Tom Cruise recently opened up about the intense stunt demands of filming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. In newly released bonus content, he discussed the climactic biplane sequence and how it pushed him to his physical limits. Alongside director Christopher McQuarrie, Cruise reflected on the midair battle and its physical toll during production.
Tom Cruise says Mission: Impossible 8’s plane stunt almost broke his back
In the digital release commentary, Tom Cruise said, “Oh, this almost broke my back,” while describing the biplane battle (via Entertainment Weekly). During the scene, Hunt jumps from one plane onto another. Cruise then clings to the wing midair, performing the stunt himself.
Director Christopher McQuarrie added details about the physical toll the stunt took on his star. He explained that when Cruise latched onto a seatbelt as the plane rolled upside down, “This separated the joints in Tom’s fingers from the force, so by the time we finished this sequence, your hands were absolutely swollen – oh my God, it was so painful to watch.” Cruise also noted, “Oh God, that was brutal,” as the seatbelt sequence played out onscreen.
The director highlighted another moment where Cruise slammed against the side of the plane after Gabriel rolled it midair. Cruise winced while rewatching, saying, “That hit, that was a hard one.” McQuarrie then pointed out that part of the sequence had been improvised by Cruise: “You were like, ‘I think we’re gonna need that,’ and I was like, ‘I didn’t ask you to do that.’”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning opened in May 2025 after its Cannes premiere, earning over $200 million worldwide on debut. The film later crossed $596 million globally. Cruise called the release “one for the history books,” thanking studios, filmmakers, theater workers, and audiences for their support.
Despite the film being promoted as his last outing as Ethan Hunt, Cruise has avoided confirming his future with the franchise, saying only, “Enjoy this and know everything is the culmination has come to this moment right now.”
The film is available on PVOD and releases on 4K Ultra HD, DVD, and Blu-ray on October 14.
