Tom Cruise’s Space Movie Faces Major Zero-Gravity Filming Challenges

The film “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” might mark Tom Cruise’s departure from this acclaimed action series, but it doesn’t signal the end of his groundbreaking contributions to the genre. Presently, Cruise is linked to a film by director Doug Liman, speculated to be the first Hollywood production ever shot in space. For quite some time now, there have been whispers about this project, but Universal Studios has recently confirmed that the film is indeed moving forward.

The extent to which Tom Cruise’s upcoming space movie will actually be filmed in space is currently under debate, with speculation about using the International Space Station for on-set shooting. This news about blockbuster filmmaking is incredibly thrilling, but even Cruise’s longtime partner Christopher McQuarrie isn’t completely sure if it will be as simple as Cruise implies.

Audiences Will Expect Tom Cruise’s Space Movie To Have Some Practical Stunts

The Actor Has Made A Name For Himself Thanks To His Stunt Work

It’s only logical that viewers will anticipate some realistic thrill-seeking stunts in Tom Cruise’s forthcoming space film, given his recent career trajectory centered around daring action scenes. The death-defying feats in the Mission: Impossible series were a major highlight of the later installments, and Cruise has built quite a reputation for his consistent readiness to risk personal danger for the sake of cinematic excitement. In essence, there’s no reason we should expect anything less from his space movie.

Previously, Cruise and Liman have collaborated on two projects, “Edge of Tomorrow” and “American Made”, where real-life stunts were extensively used to enrich the narratives. Given that Liman appreciates Cruise’s commitment to action sequences in filmmaking, it seems unlikely that he would opt for a more visual effects (VFX)-centric approach for his upcoming project. However, shooting these stunts in space poses an extraordinary challenge due to one significant factor.

Christopher McQuarrie Just Explained The Stunt Problem Cruise’s Space Movie Will Run Into

There’s A Reason McQuarrie Never Tried To Film In Space

In an interview with Collider, four-time director of the “Mission: Impossible” series, Christopher McQuarrie, expressed worries about filming extended scenes in space given the zero-gravity conditions on the International Space Station. When inquired why he hadn’t tried to venture into space, McQuarrie explained that “shooting in a zero-gravity environment would require a total overhaul of how Mission: Impossible films are made, as every iconic stunt in the series heavily relies on gravity.

It’s no surprise that the director is spot on. In fact, many breathtaking stunts from the Mission: Impossible series wouldn’t be feasible without the steadfast rule of gravity keeping Tom Cruise and his stunt crew secure. Stunts like climbing the Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol or dismounting a motorcycle mid-air in Dead Reckoning required precise calculations of gravitational forces at every instance to prevent any mishaps. Essentially, they had to minimize reliance on mere luck.

How Tom Cruise’s Space Movie Can Overcome The No Gravity Problem

There’s A Compromise That Liman And Cruise Must Make

The wisest approach for Cruise and Liman to tackle this issue would be through a harmonious blend of VFX (visual effects) and real-life stunts. This could entail filming the actual stunts on Earth, employing high-speed aircraft or even skydiving to simulate zero-gravity, followed by enhancing the footage with visual effects to give it a more genuine feel.

Additionally, Cruise is working on a chilling underwater film project, which could encounter similar challenges; filming underwater is notoriously tricky, despite its appearance in multiple Mission: Impossible films. However, Cruise has chosen to face these difficulties head-on, and it’s clear that both projects will generate a lot of buzz within the film industry due to their groundbreaking visual effects and daring stunt work.

2025-05-19 00:08