Hollywood star Tom Cruise set a Guinness World Record for the most burning-parachute jumps by an individual during filming for his new movie “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.”
In the film, the eighth in the “Mission: Impossible” series, Mr. Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt jumps out of a plane with a burning parachute and then deploys a backup once the first is destroyed.
To film the scene, Mr. Cruise flew up in a helicopter to a minimum of 7,500 feet and jumped out, Guinness World Records explained. After he jumped, the fuel-soaked parachute was ignited and Mr. Cruise then used the backup. Filming the scene took 16 takes, setting the world record.
“Tom doesn’t just play action heroes — he is an action hero! A large part of his success can be chalked up to his absolute focus on authenticity and pushing the boundaries of what a leading man can do. It’s an honor to be able to recognize his utter fearlessness with this new Guinness World Records title,” Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said.
Guinness World Records did not say who, if anyone, held the record for burning-parachute jumps before Mr. Cruise.
The movie set a franchise record when it opened over Memorial Day weekend to the tune of $200 million worldwide, according to Variety.
“To the incredible directors, actors, artists and crews across the globe that have helped bring these stories to life, I thank you. It has been a privilege to work alongside you all. Most importantly, I want to thank the audience, for whom it is our great pleasure to create these films, and for whom we all serve. We’re thrilled to share ’The Final Reckoning’ with you,” Mr. Cruise wrote on social media on May 29.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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