If someone were to ask you to name some of the greatest action scenes of all time, there’s a good chance the Burj Khalifa stunt from Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol would be one of them.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) scaling Dubai’s tallest building in a true daredevil style, made even the most seasoned stuntman wince. Let’s get into what it took to create one of the audiences’ favorite scenes and Cruise’s most famous feats in the Mission Impossible franchise.
Setting the Scene: Burj Khalifa in Dubai
For a jaw-dropping live-action scene, you need a jaw-dropping background. Boasting 163 floors and 2,722 feet, this manmade wonder is an architectural landmark and it also happens to be the world’s tallest building.
In the scene, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is hot on the heels of Michael Nyquist’s Kurt Hendricks, who has possesion of vital nuclear launch codes. It’s a defining moment – having these means keeping an extremely dangerous weapon from falling into the wrong hands.
The Planning Phase
Brad Bird, Mission Impossible 4 director, had an ambitious task ahead of him. Not only was he directing an action film for the first time, but he had to get Tom Cruise up the side of the Burj. Bird’s vision was to film the scene in real-time for maximum audience impact. Because of this, we get to see every terrifying slip of a hand.
Cruise insists that he perform his own stunts, something he’s well known for. His movie career is full of self-performed stunts, often extremely dangerous and typically executed by professional stuntmen or doubles, including free-climbing and a high-speed helicopter chase in Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
Naturally, safety was a big concern when filming the Burj scene. Brad Bird trained the entire production team and equipped them with the necessary safety protocols.
Bird worked closely with Jamal Al Sharif, head of Dubai Studio City, the official film authority of the city. This ensured that on the logistical side of things, everything ran smoothly. Bird had to obtain specialized permits, coordinate the scene with architects and engineers, and ensure that the crew followed all safety regulations.
The Setup
The first thing the production team had to do was build a glass wall around the windows of the skyscraper. Then, professional climbers were asked to point out where the rigging could be attached to the building safely. To protect the building’s exterior, they had to figure out how to break the windows for rigging without damaging the rest of the building.
Once the team finished that stage, they moved on to the next issue by setting up the rigging to support Cruise. They attached him to the building with a safety harness.
The team used a pair of special suction gloves, cable, and thin wire for this endeavor. The rigging was tested numerous times before Cruise was allowed to try it.
Beyond the physical requirements, the scene required substantial training for Cruise before filming, despite his prior stunt experience.
Training and Preparation
Cruise turned to the best of the best for his training and preparation, stunt man and safety guy, Gregg Smrz. Smrz taught Cruise how to perform an Australian rappel, a technique commonly used by climbers. He also helped him learn how to maintain his grip on the fingerholds.
Cruise also prepared himself mentally, adopting a Zen mindset. This helped him stay grounded in the present, clearing his mind of anything else so he could focus on the stunt. Ultimately, Cruise needed to learn how to stay calm under pressure. Even the smallest mistake could be fatal.
Shooting the Scene
After months of training and preparation, Cruise, director Brad Bird, and the crew were finally ready to film. Bird used IMAX cameras during filming, giving the scene an authentic feel that captured the action as it unfolded.
With legendary cinematographer Robert Elswit on board, the scene was shot with Cruise using a special pair of suction gloves to climb. As he ascended, he fought crosswinds and exposure from the relentless sun, but the team managed to execute it flawlessly, using close-ups that showed the strain on Cruise’s face.
Given they were shooting in the middle of the desert, sandstorms were an ever-present threat looming on the horizon. However, the production team made sure to keep a close eye on the weather conditions, resulting in a successful shoot.
It wouldn’t be a Hollywood action movie without a touch of humor to break the tension. Simon Pegg’s Benji Dunn delivers a perfectly timed one-liner just before Cruise takes the plunge, allowing the audience to catch their breath.
Post-Production
Once they’d shot the scene, the crew had to replace all the broken windows, promising that the Burj Khalifa was left how they found it. Luckily, while several windows were ultimately replaced, this didn’t impact the structural integrity of the building.
In post-production, Dubai’s beautiful natural landscape was enhanced, adding a layer of romanticism to the action. Featuring the Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol not only did wonders for the film’s PR side of things but also put the city of Dubai on the map.
The Impact of the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa Stunt
Ultimately, the Mission Impossible scene involving the Burj Khalifa was big for Dubai, bringing it to international audiences. The skyscraper became a permanent fixture in cinematic history.
It also didn’t hurt that Tom Cruise is always prepared to perform his own dangerous stunts. The Mission Impossible team got behind him, and together, they pushed action-movie boundaries that resulted in an unforgettable scene that will live rent-free in our minds forever. The Burj Khalifa stunt will certainly go down as one of Tom Cruise’s best movie moments.
Fontaine is one of the movie-loving brains behind thefilmbandit.com. She’s got a soft spot for classic rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally and Pretty in Pink, but don’t let that fool you—she’s just as hyped for the intense action in the Bourne movies. Her all-time fave? The Goonies, no contest. If it’s got 80s vibes, a killer storyline, or dreamy cinematography, Fontaine’s already got it queued up. She’s here for the feels, the thrills, and everything in between.