Tom Cruise’s dedication to performing jaw-dropping impossible stunts in the Mission: Impossible franchise has become legendary. From scaling the Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol to hanging on to the side of a plane in Rogue Nation, Cruise has set the bar higher with each successive film. In Fallout, he even jumped out of a plane over 100 times. And in Dead Reckoning Part One, he’s back at it again. A new still from the upcoming action movie shows off a set piece with Tom Cruise fighting on top of a moving train and it is epic!
Empire Magazine recently shared a stomach-churning image on Twitter showcasing one of the most epic set pieces in the upcoming flick. Shot near York, the scene involves Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt battling the film’s villain (played by Esai Morales) on top of a speeding steam train. In keeping with the Mission: Impossible tradition, the scene was shot practically, with Cruise and Morales engaging in a fight atop an actual moving train. You can catch a tease of the intensity of the scene for yourself in the image below.
EXCLUSIVE 🚨#MissionImpossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has Tom Cruise fighting on top of a moving train: 'If we’d known the challenges, we’d never have done it,' director Christopher McQuarrie tells Empire.READ MORE: https://t.co/89ZdO82ufv pic.twitter.com/eG18I2iyv9May 5, 2023
Their unwavering commitment to practical effects sets the Mission: Impossible franchise apart from other action films. Tom Cruise’s dedication to performing his stunts has garnered fans’ respect and established a new standard for action movies. Director Christopher McQuarrie’s use of practical effects immerses audiences in a thrilling experience, but it also presents its fair share of challenges. McQuarrie admitted that had they known the difficulties of shooting the train sequence beforehand, they may not have chosen to do it. Here’s what he told the publication in a 2021 interview:
We’re making a movie that involves sequence that they just don’t shoot practically anymore, and haven’t in a long, long time. The sequence that we’re shooting right now is no exception. And like most things on Mission: Impossible, if we had known what the challenges were when we started, we would never have done it.
The highly anticipated follow-up to the critically acclaimed and commercially successful 2018 film Mission: Impossible - Fallout has been a long time coming for fans of the long-running series. Initially slated for a 2021 release and Part Two slated for 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic caused Mission: Impossible delays. However, the wait is almost over, and fans are eagerly anticipating the release of Dead Reckoning: Part One. A recent social media post by the film’s director has fueled speculation that a trailer may be dropping soon, as the first half of Tom Cruise’s final Mission: Impossible films are set to hit the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
Although fans will have to wait until July 12th to experience the film in theaters, this new photo has certainly heightened their anticipation. Tom Cruise’s thrilling battle atop a speeding train is a clear indication that Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One will be an epic adventure, setting up a fitting farewell to Cruise as he departs from the franchise that he played an instrumental role in turning into a global phenomenon.
