tom cruise sitting on top of dubai building

Screen Rant

Mission impossible 4: how tom cruise did the burj khalifa stunt.

The Burj Khalifa sequence in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is Tom Cruise's craziest and most famous stunt. This is how he achieved it.

• Cruise's Burj Khalifa stunt in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a defining, heart-stopping moment for the franchise.
• With dangerous stunts like the HALO jump in Fallout, the Burj Khalifa climb remains Cruise's most famous feat.
• From carefully fixing harnesses to rigorous training, the Burj Khalifa stunt was a logistical nightmare that paid off well.

The Burj Khalifa stunt in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a defining moment for the franchise, but audiences wonder if Tom Cruise climbs the Burj Khalifa in real life. With a growing list of extremely dangerous stunts on his resume, scaling Burj Khalifa's exterior in the fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise is one of Cruise's most famous feats of courage. Since then, Cruise has continued to defy death in multiple movies with stunts like Mission Impossible: Fallout 's HALO jump. Still, the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt has become a cinema landmark.

Ghost Protocol takes Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt to Dubai in search of nuclear launch codes after Kurt Hendricks, a.k.a. Cobalt (Michael Nyquist), steals a devastating weapon. It's obvious by now that Hunt never takes the easy route. Ethan must reach the 130th floor of the 2,722 ft skyscraper and ditch the elevator in favor of a pair of questionable suction gloves. Starting the climb 123 floors up is the easy part as he then rappels down the building and makes a jump of faith. The Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt is one of the most intense and thrilling scenes ever.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+

Tom Cruise's 14 Mission: Impossible Stunts Ranked By Most Dangerous

Tom cruise's burj khalifa stunt explained, the actor was equipped with a harness that was fixed to strategic points on the building.

For the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt, the actor had to be equipped with a harness that was carefully fixed to strategic points in the building , which required that the studio get special permits to drill on the floors and walls, and the Mission: Impossible 4 crew broke 35 windows . Director Brad Bird ( The Incredible s) consulted with multiple professionals from different areas like engineers, pro climbers, and stuntmen to ensure the safety of the shoot. He even considered using a dedicated stuntman, but, as he's done for the majority of his career, Cruise did his own Mission: Impossible 4 stunts.

Tom Cruise didn't know that the tight harness would cut off his circulation, so the shoot had to be completed as efficiently and quickly as possible. Otherwise, his lower body would start feeling numb. The helicopters that were shooting had a flight limit of 30 minutes at a time too, so the crew had to make every take count. The sequence was also shot in IMAX, which meant that the cameras would run out of film fast. The footage had to be flown back to Los Angeles, and Bird couldn't check if everything was perfect until the film was developed.

The training for the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt was also extremely thorough and calculated. The crew built a wall of glass to simulate the exterior of the real building and had Tom Cruise climb up and down several times to get him familiarized with the discomfort of the harness and the physical toll of the climb. They went so far as to heat up the wall with artificial lights to simulate the temperature of the windows of the Burj Khalifa. The stunt was a logistical nightmare, but the planning all paid off.

Mission Impossible Movies Ranked - From The 1996 Original to Dead Reckoning Part 1

Why tom cruise on burj khalifa is the best mission impossible stunt, the stunt is like a live-action incredibles scene.

Tom Cruise always does his own Mission: Impossible stunts , including hanging off a plane, holding his breath for six minutes to perform an underwater heist, and conducting 109 HALO jumps to get the perfect shot. But of all these movie stunts, the iconic Burj Khalifa sequence is the best proof of the actor's dedication to his craft. The Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol scene is the most nail-biting sequence for audiences, and it was extremely dangerous, exhausting, and probably terrifying for Cruise himself.

Nevertheless, the results are impressive, to say the least; Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol has one of the best stunt scenes caught on camera. Having scaled the side of the world's tallest building – for real – grants eternal franchise bragging rights for any self-respecting action series. The stunt plays out like a live-action Incredibles scene too, as the sequence is layered with clever action comedy, such as the suction gloves having a mind of their own. The Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt has an equal balance of edge-of-your-seat thrills and laugh-out-loud comedy, which few other Mission: Impossible stunts have.

Mission: Impossible 8 - Release Date, Story & Everything We Know About Dead Reckoning Part 2

Was the tom cruise burj khalifa stunt his most dangerous, the motorcycle jump in mission: impossible - dead reckoning as arguably more dangerous.

Following the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa stunt, the actor performed more stunts that were just as dangerous. In Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation , Cruise hung onto the side of a plane as it took off. The actor also held his breath underwater for a record-breaking 6 minutes (that's until the record was broken by Kate Winslet in Avatar: The Way of Water ). Following that, Cruise committed to a HALO jump for Mission: Impossible - Fallout . The HALO jump was so dangerous that Henry Cavill wasn't allowed to take part because it would have put Cruise's life at risk (via AutoEvolution ).

However, the motorcycle jump in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 was the actor's most dangerous stunt yet . It would have been impossible to foresee where the bike would land when Cruise let go, and so many other things that the production couldn't properly plan for. Accurately conducting a risk assessment of the scene must have been the most frustrating part of the movie's development. The impossible-to-determine physics, along with controlling a vehicle in mid-air and being dangerously close to rocks on a cliff edge, makes Cruise's motorcycle jump the most dangerous stunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Tom Cruise has injured himself a number of times due to his commitment to performing his own stunts (via MovieWeb ).

However, it's comical to compare the Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol stunt and the motorcycle-parachute stunt, as neither are things that anybody should ever attempt. Nevertheless, Cruise competes with himself, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 2 could feature his two most dangerous stunts yet. Mission: Impossible 8 features a water stunt in which Cruise could claim back his breath-holding record from Winslet. The upcoming movie also features another airplane stunt, only this time it isn't taking off but is sky-high. Either way, Mission: Impossible's stunts are almost equally dangerous, and Cruise is happily risking his life for the audience's entertainment.

Sources: AutoEvolution , MovieWeb

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

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The fourth film in the franchise, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, is an action-thriller film set years after the events of Mission: Impossible 3. It sees Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) see themselves falsely accused of a crime. Following a terrorist attack on the Kremlin, the IMF is implicated in the attack, forcing the government to disavow knowledge of them. To clear their names and find the true culprit, the United States initiates the "Ghost Protocol," forcing them all to go off the grid with no support to solve the case.

The Film Bandit

How tom cruise pulled off the burj khalifa stunt in ‘ghost protocol’.

When moviegoers think of the unforgettable action scenes from the Mission Impossible movies, the Burj Khalifa stunt from Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol inevitably comes to mind. The incredible stunt features actor Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt) scaling the world’s tallest building in Dubai. We take a behind-the-scenes look at what went into filming the stunt, one of the craziest scenes in Mission Impossible history.

Setting the Scene: Burj Khalifa in Dubai

Burj Khalifa , the 2,722-foot skyscraper and engineering marvel in Dubai, boasts 163 floors, including the 130th floor where the shoot for this jaw-dropping scene occurred. Not only is the Burj Khalifa an architectural landmark, but it’s also the backdrop for the fourth installment of Mission Impossible .

Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is on the prowl for Kurt Hendricks, played by Michael Nyqvist , in search of some nuclear launch codes. This will prevent a devastating weapon from falling into the wrong hands.

The Planning Phase

Creating the stunt began with an initial concept from director Brad Bird , who directed both Ratatouille and The Incredibles . Ghost Protocol was Bird’s directorial debut in live-action cinema, and his vision for the Burj Khalifa sequence was ambitious: Tom Cruise had to climb the exterior of the skyscraper. As a filmmaker, Bird wanted to film the scene in real time, with IMAX cameras capturing every jolt of every slipped hand for maximum viewer impact.

Cruise insisted on performing his own stunts, a hallmark of his work across the Mission Impossible franchise, so he took on the challenging Burj Khalifa stunt, forgoing the easy route of using a dedicated stuntman or doubles. As one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Cruise has performed a growing list of extremely dangerous stunts for the majority of his career, often pushing the limits of what an actor will do, from free climbing to a high-speed helicopter chase in Fallout .

Given the height and potential safety concerns involved, the safety of the shoot was extremely important. To ensure the scene could be filmed without a hitch, a comprehensive and coordinated effort was needed from the production team. Dubai Studio City , the city’s official film authority, helmed by Jamal Al Sharif , worked closely with the studio to manage a myriad of logistics. This process involved obtaining special permits, coordinating with the architects and full-time engineers of Burj Khalifa, ensuring that all safety codes were met.

The logistics of shooting on the Burj Khalifa’s exterior required innovative expertise. To begin, the production team had to build a glass wall around the area of the building where the shot would be taken. Professional climbers were employed to identify strategic points on the building where the rigging could be attached. To protect the Burj Khalifa’s facade, they had to find a way to break windows for rigging, without causing damage to other parts of the building.

Once the areas of the building were identified and the glass wall was erected, the team faced the next obstacle: rigging up the harnesses and cables that would keep Cruise safe. The actor was attached to a safety harness, which was then fastened to the side of the building itself. A variety of tools were used in the process, including a thin wire, a piece of cable, and a pair of suction gloves. Every component of the setup was meticulously brake-tested and inspected for any potential faults before Cruise was attached.

Beyond the physical setup, the shot required careful planning and coordination. This required a multitude of repetitions to make the stunt appear as smooth and natural as possible on the big screen. It required substantial training and preparation, even for a Hollywood star like Tom Cruise.

Training and Preparation

Before the shot was taken, Cruise underwent extensive training with stuntman, Gregg Smrz . This training involved Cruise learning how to perform an Australian rappel , a descent technique used by climbers, and learning how to maintain his grip on the glass finger holds.

In terms of mental preparation, Cruise employed a sort of Zen mindset, focusing on the task at hand, making sure his mind remained clear during the stunt. The ultimate goal was to allow Cruise to remain calm under pressure. Given the stakes, any minor mistake could have resulted in a grim call, so the stunt required his unwavering focus.

Shooting the Scene

The day of shooting brought with it the tension relief that the scene was finally underway. All the careful planning and rigorous training was about to be put to the test. Director Brad Bird and his crew were faced with numerous challenges during the shoot. One was to ensure that the live-action scene felt authentic. To do this, they employed real-time filming, using IMAX cameras to capture the action as it unfolded.

The scene, captured by the legendary cinematographer Robert Elswit , shows Cruise using a pair of special suction gloves to climb the building, holding on for dear life as he fights crosswinds and the relentless sun. Every frame of the sequence, from the wide shots showing the real dimensions of Burj Khalifa, to the close-ups that reveal the strain on Cruise’s face, adds to the impact of the scene.

One of the difficulties that arose during the shoot was the potential threat of a sandstorm. Given Dubai’s desert climate, a sandstorm could have disrupted the shooting schedule. Worse, it could pose a risk to Cruise and the rest of the crew working on the 130th floor of the skyscraper. However, with careful monitoring of weather conditions, they managed to work around this challenge and shoot the scene successfully.

Incorporating humor into this intense scene provided a touch of tension relief. Simon Pegg , who plays Benji Dunn in the movie, delivers a really funny line just before Cruise takes his jump of faith. This juxtaposition of humor and high-stakes action is a signature part of the Mission Impossible franchise.

Post-Production

After the scene was shot, the production team had to replace the windows that were broken during the shoot, making sure the Burj Khalifa returned to its original state. In the end, the sequence required the breaking and subsequent replacement of several windows. This was carefully managed to prevent any lasting damage to the architectural landmark.

Once the film was in post-production, the beauty of Dubai as a shooting location was enhanced through the use of high-quality sound and editing. The inclusion of the Burj Khalifa sequence in Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol not only boosted the film’s advertisement but also highlighted the city of Dubai and the skyscraper itself.

The Impact and Legacy of the Tom Cruise Burj Khalifa Stunt

In the end, the shoot was beneficial for Dubai, putting the city and the Burj Khalifa on the map for many international viewers. With its pivotal role in Ghost Protocol , the skyscraper has become an iconic part of cinematic history.

Lastly, Tom Cruise’s commitment to performing his own stunts, combined with the willingness of the Mission Impossible team to push boundaries, resulted in an action sequence that is unforgettable, even now. The Burj Khalifa stunt is definitely one of Cruise’s most famous feats.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like Behind Tom Cruise’s Insane Rogue Nation Airplane Stunt.

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Photos Of Tom Cruise's Spectacular Skyscraper Stunt From 'Mission: Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol'

At a Dubai press conference not too long ago for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol , Tom Cruise mentioned that some filming would take place at Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. "I'll be spending many days, many hours on the side of this building, I can't give you details, but I will be up there," Cruise said. Now, photos have surfaced online that show exactly what he was referring to. Hit the jump to check them out.

The below photos come from the Daily Mail , who report that the shooting the scene was incredibly tense, both for film crew and for onlookers watching below. This was understandable, as Burj Khalifa took over 5 years to construct and is over 2,700 feet tall. Cruise hung from the building's observation deck, 124 floors above the ground. Apparently, the stunt involved running across the building and jumping over another actor, also dangling precariously high up. A helicopter was just 10 feet away to capture the scene from the outside.

Cruise has often expressed a preference for doing his own stunts. He told the Daily Record this past summer:

I want to entertain the audience and part of making these movies is doing my own stunts. I love having the camera right there in front of me, where you can see me holding a shot all the way through. I think it adds to the excitement for an audience. It's something that is challenging to do and fun for me.

It might sound a bit narcissistic to some but I actually appreciate Cruise's work ethic. As jaded moviegoers, we've been trained to look for the cut where the stunt double replaces the actor. It's nice to know there are still some actors out there willing to put their asses on the line for the sake of entertainment.

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Feature December 20, 2016 at 12:39 am

Three Years Later And This Video Of Tom Cruise On Top Of The Burj Khalifa Still Totally Freaks Us Out

Known for pulling off his own stunts back in the glory days, Tom Cruise looks pretty steady sitting on top of the WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING.

The stunt took place back in 2013 when Cruise was in Dubai to film and promote Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Could you pull this off? We get the heebie jeebies just looking at it.

Only a very special few of people have been to the very top

Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, is no stranger to adrenaline activities so he was one of the first to famously post on top of the building. 

 The Burj is HUGE

At 830 metres, the building is the tallest in the world. Look at her in comparison with the rest of Dubai’s syscrapers. Wow.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Burj Khalifa (@burjkhalifa) on Dec 15, 2016 at 5:26am PST

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Behind the scenes of Tom Cruise's Burj Khalifa stunt

Incredible footage of Cruise jumping out of windows of the 828 metre Burj Khalifa

Dubai: Take a look at this incredible behind-the-scenes video showing just how Tom Cruise did his stunts on the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, for his upcoming film Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol . Cruise shocked the world last October when he performed stunt after crazy stunt on the outside of the building, and here the film's director Brad Bird takes viewers inside the shooting with some incredible footage of Cruise jumping out of windows of the 828 metre skyscraper, swinging around the side of the building -- and even running down it. You won't believe your eyes.

The film releases in the UAE at Imax and standard cinemas on December 17.

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Tom Cruise Scales World's Tallest Building For 'Mission: Impossible' Sequel

Tom Cruise is many things. Afraid of heights is not one of them.

The 48-year-old actor has long insisted on performing his own stunts for his high-octane action movies, famously scaling the face of a mountain in Sydney, Australia, for the opening sequence of "Mission: Impossible II." But that dangerous stunt has nothing on Cruise's latest feat in "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol," the fourth entry in the espionage series. In round four, Cruise is trading in a mountain for the tallest skyscraper in the world.

Photos have surfaced of Cruise hanging on the side of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, which stands as the world's tallest building at 2,717 feet. Cruise, reprising his famous role as super-spy extraordinaire Ethan Hunt, filmed his scenes along with another unidentified actor, reportedly leaping over the man during a chase sequence that involves a helicopter hovering a mere ten feet from Burj Khalifa.

Cruise's deadly stunt was surprising, to say the least -- one can only imagine what onlookers must have been thinking watching the actor run along the top of the impossibly tall building -- but it's not as if he didn't warn anybody about it. At a press conference last week, Cruise informed attendees that he would be "spending many days [and] many hours on the side of this building. I can't give details, but I will be up there."

The actor's spokeswoman added: "Tom has been preparing for the stunt for some time. He believes if he performs the stunts himself, the audience believes more in his character."

Well, if nothing else, Cruise's latest stunt just proves that no mission is truly impossible.

Check out everything we've got on

href="/movies/movie/448785/moviemain.jhtml">"Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more -- updated around the clock -- visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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Behind the scenes: emirates flight attendant ontop of the burj khalifa.

No, it was not a reshoot of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Nor was it Tom Cruise who recently stood on the top of the Burj Khalifa - although hats off to the man for always performing his own stunts. Rather, it was an honorary Emirates crew member along with a production team who scaled the tallest building in the world for an impactful new ad campaign. Now, the airline has released behind-the-scenes footage of the daring publicity event.

Over one hour of climbing before dawn

The video was released on Monday in response to those who might have questioned whether or not the ad had been shot on a green screen. The airline says it took meticulous planning and safety arrangements to prepare for the bold stunt . Special adjustments also had to be made to the Emirates cabin crew uniform to accommodate the hooks to the all-essential harness.

There was no helicopter used, as some have suggested, to propel the protagonist to the top. Rather, after taking the elevator up to the 160th level, the team then climbed for one hour and 15 minutes to reach the very top of the building. The top floor of Burj Khalifa, number 163, sits 242.6 meters lower than the actual pinnacle of the building.

One continuous take

The climb began while it was still dark outside in order to catch the 'golden hour' of the morning. Once up there, the protagonist had a specially constructed platform with a circumference space of 1.2 meters to stand on while holding up a set of message boards. The scene is reminiscent of the 2003 movie 'Love Actually', taking place mostly in London, in honor of the UK moving the UAE off its 'red' list of destinations.

The team was at the top for close to five hours. Filming was done with a single drone and the entire sequence was shot in one continuous take. The whole ad was conceptualized and directed by the airline's in-house team, with the help of Dubai-based Prime Productions AMG.

A very small tallest-tower club

A very select few have thus far been allowed at the top of Burj Khalifa. Among them are the aforementioned Tom Cruise and the Crown Prince of Dubai, H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sir Tim Clark , President of Emirates, commented on the event in a statement issued earlier today,

"The calm and confidence of the cabin crew you see in the ad is an embodiment of our frontline team, serving travellers and ensuring their safety. We’re proud to be among a privileged few who have been allowed to film at the top of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar and even prouder that we get to showcase our beautiful city, Dubai.”

Professional skydiving instructor

The footage kicks off with the Emirates flight attendant for a day, American stuntwoman - and travel agency owner - Nicole Smith-Ludvik, saying hi to her mom, telling her she is 'on top of the world'. Most mothers might have a minor heart attack seeing their child on a tiny platform at the top of the world's tallest building.

However, Smith-Ludvik is no stranger to heights. Usually, though, she enjoys them with a parachute attached to her back as a skydiving instructor, rather than scaling up towers. While a casting call went out to actual Emirates cabin crew, it was deemed safer to go with someone used to jumping out of fully functioning planes.

What do you think of Emirates' new ad? Would you climb the Burj Khalifa if you were allowed? Leave a comment and let us know. 

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Why Is Tom Cruise Sitting On Top of the World's Tallest Building?

We got photographs and video of Tom Cruise jumping off the mid-section of the tallest skyscraper in the world . But this is him on the very top of the Burj Khalifa , filmed by an helicopter, taken around 1AM New York time.

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The photographer—Gerald Donovan—told us all the details:

He was up there for about an hour. Chopper circled several times very close. He's the only one that you can see, but on a video I have, you can see that there were other people up there but hiding down the spire. Lots and lots of filming was happening—both from the chopper and from below (check out the guy in the cradle hanging lower down the Burj on the left hand side). They were filming a 360 degree pan of him. My guess is that it's for promo, and maybe not for the film itself (in all the swinging shots he's wearing 3/4 length trousers. Here he's wearing jeans I think).

How did he get there?

1. He first took elevator BS1: Concourse (4.0 m.) to level 138 (508.2 m.) 2. Then got into elevator BS3: Level 138 to level 160 (621.3 m.) 3. From there, he got elevator BS4: Level 160 to section 18B (646.9 m.) You can also take the steep stairs/landings from 160 to 18B. 4. After that, he climbed the ladder from section 18B to section 19 (653.3 m.) 5. Went from section 19 to section 21 (691.7 m.) taking the steep stairs/landings. 6. Climbed the ladder inside the pinnacle pipe: Section 21 to top platform (826.6 m.)

Yes, that's 443 feet climbing up a ladder at the end. Seems like quite a trip. Cruise has been filming Mission Impossible 4 in Dubai during the last few weeks.

Image Copyright by Gerald Donovan. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. You can see the whole gigapan at Posterous .

Tom Cruise Sits On Top of the World

By Brad Brevet

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest man-made structure ever built and that’s Tom Cruise sitting on top of it where Gizmodo reports he sat for about an hour as a helicopter circled several times very close. He’s there shooting a scene for his upcoming film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol under the direction of Brad Bird and the photographer who took the shot, Gerald Donovan, told Gizmodo the following:

He was up there for about an hour. Chopper circled several times very close. He’s the only one that you can see, but on a video I have, you can see that there were other people up there but hiding down the spire. Lots and lots of filming was happening — both from the chopper and from below (check out the guy in the cradle hanging lower down the Burj on the left hand side). They were filming a 360 degree pan of him. My guess is that it’s for promo, and maybe not for the film itself (in all the swinging shots he’s wearing 3/4 length trousers. Here he’s wearing jeans I think).

After taking an elevator up most of the building’s 2,717 feet (.514 miles), he had to climb 443 feet (1.5 football fields) of ladder at the very end to get to his final position.

Previously I featured video of Cruise swinging from the side of the building which you can watch here . He’s obviously going all out for this film.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is currently set for a December 16, 2011 release.

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Did Will Smith Climb to the Top of the Burj Khalifa?

The actor scaled the building's stairs, and then some., bethania palma, published nov. 14, 2021.

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The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world's tallest building. Standing 160 stories, the building's spire, along with Dubai's skyscraper skyline, often peeks above the clouds. So photographs of movie star Will Smith sitting atop the building may look fake — but they're not.

The "Independence Day" star did climb to the very top of the Burj Khalifa. He did it as part of his new YouTube Originals series , "Best Shape of My Life," in which Smith strives to, as the title states, get back into shape after gaining weight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the show, Smith scaled all 2,909 of the skyscraper's steps, and then some. After climbing the stairs, Smith decided he wanted to get to the very top of the building, its spire. To do that, he had to climb additional ladders.

In June 2021, a photograph of Tom Cruise sitting atop the Burj Khalifa's spire also went viral. The picture was taken in 2011 during the filming of the fourth installment of the "Mission Impossible" film series.

Entertainment Tonight. "Will Smith Kicks Off His Emotional Fitness Journey in First 2 Episodes of 'Best Shape of My Life.'" 8 November 2021, https://www.etonline.com/will-smith-admits-he-was-embarrassed-of-pandemic-weight-gain-in-best-shape-of-my-life-docuseries.

By Bethania Palma

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006.

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Visit Dubai highlights Will Smith's ascent to top of Burj Khalifa in campaign video

The actor took the journey to the top of the world's tallest building as part of his 'best shape of my life' series, watch will smith climb up the tallest building in the world.

Visit Dubai has shared a video of Will Smith’s climb to the top of Burj Khalifa as part of its latest campaign to showcase the emirate.

The clip, which comes from Smith’s Best Shape of My Life series on YouTube, was shot earlier this year, although the docuseries the first couple of episodes have only just been released.

The episode was posted on Monday and shows the Men in Black star training and the obstacles he faces along the way. He decides to scale the world’s tallest building to finish a cardio workout.

“Dubai fits my personality. It just speaks to how I see the world, how I see life,” he says in the video. “If you’re going to build a building, are you really not going to try to build the Burj Khalifa?”

Smith ends up climbing the 160 floors of Burj Khalifa in 61 minutes before getting strapped into safety gear and climbing up a ladder to enter the spire to reach the top.

“This is the individual highest point that a human being can be in a man-made structure on Earth,” he says in the clip.

At the end, Smith is seen beaming with joy as he poses on top of the building.

The YouTube Original follows the actor as he embarks on a mission to lose 20 pounds (9 kilograms) in 20 weeks after gaining weight during the pandemic. Most of the series seems to take place in Dubai.

Shots from the trailer show Smith cycling with the Downtown Dubai skyline in the background, as well as him practising yoga on the helipad of Burj Al Arab. He is also seen training in the gym at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex, which is owned by his close friend, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.

The remaining four episodes of the series will be released daily, with the final episode showing on Friday.

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Tom Cruise Creates His Own ‘Trafalgar Square’ Tube Station Filming Mission: Impossible in London

The actor was pictured filming scenes for the eighth 'Mission: Impossible' movie in the British capital on April 28

Raw Image / Goff / Splash / SplashNews

Tom Cruise has taken over the streets of London!

On Sunday, April 28, the actor, 61, was photographed filming scenes for the next Mission: Impossible movie in the British capital outside an invented Tube station called 'Trafalgar Square.'

Cruise shut down the real Trafalgar Square for the shoot as he was seen coming in and out of the London Underground station while surrounded by crowds of extras.

Off camera, the action star appeared in happier spirits as he chatted to members of the crew in between takes. 

The eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise is set for a May 23, 2025 release. According to Deadline , the release was delayed by a year due to the SAG-AFTRA strike , which ended in November 2023.

Cruise returns to the franchise as protagonist Ethan Hunt, along with director and longtime collaborative partner Christopher McQuarrie. 

The actor was spotted filming more adrenaline-fueled scenes for the action movie in London last month. 

On March 24, the American Made star was photographed sprinting down a street in the capital wearing a black suit with an unbuttoned white shirt covered in fake blood.

Last summer, Cruise returned to the big screen in the seventh film in the franchise, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning .

The film made $172 million at the domestic box office and earned the franchise its first Oscars nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 96th Academy Awards earlier this year.

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Meanwhile, Cruise is reportedly set to appear in another sequel of his movies for the third Top Gun film , following the huge success of the second installment, Top Gun: Maverick , released in 2022. 

In January, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Paramount is developing the sequel with co-writer Ehren Kruger, with Joe Kosinski set to direct. According to the outlet, the film will see Cruise return in his role as Pete Mitchell, alongside his Maverick costars Glen Powell and Miles Teller .

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Jennifer Gould

Tom cruise was once the super of this nyc townhouse — and now it’s $3m cheaper.

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The Upper West Side townhouse where Tom Cruise, now 61, used to work as the super — changing lightbulbs and sweeping floors in exchange for cheap rent when he was an up-and-coming actor — has just received a $3 million price cut. 

The landmarked, Renaissance Revival property, at 50 W. 86th St., is now asking $12 million — down from its $14.99 million ask last fall, as Gimme Shelter reported at the time.

Back in the 1980s, Cruise wasn’t the only future star to call the building home. Long before “Sex and the City” and “Iron Man,” Sarah Jessica Parker and her then-boyfriend, Robert Downey Jr., lived there, too — and in a penthouse, no less.

At 25 feet wide, the grand five-story townhouse is divided into eight separate, market-rate units, including two duplex apartments — but it can be converted back to single-family status. All combined, the home features 15 bedrooms and 8½ baths.

The address was also aptly known as the “Good Luck Building” because of all the actors who gained good fortune while living there.

Cruise, for example, was living in the building — in a modest 300-square-foot studio — shortly before his big break in the 1981 film “Taps.”

His mom paid half the rent — and Cruise paid the rest by working, said the seller Therese Flaherty.

At 9,165 square feet, the townhouse comes with a private, gated entrance — and 18,000 square feet of air rights.

Inside, it features an ornate staircase and details such as original moldings, high ceilings, hardwood floors and exposed brick. There’s also a commercial space and a pool. 

Flaherty is a former celebrity makeup and hair artist who lived in the building before buying it — for $2.7 million in 1999 — from the former owners, show business couple Lee and Libby Allen. Lee was an actor, dancer and comedian who played Eddie Ryan in the film “Funny Girl” with Barbra Streisand; Libby was a singer and cabaret performer. The Allens even hosted a cast/birthday party for Streisand in the building, and often rented to struggling actors. 

Flaherty continued the tradition, renting to actors, including Hank Azaria. 

Built in 1907, the building was also home to King Curtis, Aretha Franklin’s musical director and band leader, who was stabbed to death in front of the townhouse in 1971

The listing broker is Rex Gonsalves of Brown Harris Stevens. 

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