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When it comes to performing death-defying stunts, no one in Hollywood goes further than Tom Cruise. In June 2025, the legendary actor made history by setting a new Guinness World Record for completing the most flaming parachute jumps ever filmed.
Cruise performed 16 separate skydives from over 7,500 feet, with his main parachute intentionally set on fire mid-air. In each jump, he deployed a reserve parachute just seconds before landing. The incredible stunt was filmed for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025), and the Guinness Book officially recognized it as a world record due to the extreme danger, precision, and repetition involved.
But this isn’t the first time Tom Cruise has risked everything to deliver jaw-dropping action on screen. Below are the 7 most insane stunts he’s ever performed — all done without a stunt double.
1. Flaming Parachute Jump (2025)
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Cruise’s most recent and record-breaking stunt. Jumping out of a plane 16 times with a parachute engulfed in flames, this sequence involved specialized fireproof suits and emergency protocols. The stunt was considered too dangerous even for NASA’s space training program. Cruise did it for real — and the footage is jaw-dropping.
2. HALO Jump from Military Aircraft (2018)
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Cruise jumped from 25,000 feet in a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) dive. The scene required custom-designed oxygen helmets and intense training. Filmed during sunset to capture the perfect lighting, Cruise completed over 100 practice jumps before nailing it in one continuous take.
3. Hanging from a Flying Plane (2015)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
One of Cruise’s most iconic stunts — he clings to the outside of a military aircraft (Airbus A400M) as it takes off. No green screen. No CGI. Just Tom Cruise, a harness, and a real plane lifting off the runway. The scene was shot eight times to get it right.
4. Motorcycle Cliff Jump (2023)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Cruise rides a motorcycle off a cliff in the Norwegian mountains, lets go mid-air, does a full backflip, and then opens a parachute. Shot on location without visual effects, the stunt has been called “the most dangerous stunt ever performed in cinema history.”
5. Climbing the Burj Khalifa (2011)
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Cruise scaled the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, in Dubai. Though he was secured by safety lines (digitally removed in post), he performed the climb himself — including running down the glass face of the building at over 500 meters in height.
6. Underwater Scene with 6-Minute Breath Hold (2015)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
In this intense underwater sequence, Cruise had to hold his breath while performing complex tasks. He trained with freediving experts and successfully held his breath for over 6 minutes — a feat that rivals professional divers.
7. Running on a Moving Train (2023)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Cruise ran full speed on top of a moving train through the Norwegian countryside, filmed from a helicopter. The action sequence required intense precision and timing — and of course, Cruise performed it all himself, without a stuntman.
Final Thoughts: Is Tom Cruise Even Human?
In an age where most action films rely heavily on CGI and stunt doubles, Tom Cruise continues to push physical and cinematic boundaries. His recent entry into the Guinness World Records is a well-deserved recognition of his lifelong commitment to realism, thrill, and performance.
At 62 years old, Cruise shows no signs of slowing down. In his own words, “I’ll keep making movies even when I’m 100.” Judging by these stunts, we believe him.
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