CinemaCon attendees had an action-packed morning viewing footage from Paramount’s Tom Cruise starrers “Mission: Impossible 7” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” Tom Cruise didn’t appear in person, but was onscreen for Paramount’s presentation in Las Vegas on Thursday.
For “Mission: Impossible 7,” Cruise appeared on video describing the harrowing motorcycle stunt jumping off a mountain in Norway in a behind-the-scenes featurette. He drives his motorcycle off a giant motorcycle ramp, and then separates from the vehicle mid-air to parachute safely. Cruise explains in the video that the dangerous stunt requires hitting speed marks on the ramp with the lightweight motocross motorcycle but “there is no speedometer so I do it by sound and sight.” The stunt was filmed six times.
Paramount president of theatrical distribution Chris Aronson introduced the first 13 minutes of “Top Gun: Maverick” along with a new trailer. The opening showed Cruise insisting on “one last ride” in the Mach 10, which he boards as evening falls in the desert. The opening sequence was well received by the CinemaCon exhibitors who responded to its action and touches of black humor.
Both films have been oft-delayed due to the pandemic. “Top Gun: Maverick” is set to bow in theaters on Nov. 19, while “Mission: Impossible 7” opens on May 27, 2022.
In the “Top Gun” sequel, Cruise reprises his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, as he returns to flight school to train Top Gun graduates for a special mission. Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell co-star, with Val Kilmer returning as Maverick’s rival, Iceman.
“Mission: Impossible 7” shut down production in Italy at the beginning of the pandemic. After resuming in September 2020, production was shut down at least two additional times when crew members tested positive for COVID. Cruise was famously recorded shouting at the crew for breaking COVID protocols in December, 2020.