American filmmaker, Christopher McQuarrie, has revealed that popular actor Tom Cruise nearly lost consciousness while performing a high-risk stunt for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”.

The incident occurred during a shoot in South Africa, where Cruise, 62, was filmed strapped to the wing of a biplane flying at over 140 miles per hour.

McQuarrie disclosed this at a masterclass during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where the movie premiered.

According to him, Cruise had exceeded the safety time limit by more than 10 minutes and remained outside the cockpit for 22 minutes during the shoot.

“He was laying on the wing of the plane, his arms were hanging over the front,” McQuarrie said. “We could not tell if he was conscious or not.”

The director described the stunt as extremely dangerous, likening it to standing “on the surface of another planet.”

“The wind is hitting you in excess of 140 miles an hour coming off the propeller. You’re breathing, but only physically you’re not actually getting oxygen,” he added.

McQuarrie explained that Cruise, a trained pilot, had agreed to give a hand signal in case of trouble, but during that moment, none came. The crew feared the worst.

“Tom had pushed himself to the point that he was so physically exhausted, he couldn’t get back up off the wing,” he said.

He stated further that despite the scare, Cruise managed to complete the stunt and return safely, adding another daring feat to his long list of jaw-dropping action performances.

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” is the eighth instalment in the popular spy franchise and is currently showing in cinemas.