Tom Cruise Earns Guinness World Record for Most Burning Parachute Jumps for Mission: Impossible Scene
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ features a death-defying stunt that Cruise pulled off a record number of times
Tom Cruise Makes History with Daring Parachute Stunt Record
Tom Cruise’s legendary stunt work has officially entered the record books. The 62-year-old action icon has earned a Guinness World Records title for the most burning parachute jumps by an individual, the organization announced on Thursday, June 5. The milestone was achieved during the filming of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, where Cruise completed the fiery leap 16 times.
Spoiler alert: In the climactic sequence of the eighth Mission: Impossible installment, Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt faces off against his nemesis Gabriel (played by Esai Morales) in an aerial dogfight. The intense scene takes place above South Africa’s Drakensberg mountain range, where the characters pilot 1940s biplanes in a battle over control of a rogue AI known as the Entity.
The explosive moment ends with Ethan falling from a burning, disintegrating aircraft. As he plummets, his parachute catches fire and disintegrates midair—forcing him to deploy a backup chute in a heart-stopping drop.
According to Guinness World Records, Cruise—an experienced skydiver—jumped from a helicopter 16 times, each time with a fuel-soaked, ignited parachute. After the chute burned away, he detached the remnants and deployed a secondary parachute to land safely. “No other actor or stunt performer has approached this level of risk and repetition,” the organization noted.
Some takes featured Cruise carrying a 50-pound camera rig to film intense close-ups of Ethan’s fall, a feat accomplished under the direction of Mission: Impossible filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie.
“Tom doesn’t just portray action heroes — he is one,” said Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday. “His dedication to authenticity and constantly pushing the limits of what’s possible for a leading man is unmatched. It’s an honor to recognize his fearlessness with this world record.”
Cruise is no stranger to Guinness honors. He also holds the title for most consecutive $100-million-grossing films, with 11 blockbusters from Jack Reacher (2012) to Final Reckoning (2025). Glenday hailed him as “the most successful action star in global box office history.”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, is now playing in theaters. The film also stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, and Angela Bassett. For more exclusive content and behind-the-scenes insights, check out PEOPLE’s special edition on the franchise.
