Tom Cruise’s intense underwater prep for Mission Impossible 8: From depths to skies

Hollywood star Tom Cruise has shared behind-the-scenes photo from the set of his much-awaited film, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. The photo shows him training for underwater stunts, a glimpse of which was featured in the trailer of the spy thriller. The 62-year-old actor reprises his role as spy Ethan Hunt in the film.
One photo shows Tom taking a breath from his trainer’s oxygen tank while underwater, illuminated by a large light in the background. Along with the photo, the actor wrote on Instagram, “The training and preparation we put into this film is a culmination of all before it. From the depths, to the skies, I can’t wait to share more with you.”
The makers of The Final Reckoning also teased fans with a video showing Tom Cruise preparing for his underwater stunts. The video features the actor donning a scuba suit while the crew helps fasten his face mask. After gearing up, Tom shares a fist bump and gives the crew a thumbs up before diving into the shoot.
The makers captioned the BTS video, “Suiting up for the impossible. #MissionImpossible – The Final Reckoning (sic).”
The teaser trailer for the film previously revealed that Ethan Hunt will continue his battle against the powerful AI called “The Entity,” picking up from where 2022’s Dead Reckoning Part One left off.
This underwater sequence is not the first time Tom Cruise has dived deep for the franchise. In Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), the actor performed another underwater stunt where he held his breath for about six-and-a-half minutes.
Helmed by Christopher McQuarrie, the final instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, is set for a worldwide release on May 23, 2025. The film also stars Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, Katy O’Brian, and Tramell Tillman.