The Wild Story Behind Tom Cruise’s Olympics Stunt (And How It Took More Than A Year To Come Together)

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The Wild Story Behind Tom Cruise's Olympics Stunt (And How It Took More Than A Year To Come Together)

As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in action-packed virtual worlds, I must say that the real-life spectacle at the Paris Olympics was nothing short of mind-blowing! The Closing Ceremony stunt with Tom Cruise jumping off the Stade du France and riding his motorcycle to LA was pure adrenaline rush. It’s a testament to the power of cinema, the spirit of sportsmanship, and the unparalleled charisma of Mr. Cruise himself.

Following the Paris Olympics this year, the hosting responsibilities were handed over to Los Angeles, California for the 2028 Summer Olympics. In keeping with tradition, the Olympic flag was passed to the next host city, and they chose an all-American spectacle to do so. The Closing Ceremony featured Tom Cruise leaping from the Stade du France into the stadium, grabbing the flag and riding it onto his motorcycle. Before the live broadcast ended, a pre-recorded video showed the Mission: Impossible star bringing the flag to Los Angeles. It seems that this daring stunt had been in the works for over a year, and many components needed to align for its successful execution.

How The Incredible Closing Ceremony Stunt Came Together

During this year’s Olympics Closing Ceremony, Ben Winston was among the producers. He shared insights on how they orchestrated the thrilling Tom Cruise stunt. Inspired by a memorable segment from Conan O’Brien in the 2000s, he thought of creating an international travel video that would follow the stunt’s execution.

It seems that discussions about Cruise’s role and a possible stunt began approximately a year and a half ago. This conversation took place after he had developed a rapport with the actor following their collaborations on various segments for The Late Late Show with James Corden. When speaking to THR, he shared his approach, saying:

Absolutely. Afterwards, I presented my idea to Tom, who seemed like the ideal candidate for this project. If Tom hadn’t agreed, I can hardly imagine anyone else stepping into his role effectively. Who else embodies action and is synonymous with an American icon? When we secured Tom, I had a sense that everything would fall into place – so we proceeded based on that. However, it took us more than a year and a half to make it happen.

That amount of time is wild to think about.

How The Big Stunt Changed Over A Year And A Half

Initially, when Winston proposed the plan, he focused solely on the motorcycle travel segment of the stunt. Consequently, the Oscar nominee agreed to take part in the pre-recorded portion, ensuring a safer and more controlled setting for his involvement.

Rather than making a double leap into Paris for the flag, they opted for him to perform it himself. True to his style, Tom wanted to carry out the entire act without a stand-in wearing a balaclava hogging all the limelight on the global stage. Winston shared the exact comments Tom made regarding this action.

Tom’s input was clear: ‘I’m fond of the concept, but instead of using a masked stuntman, I will be the one performing the rooftop jump and driving through Paris.’ This arrangement seems more suitable for me. The main reason I suggested the mask during my pitch was to cut down on filming time from four days to just one day, including rehearsals.

They made an effort to maintain secrecy during filming by pretending their project was a Mission: Impossible movie and using a plain white flag as a cover for the crucial part of the shoot. However, whispers about Cruise Olympics leaked, leading people to suspect that it was Tom Cruise who would be bringing the Olympic flag to Los Angeles. This suspicion grew even stronger when Cruise began climbing the Hollywood sign, an event that became the iconic moment in the Olympics video which fans watched repeatedly.

Regardless, even if people knew about it, it certainly didn’t take away from how mystifying the stunt was, and how the Top Gun: Maverick star will truly go the extra mile for an audience.

After the marathon sessions of strategizing for over a year and those lengthy filming hours, it was all undeniably worth every second. This moment, the Olympic flag handoff, will forever be etched in my memory as one of the most outstanding I’ve ever witnessed. It was the cherry on top of America hosting this global sporting event, a fitting tribute to our triumphs, especially those glorious wins we scored in Paris this year.

It’s hard to think of something more symbolically American than a classic Hollywood actor zooming into a flight on a motorbike and scaling a famous monument – bravo to Ben Winston and his team for bringing this extraordinary scene to life, and hats off to Tom Cruise for making it possible.

When Cruise isn’t showcasing America in Paris, he’s typically busy filming the upcoming Mission: Impossible movie, slated for release in May 2025. This action-packed flick will feature the Oscar nominee performing new and thrilling stunts, a continuation of his daring feats seen in previous Mission: Impossible films, all of which are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

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2024-08-15 21:37