Tom Cruise is all set to stun audiences with his daredevil stunts in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One which will release worldwide on 12th July 2023. Apart from the thrilling action sequences that have defined the franchise, the unique factor in all the films has been Cruise’s amazing ability to enact his own death-defying stunts. From the high-speed helicopter chase in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, climbing the Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol to what looks like a massive motorbike leap in the upcoming film, Cruise has left no stone unturned to entertain audiences.
Another action-packed sequence that audiences can look forward to in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One involves a massive bridge explosion. The story behind scouting for the ideal location for the scene is a controversial one that led to a lot of backlash for the producers and the director Christopher McQuarrie.
Mission: Impossible 7 – The Polish Bridge Controversy
For a scene involving a bridge explosion, Director Christopher McQuarrie and the producers of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One chose the Pilchowicki Bridge in Poland as a shooting location. This bridge which is considered to be one of the oldest structures in Poland is mostly dilapidated and not fit for use, which the director thought to be a perfect prop for an explosive scene in the film involving Tom Cruise. Unfortunately, their decision resulted in a major backlash with many local citizens expressing their anger at the fact that an ancient structure was being destroyed despite the Deputy Cultural Minister of Poland confirming that it wasn’t considered a historic monument.
Meanwhile, director Christopher McQuarrie also issued a statement addressing the criticisms and clarified his decision to use the bridge for the film which was originally suggested by Polish authorities themselves. Elaborating on the benefits of using the bridge for the scene, McQuarrie said,
“We looked anywhere in the world [that] might have a bridge that needed getting rid of. To open up the area to tourism, the [Pilchowicki Bridge] needed to go. The polish government want to revitalize an outdated rail system by replacing the main decking of the bridge in question, which engineers had deemed structurally unsound.”
Despite McQuarrie also assuring citizens that only the existing ruined portions of the Pilchowicki Bridge will be destroyed, he was unsuccessful in getting the final permission to shoot there. The scene was ultimately filmed in a quarry in Derbyshire, England with a steam locomotive careening off a cliff.
Here’s Why Tom Cruise Filmed The Motorcycle Jump On Day One
In perhaps what is his most terrifying and dangerous stunt yet, Hollywood star Tom Cruise will keep audiences on the edge of their seat in a death-defying motorcycle leap off a cliff in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. The behind-the-scenes footage which was released a few months ago has already generated immense excitement including admiration for the 60-year-old star’s courage and skill. Interestingly, the segment was shot on the first day of filming and Tom Cruise proved that he was a thorough professional by saying,
“I was training and I was ready. You have to be razor sharp when you’re doing something like that. It was very important as we were prepping the film that it was actually the first thing. I don’t want to drop that and go shoot other things and have my mind somewhere else. Everyone was prepped. Let’s just get it done.”
In retrospect, the Top Gun: Maverick actor’s decision to complete the shot upfront proved to be an excellent one as it set the working foundation for the film to progress in the way it was planned.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will release worldwide on July 12th, 2023.
Source: Screen Rant
