This Mission: Impossible 7 Stunt Is The Most Dangerous Thing Tom Cruise Has Ever Done

"Mission: Impossible 7" will feature the franchise's most death-defying stunt to date, according to Tom Cruise. That's saying a lot, considering the stunts Cruise has already performed in the previous "Mission: Impossible" films.

Indeed, the "Mission: Impossible" franchise is no stranger to high-risk stunts, and neither is Cruise. Over the years, the actor has steadily built a reputation for his commitment to doing his own stunts in as practical a manner as possible. That's led Cruise and his collaborators to attempt increasingly crazy, awe-inspiring action sequences in every single one of his films. Look no further than the "Mission: Impossible" franchise for proof of Cruise's commitment to practical action filmmaking.

The previous six "Mission: Impossible" films have featured Cruise climbing up the side of the tallest building in the world, clinging to the outside of an airplane as it flies through the air, riding a motorcycle at breakneck speeds against moving traffic in Paris, manually flying a helicopter through mountain valleys, and holding his breath underwater for up to six minutes. Now, it looks like the next "Mission: Impossible" will see Cruise once again attempting to top his previous stunts.

"Mission: Impossible 7" may not officially hit theaters until May 2022, but audiences are already getting sneak peeks of the stunts they can expect to see in the highly-anticipated sequel. One of those stunts — which was first teased in "Mission: Impossible 7" set photos last year — sees Cruise driving a motorcycle at full speed off a mountainside ramp and free-falling through the air before eventually parachuting safely to the ground. The stunt was filmed by a helicopter that hovered closely over the actor the whole time.

Cruise reportedly considers the stunt the most dangerous one he's ever done. Speaking with Empire, the actor revealed that the stunt was even more complicated to pull off than fans might think. Cruise detailed the technical complexity of the stunt, saying, "If the wind was too strong, it would blow me off the ramp. The helicopter [filming the stunt] was a problem, because I didn't want to be hammering down that ramp at top speed and get hit by a stone. Or if I departed in a weird way, we didn't know what was going to happen with the bike. I had about six seconds once I departed the ramp to pull the chute and I don't want to get tangled in the bike. If I do, that's not going to end well."

Fortunately, the stunt was completed, and it promises to be just one of the many blockbuster action sequences featured throughout "Mission: Impossible 7." Whether or not the stunt manages to visually surpass Cruise's previous onscreen exploits remains to be seen, but if there's one thing the "Mission: Impossible" franchise has proven itself capable of — it's the ability to build in both quality and scale with each new installment.