Tom Cruise has officially earned a Guinness World Record for pulling off a daring stunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
In this intense sequence, he leaps from a helicopter at a height of no less than 7,500 feet, opens a parachute soaked in fuel, and sets it on fire midair. The parachute is only allowed to burn for about three seconds before Cruise must release it and activate a backup chute. On top of that, he occasionally performs the stunt while managing a 50-pound camera rig.
Remarkably, Cruise didn’t complete the stunt just once—he executed it 16 times. This impressive feat earned him the record for the most burning parachute jumps performed by a single individual. He was officially awarded the title on June 4.
Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, praised Cruise for his dedication, saying that Cruise doesn’t just portray action heroes—he truly embodies one. Glenday highlighted Cruise’s relentless pursuit of authenticity and boundary-pushing performances, calling it a privilege to honor his fearlessness with the record.
This isn’t the first time Cruise has astonished audiences with death-defying stunts. Throughout the Mission: Impossible series, he has been seen clinging to the side of an aircraft during takeoff, riding a motorcycle off a cliff, and scaling the tallest building in the world. Beyond the franchise, he has showcased his skills as a licensed skydiver and has held a pilot’s license for over three decades. In Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise personally performed a range of high-speed aerial maneuvers.
Stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood, who worked on Mission: Impossible – Fallout, emphasized that audiences are quick to notice when a stunt lacks authenticity. According to him, that’s why it’s crucial for Cruise to perform these feats for real.
This latest recognition marks Cruise’s second Guinness World Record. He also holds the distinction of being the actor with the most consecutive $100-million-grossing films, with 11 blockbusters starting from 2012’s Jack Reacher through Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
