strive for realism has set him apart as one of Hollywood’s most iconic action stars.

In conclusion, while Tom Cruise did not personally climb the Burj Khalifa for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol , his commitment to delivering thrilling and authentic performances remains unmatched. The combination of visual effects, practical effects, and skilled stunt doubles allowed for a thrilling cinematic experience that captivated audiences worldwide.

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Tom Cruise arrives in Abu Dhabi for Mission: Impossible premiere

The star was on the first flight into abu dhabi international airport's new midfield terminal.

Tom Cruise at Abu Dhabi International Airport's new Midfield Terminal ahead of the release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office

Tom Cruise has arrived in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Middle East premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

The star landed on Sunday, on the first flight into the new Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport . The terminal is featured in the newest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, with one of its major stunts filmed on its dune-shaped curved roof. The interior of the terminal will also be revealed to the public for the first time in the film.

Follow the latest news on Tom Cruise in Abu Dhabi here

Cruise also unveiled the new livery on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner that features Mission: Impossible branding on its engines. The plane will carry the livery as it travels to destinations around the globe. Etihad is the official airline for the new film, which will be released in the UAE on July 9.

The Midfield Terminal has been decorated with Mission: Impossible branding to celebrate its starring role in the film. Several purpose-built sets were made for the film, including an Etihad First Class Lounge.

Some scenes, which required 21 days of preparation, were set in the Liwa Desert and filmed over the course of a week. They involved 762 cast, crew and suppliers.

The regional premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is scheduled to take place on Monday at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. Several of the film’s talents are expected to attend, including Cruise, along with director Christopher McQuarrie, and stars Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff.

Pegg shared his experience of flying with Etihad on Instagram on Sunday.

His reel featured the Mission: Impossible- branded in-flight menu and snaps of a special cupcake and bag of salted popcorn both carrying the film’s name.

The actor finished the post with a video of him being driven through Abu Dhabi International Airport.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Simon Pegg (@simonpegg)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is not the first film in the franchise to have been shot in the UAE.

In 2018, a high-altitude skydiving scene was shot in Abu Dhabi for Mission: Impossible – Fallout , with support from the UAE military, Abu Dhabi Film Commission and twofour54 . Furthermore, key scenes in the 2011 film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol were filmed in Dubai, including the famous Burj Khalifa scene that features Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt climbing the exterior of the 828-metre structure.

Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Abu Dhabi Film Commission

Elena Sorlini, acting chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tom Cruise, the cast and crew of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One back to Abu Dhabi.”

“We’re proud of our role in the film and our contribution to Abu Dhabi as a destination that attracts global talent. The scenes showcased in the movie are a testament to the architecture, scale and design of the iconic Midfield Terminal, which is inspired by the cultural elements of Abu Dhabi.”

Antonoaldo Neves, group chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group, added: “Partnering with Mission: Impossible is a great testament to destination Abu Dhabi and what it has to offer. I couldn’t be prouder of Abu Dhabi and our team in showcasing the unique attractions of the emirate, our new airport and Etihad in the movie.”

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Tom Cruise: Mission Impossible director shares death-defying stunt photo for actor’s 60th birthday

Cruise is famous for doing most of the dangerous movie stunts himself, article bookmarked.

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Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie has shared a previously unseen stunt photo of Tom Cruise to celebrate the Hollywood star’s 60th birthday.

In the image, Cruise can be seen dangling from an airborne red biplane.

According to multiple reports, the photo was most likely taken during the filming of the forthcoming seventh Mission: Impossible movie, Dead Reckoning Part One , the penultimate film in the franchise.

Cruise is famous for doing most dangerous movie stunts himself.

During a live Q&A event at Cannes Film Festival this year, when French journalist Didier Allouch asked the Top Gun: Maverick star: “You are a family man with children! Why do [the stunts yourself]?”

Cruise replied: “Would you ask Gene Kelly why he does his own dancing?”

Last year, Cruise was spotted filming one of the stunts for Mission: Impossible 8 . He was photographed climbing out of a plane’s cockpit and onto its wing while 2,000 feet in the air.

For his most recent film Top Gun: Maverick – in which Cruise is reprising his role as naval aviator Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell more than 30 years after the original iconic 1986 film – the actor was determined to make the flying sequences as real as possible, meaning he was actually filmed inside F-18 fighter jets, while literally piloting them.

In 2017, Cruise also famously broke his ankle while jumping from one building to another in Mission: Impossible – Fallout , after which he got up and finished the scene.

For Mission: Impossible 7 , Cruise reportedly trained for an entire year to perfect one of the stunts where he performs a motorbike jump off a cliff into a valley in Norway.

In the lead up to the stunt, Cruise had 500 skydiving sessions and did 13,000 motorbike jumps. The shot itself was captured on the first day of filming.

Speaking in the featurette, Cruise said: “This is far and away the most dangerous thing I’ve attempted. We’ve been working on this for years. I wanted to do it since I was a little kid.”

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Director Christopher McQuarrie added: “The only thing that scares me more is what we’ve got planned for Mission 8 .”

In the franchise’s previous installments, Cruise has climbed cliffs in Australia with his bare hands, clung to a moving plane and climbed the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is scheduled for a 2023 release.

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