Actor Tom Cruise nearly died during filming of stunt

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

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CANNES - Tom Cruise's film crew on his latest Mission: Impossible epic feared the American actor was about to die after he appeared to pass out on the wing of a stunt plane over South Africa.

The 62-year-old Hollywood star, who does his own stunts and was flying the biplane alone, was laid out flat on the wing after spending 22 minutes out of the cockpit — 10 more than safety guidelines allowed, the movie's director Christopher McQuarrie told a masterclass at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning premiered at the festival.

The eighth installment of the hit action spy franchise (1996 to present), known for its dizzying set pieces and heart-stopping action scenes, opens in Singapore cinemas on May 17.

"When you leave the cockpit of the plane, it's like stepping onto the surface of another planet," McQuarrie, 56, said. "The wind is hitting you in excess of 140 miles an hour (225kmh) coming off the propeller. You're breathing, but only physically — you're not actually getting oxygen."