Tom Cruise’s iconic airplane stunt took him decades to perfect: here’s why

The high-octane stunt actor Tom Cruise has been delivering legendary action sequences for almost three decades through the kinetic Mission: Impossible franchise.

For the eighth and reportedly final instalment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise brings a dedicated stunt that took him decades to perfect.

In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, Cruise took fans behind the scenes of a daring sequence where he clings to the wing of an aeroplane flying at nearly 150 mph.

The MI franchise star revealed that the scene was inspired by black-and-white footage from the early days of wing walking, an activity where people walk on aeroplanes' wings mid-flight. Cruise said he had always wanted to try it.

When director Christopher McQuarrie expressed interest in doing a scene in the air, Cruise was thrilled to finally attempt wing walking for the film.

The actor, who specialises in flying all types of aircraft, explained how they carefully selected the plane and strategised to achieve "zero-G between the wings."

The plane moved constantly, causing Cruise to fall in different directions. Additionally, the high wind pressure made it difficult for him to breathe.

“So I had to figure out how you’re taking the wind, and you’re breathing down here like this,” he said, demonstrating the trick by lowering his face.

Behind-the-scenes footage showed Cruise and McQuarrie planning the sequence and filming rehearsals to ensure the final scene was flawless.

“It took decades to figure it out, honestly,” Cruise admitted.

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