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Tom Cruise is set to take on a new mission at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 62-year-old “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” star is reportedly preparing for a spectacular skydiving stunt during the closing ceremony on August 11.
While Cruise has been seen in Paris supporting Team USA, sources reveal that his presence is part of a top-secret project. For months, the actor has been training to perform a dramatic stunt to symbolize the handoff of the Olympic Games to the next host city, Los Angeles, in 2028.
According to TMZ, Cruise’s stunt will begin with him swinging from atop the Stade de France, carrying the Olympic flag. He will then land on the stadium’s field. The live broadcast will transition to a pre-recorded segment where Cruise will be seen traveling by airplane, still with the Olympic flag, from France to Los Angeles. The grand finale will have him leap from the plane and land on the Hollywood sign.
Photos obtained by TMZ show Cruise filming the Hollywood segment on March 16, 2024. However, a planned stunt involving the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles was reportedly canceled due to logistical issues with LAPD and permit challenges with the California Coastal Commission.
In addition to his solo stunts, Cruise is expected to pass the Olympic flag to various athletes, including a cyclist, skateboarder, and volleyball player, as he makes his way to Los Angeles. The idea for this elaborate handoff reportedly came from Cruise himself, who pitched it to the International Olympic Committee.
Cruise, a longtime supporter of the Olympic Games, participated in carrying the Olympic torch in Los Angeles in 2004. He has been in Paris since the opening ceremony on July 26, immersing himself in the excitement of the summer games.
PEOPLE has reached out to Cruise’s representatives for comment.
