EXCLUSIVE: How Tom Cruise Cheated Death Shooting Latest 'Mission: Impossible' Film — After We Revealed How His Stunt Obsession Is Leaving Him 'Gambling With Life'
Tom Cruise cheated death while filming Mission Impossible.
June 5 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Daredevil Tom Cruise cheated death while filming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – after nearly getting stuck on the wing of a biplane shortly before the aircraft ran out of fuel, according to the flick's director.
RadarOnline.com can reveal moviemaker Christopher McQuarrie recently recounted the scary sequence, which took place over South Africa, while speaking to an audience at the Cannes Film Festival.
Cruise, who famously pushes himself to do his own extreme stunts, chose to float between the wings of the plane in zero gravity – even after hearing words of warning from professionals.
Near-Fatal Stunt
Christopher McQuarrie revealed Cruise ignored limits during a terrifying 140-mph biplane stunt.
McQuarrie explained being outside of an aircraft takes a toll on the body because of the impact of the wind at 140 mph and the difficulty of breathing – so it is considered safe for only 12 minutes max.
He added: "It's literally like two hours in the gym."
But McQuarrie said Cruise, 62, indicated he wanted to continue filming the high-altitude acrobatics after the 12-minute mark had passed – and did so for another 10.
"There was a moment where Tom had pushed himself to the point that he was so physically exhausted, he couldn't get back up off the wing," the director recalled.
Andrenaline Junkie
Cruise is renowned for being hooked on movie-making thrill-seeking.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
McQuarrie added: "He was lying on the wing of the plane, his arms were hanging over the front. We could not tell if he was conscious or not."
At that point, the pilot indicated that he had only three minutes of fuel left – but the plane couldn't land with Cruise lying on the wing.
"We watched Tom as he pulled himself up and stuck his head in the cockpit, so that he could replenish the oxygen in his body and then climb up into the cockpit," McQuarrie marveled, adding: "No one on earth can do that but Tom."
The Top Gun flyboy, who had joined McQuarrie onstage, assured the crowd: "I don't mind encountering the unknown."
It comes after we revealed Cruise has vowed not to slow down when it comes to his money-spinning Mission: Impossible franchise – with sources telling us he is cashing checks his body can't withstand.
