Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ powers into the Cannes film festival for its premiere on Wednesday on a steamroller of hype.
With some fans fretting that the $400-million epic – the eighth in the high-octane franchise – could be the last, Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie have been teasing up the tension by dropping contradictory clues about its future.
Cruise, 62, has also been sharing heart-stopping footage of the stunts he did for the movie on social media, including discussing a freefall jump from a helicopter at 10,000 feet (3,000 meters).
He is seen jumping from the chopper high over a South African mountain range and putting himself into a high-speed spin with a camera strapped to his stomach.
The blockbuster is set to ramp up adrenaline levels and promises to somewhat lighten the tone at Cannes.
The festival’s highly political opening day began with accusations that Hollywood was ignoring “genocide” in Gaza, while the conviction of French screen legend Gerard Depardieu for sexual assault in a Paris court on day one also dampened the mood.
Even Cruise’s iron-clad optimism has come under stress with the industry shaken by President Donald Trump’s threat to stick tariffs on movies “produced in foreign lands”.
With ‘Mission: Impossible’ among Hollywood’s most globalised franchises, shot on a dizzying roster of exotic locations from the Arctic to Venice and Shanghai, Cruise shut down questions about the issue at a promotional event in South Korea last week.
Asked about tariffs and the franchise’s globetrotting shoots, Cruise said tersely: “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.”
In one glimmer of hope, Trump has said he will make an exception for the James Bond movies – which are mostly shot in the UK – because the late 007 Sean Connery once helped him get planning permission for his Scottish golf course.
Cruise’s franchise also leans heavily on London studios.
